Project 10073 Record Card — Forsyth, Montana, 6 Feb 61

This document is a Project 10073 record card and accompanying reporting format regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on February 6, 1961, in Forsyth, Montana. The witness reported observing a single, round, bright white object that appeared twice the size of a star. As the object moved further away, it reportedly turned red. The object was observed for approximately 30 minutes, from 2105 to 2135 local time. The reported flight path involved movement from overhead to the west, back to the north, and then west again. The witness first observed the object at an 80-degree elevation, and it eventually disappeared below the horizon at a 240-degree azimuth. The report was prepared by AIC William M. O'Rourke. The investigation concluded that the sighting was a misidentification of the planet Venus. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) determined that the position of the object as reported by the witness coincided with the position of Venus for that time and date, based on the 1961 Almanac. The FTD noted that atmospheric refraction and the extreme brightness of the planet, which had a magnitude of -4.2, were significant contributing factors to the misidentification. Additionally, the report mentions that aircraft in the general area at the time may have contributed to the confusion. No physical evidence, photographs, or radar contacts were associated with the event.