Project 10073 Record — Sighting in Hickory, North Carolina, 19 November 1968

This document contains a Project 10073 record regarding a UFO sighting reported by a 13-year-old student in Hickory, North Carolina. The witness reported observing a single, bright, white, star-like object on 19 November 1968. According to the witness, the object descended in the south-southwest direction, turned red, and eventually disappeared behind trees. The witness estimated the duration of the event to be between 15 and 30 minutes. The report includes a completed 'Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire' (AF Form 117), which provides details on the witness's location, the object's appearance, and the witness's impression that the object was not a star because it moved and changed color. The document also includes correspondence between the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Office in Hickory, the Air Force's Aerial Phenomena Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the witness. The Air Force requested that the witness complete the questionnaire to facilitate a scientific investigation. Upon review, the Air Force concluded that the object was likely the planet Venus, noting that there was conflicting data regarding the exact date of the observation, which complicated the analysis.