Project 10073 Record Card — Alexandria, Virginia, 29 August 1962

On August 29, 1962, a 16-year-old witness in Alexandria, Virginia, reported observing an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witness, who was using a telescope to view Jupiter, described an egg-shaped object with a red light that appeared as bright as the brightest star. The object was observed for approximately 15 seconds, during which it exhibited random movement, stood still, and changed speed and brightness. The witness noted that the object appeared solid and blurred when moving, but became round when it slowed down. No sound was reported. The object was first seen in the northwest and disappeared over the horizon in the southwest. The witness provided a detailed sketch of the object's path and noted that it appeared to follow a straight course between stars before being lost behind trees. The official Air Force evaluation concluded that the data was not conclusive, suggesting it was 'probably a meteor,' though the investigator noted that the reported flight path and speed changes were inconsistent with typical meteor behavior and could potentially be an illusion caused by the proximity of stars in the field of vision.