Project 10073 Record — Youngstown, Ohio, 10 March 1966

On 10 March 1966, two civilian observers at the WKBN radio transmitter in Youngstown, Ohio, reported a sighting of an unidentified object. The observation lasted for two hours, from 1000Z to 1200Z. The object was described as round, white, and appearing to be lit from within, with a beacon-like feature on top. One observer used 8x75 binoculars to view the object. The witnesses were identified as a radio station announcer and another individual, both considered reliable. The object was initially sighted at 20 degrees elevation in the ESE and remained stationary. As the sky brightened, the object became less visible. Base Operations Officer William S. Hall reported that the observers described the object as extremely bright, estimating it to be twenty to thirty times the brightness of stars. The Air Force investigation concluded that the object was the planet Venus, noting its stellar magnitude and position. Additionally, the reporting officer remarked that the description provided by the witnesses was a perfect description of a large high-altitude balloon in sunlight before dawn. Contrails of air traffic were observed passing below the object, and a silvery dull reflection was noted.