Project 10073 Record — UFO Sighting, 11 Aug 65, Prospect Heights, Illinois

This document contains the official investigation record and correspondence regarding a UFO sighting reported by the Christianson family in Prospect Heights, Illinois, on the night of August 11, 1965. The primary witness, a 36-year-old civilian, observed a single object for approximately two hours while watching for the 'Swift's' comet. The witness described the object as appearing like a star, too distant to discern a specific shape, but noted it was flashing red, green, and white. The object was initially sighted at a 30-degree elevation in the northeast and was observed to rise to a 60-degree elevation over the two-hour period, moving from west to east without performing any maneuvers. The witness used 7x35 binoculars to aid in the observation. The report was processed by the 928th Troop Carrier Group (Reserve) at O'Hare International Airport and forwarded to the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The investigation concluded that the object was the star Capella, noting that its position in the northeast and its flashing colors were consistent with the characteristics of that astronomical body. Despite the official conclusion, the base flight operations dispatcher who interviewed the witness noted that while the witness was calm, he remained convinced he had seen something unusual. The dispatcher acknowledged that while the coloration and duration might suggest an aircraft, the evidence led to the astronomical identification.