Project 10073 Record Card — Middletown, Ohio, 18 Sep 61

On September 18, 1961, at 0255 hours local time, a civilian witness in Middletown, Ohio, observed a bright object in the sky. The witness, who had previously submitted an ATIC form 164 regarding a satellite, observed the object for approximately thirty minutes. Initially viewing it from a window, the witness later moved outside to observe the light through a 200x telescope. The witness described the object as a burning mass, bluish-white in color with traces of red, green, and occasionally vivid purple. The object maintained a steady rate of speed and course, moving from slightly south of east toward the southwest. The witness noted that the object appeared to be in orbit and was much brighter than any other star or planet. The witness attempted to gauge the object's angular dimensions by holding a cigarette at arm's length, which completely obscured the light. Following the investigation, the official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card was that the object was the star Sirius. The report notes that Sirius, a first-magnitude star with a magnitude of -1.6, was in the reported position at the time of the sighting and would appear to move toward the southwest, matching the witness's observations.