Project 10073 Record Card and Incoming Message — Poughkeepsie, New York, 25 August 1962

On August 25, 1962, at approximately 2140 hours local time, a civilian observer reported a sighting of an unidentified object three miles north of Poughkeepsie, New York. The object was described as being the size of a baseball, fire-red in color, and possessing a tail of fire. The observer reported that the object appeared in the northern sky at 90 degrees, moved down to tree-top level, returned to 90 degrees, and then moved from side to side. The observation lasted for one hour. The witness reported no sound. The report was processed by the Department of the Air Force under Project 10073 and in accordance with AFR 200-2. 2D Lt. Lowell A. Kleiman of Stewart AFB contacted the New York Civil Center (NYCC) and local radio, both of which reported no unusual activity in the area. Weather conditions were reported as clear with no clouds or thunderstorms. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) was that the object was an astronomical body. The report notes that the small size and duration of the sighting, combined with the apparent movement, were consistent with an astronomical body undergoing refraction as it set. Specifically, the stars Vega and Deneb were identified as being in the area of the initial sighting.