Declassified UFO / UAP Document
Project 10073 Record Card — 30 Dec 61
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AI-Generated Summary
A military observer reported an unidentified object on December 30, 1961, which was subsequently identified by the Air Force as the star Sirius. The report includes a Project 10073 record card and a formal military message regarding the sighting.
On December 30, 1961, at 1500Z, a military observer reported an unidentified object with the appearance of a bright star at coordinates 2130N 15803W in the Pacific region. The observer noted that the object moved horizontally and vertically by approximately 5 degrees. After an initial observation, the witness went inside for 15 minutes. Upon returning, the witness observed that the object had dropped between 20 and 25 degrees in elevation. The object disappeared at 301540Z. Although there were clouds in the sky, the area where the object was sighted remained clear. The incident was documented on a Project 10073 Record Card and reported via a CIRVIS message to various military commands, including CINCPACAF and CINCNORAD. The official evaluation concluded that the object was the star Sirius, which has an apparent magnitude of -1.6. The report states that the reported direction, elevation, and time of disappearance were consistent with the setting of Sirius as viewed from the witness's location. The misidentification was attributed to atmospheric refraction and the observer's active imagination.
Misidentification was probably helped along by distortions due to atmospheric refraction and an active imagination.
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Official Assessment
Objt sighted was probably bright star Sirius, magnitude -1.6. Direction and elevation reported for objt and that of star are same at time of sighting. Time reported for disappearance is coincident with setting time for star as viewed fm location of witness. Sirius is brightest star (apparent) in our heavens and was misidentified by this witness. Misidentification was probably helped along by distortions due to atmospheric refraction and an active imagination.
The object was identified as the star Sirius based on its magnitude, position, and the timing of its disappearance relative to the star's setting time.