PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD - Dayton, Ohio - 31 Dec 61

This document is a Project 10073 record card and associated analysis regarding a UFO sighting reported in Dayton, Ohio, on December 31, 1961. The witness, a civilian, reported observing a stationary object for approximately 45 minutes starting at 04:30 local time. The witness described the object as a bright light, roughly twice the size of a large star, which emitted red and green sparks. The observation was made from inside a residence, specifically through a bathroom window facing west. The witness initially estimated the object's position at 220 degrees azimuth, but the official analysis concluded that the object was likely located closer to 270 degrees (due West). The investigation determined that the object was the star Sirius. The report notes that Sirius is the brightest star in the heavens and, being near the horizon at the time of the observation, was likely distorted by atmospheric refraction, which would account for the witness's description of the object's appearance and behavior. The file includes a completed U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, an analysis sheet, and supplementary astronomical information from a Science News Letter dated November 25, 1961, which provides context on stellar visibility. Additionally, the document contains brief, unrelated information-only reports regarding other sightings in Springfield, Ohio; Sacramento, California; and Danvers, Massachusetts, as well as a summary list of sightings from January 1962.