UFO Sighting Report — Bay City, Michigan, March 4, 1968

This document details a UFO sighting reported by a 13-year-old amateur astronomer in Bay City, Michigan, on March 4, 1968. The witness, who was arriving home at approximately 8:50 PM, observed a bright, golden-orange, cigar-shaped object that appeared to be self-luminous. The witness described the object as moving three times faster than a jet, traveling in a straight line eastward toward the star Cor Caroli before making a sharp right-angle turn downward for approximately 20 degrees and disappearing suddenly. The sighting lasted for about 60 seconds. The witness noted that the object was about one-quarter the size of the moon and made no sound. The witness provided sketches and detailed descriptions, noting that the object had a central bulge and appeared slightly tipped. The Air Force, through the Aerial Phenomena Office (Project Blue Book), contacted the witness and the Bay City Police Department to investigate. The police department reported no other unusual sightings in the area. The Air Force's final evaluation, based on weather data provided by the Environmental Technical Applications Center, concluded that the object was a 'possible hot air balloon,' citing surface wind conditions of 330 degrees at 5 knots as supporting evidence. The witness expressed a willingness for their name to be used in research publications.