Project 10073 Record Card and Correspondence — Chicago, Illinois, December 1961

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and a follow-up report from the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron regarding a sighting in Chicago, Illinois, on December 27, 1961. At approximately 0310Z, an observer reported seeing an orange and yellow object, described as being half as bright as the moon, located in a vacant lot at street level. The primary object was accompanied by five or six smaller objects. The witness reported that the objects alternately faded and grew brighter over a duration of 35 minutes. The report notes that the objects were stationary and appeared at an elevation of 10 to 15 degrees. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the sighting was a misidentification of astronomical bodies. Specifically, it was determined that the moon and the star Alpha Leo (Regulus) were the objects observed. The report suggests that because these bodies were just rising, atmospheric refraction likely caused the observed distortion and brightness fluctuations. Additionally, the report notes that an occultation of Regulus occurred at that time. The document also mentions that northern lights were reported in Glenview, which may have been a possible reflection.