Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting of 8 Sep 63

On September 8, 1963, at approximately 12:00 local time, an individual identified as DH Menzel observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon while flying in a jet aircraft over Eastern Kansas at an altitude of 30,000 feet. The witness reported seeing a bright, silver-bodied object that appeared to be pacing the aircraft at a lower altitude. The object was described as Saturn-shaped and lacking wings, with a dark horizontal line appearing to break the object in two. The observation lasted for approximately ten minutes. The witness also noted a second, similar apparition passing by in the opposite direction. Upon further analysis, the phenomenon was officially concluded to be an optical illusion caused by reflections between the double-paned windows of the aircraft. The witness, Menzel, provided a detailed account of the event, comparing the visual effect to the 'Chesapeake Bay Case' and noting that the reflection dimmed as the illumination changed, eventually revealing the form of the plane itself.