Project 10073 Record Card and Naval Message regarding UFO sighting, 20 Dec 61

On December 20, 1961, at 1825Z, the crew of the USS DURANT observed an unidentified aerial object while performing morning star sightings in the Pacific Ocean at coordinates 40-07.5N, 173-05W. The object was described as round, with a color, size, and magnitude comparable to the planet Venus. The sighting lasted for seven minutes and was observed by the ship's Commanding Officer, the Navigator, and the Assistant Navigator using the naked eye, 7x50 binoculars, and a sextant. The object was initially sighted at a bearing of 295 degrees and an elevation of 62 degrees, eventually disappearing at a bearing of 050 degrees and an elevation of 32 degrees. The weather conditions at the time were reported as fair with unlimited ceiling and 10 miles visibility, despite heavy seas and high winds. No unusual meteorological or astronomical activity was noted by the crew, and no interception or identification action was taken. The report notes that an AEWBORONPAC aircraft was in the vicinity at a bearing of 117 degrees and a range of 45 miles from the USS DURANT. The official evaluation, recorded on a Project 10073 record card, suggests that the object was likely the Echo I satellite, citing its northeast heading and apparent orbital path, though this was not verified by space tracking data. The report concludes that no physical evidence existed and no formal analysis was conducted beyond this initial assessment.