Sighting Report — Morton, Illinois, 4 January 1965

This document consists of a formal response from the United States Air Force, specifically the Project Blue Book office, to a civilian witness in Morton, Illinois. The witness had submitted a report regarding an unidentified aerial object observed on 4 January 1965. According to the sighting report form, the witness observed a single object high in the southeastern sky for at least 30 minutes. The object was described as moving irregularly within a 5-degree range, changing in color and brilliance, and appearing to increase in size periodically. The Air Force investigation concluded that the sighting was an astronomical event, specifically the planet Mars. The official correspondence, signed by Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., explains that Mars was positioned high in the southeastern sky at the time of the observation and that its apparent motion, color, and size variations were attributable to atmospheric conditions. The Air Force thanked the witness for their report and interest in unidentified flying objects.