Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting of 31 January 1963

On 31 January 1963, at 0600Z, multiple observers in the Atlantic Ocean area, including personnel aboard the USS Dunkirk, reported a sighting of a bright white light in the southern sky. The object was observed moving from right to left at an elevation of 30 to 40 degrees, traveling toward the horizon at a rate comparable to a shooting star. The object possessed a short tail of sparks or debris that appeared brighter than the object itself. The light increased in brilliance before appearing to explode, illuminating the sea for a duration of 5 to 10 seconds. Descriptions of the explosion varied; some witnesses likened it to a shower of sparks from a sky rocket, while other reliable reports described it as a brilliant flash without sparks. The incident was reported via a merchant vessel, the Dunkirk, which was in the vicinity. Official evaluation by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that the phenomenon was an astronomical meteor, specifically a bolide, based on the description provided by multiple sources over a wide area.