PROJECT 10073 RECORD - Hankins, New York - 28 Oct 66

On October 28, 1966, at 2300Z, a civilian witness in Hankins, New York, observed a single object for a duration of one hour. The object was described as having an unusual brightness, appearing roughly the size of a car headlight. Its color shifted from white to red to blue and back to white. The object moved very slowly, covering approximately 20 feet in one hour, before disappearing behind clouds and trees. The observer used binoculars during the sighting. Weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with visibility exceeding 15 miles and calm winds. The investigating officer, Captain John W. Cannon of the 4650th CSG, noted that the witness was concerned about the publicity surrounding the event. After consulting with a senior navigator at Stewart AFB, the official conclusion reached was that the witness had been observing the star Arcturus. This conclusion was supported by determining the object's position in the Northwest quadrant at approximately 20 degrees elevation, relative to the sunset.