Project 10073 Record: Sighting Report — Syracuse, New York, 26 October 1966

This document details a UFO sighting reported by a resident of Syracuse, New York, on the night of October 26, 1966. The witness, a 32-year-old clerk-typist, observed a bright, silvery-white object while photographing the moon in her backyard. She described the object as a solid, circular disk that appeared to move from the east, travel west, turn north, and eventually return toward the east. The witness reported that the object made two identical flights over the city within a five-minute period, with each flight lasting approximately one minute. She noted that the object emitted no sound and, at times, appeared to emit brilliant rays of light from its edges. The witness attempted to photograph the object using an Exa 35mm camera with a 135mm lens. She later contacted the Syracuse Herald Journal, but the newspaper did not publish her report. She subsequently submitted her account and photographic materials to the Air Force in August 1967. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) conducted a photo analysis of the submitted slide and print. Their report, dated December 13, 1967, concluded that the cause of the image could not be positively determined. Analysts noted that the slide contained a water or air bubble in the emulsion and that the streak patterns on the slide and print were inconsistent, suggesting they might have been printed from separate negatives. The official conclusion suggested the bright circular disk might have been the result of the camera being focused on a strong light source. Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., of the Aerial Phenomena Office, informed the witness that no further investigation would be conducted because the sighting occurred over a year prior and relevant records were no longer available. The case was officially classified as having insufficient data.