Project 10073 Record — Silver Bay, Minnesota, 21 November 1968

On November 21, 1968, at approximately 1830 local time, a civilian observer in Silver Bay, Minnesota, reported a sighting of a bright, circular white light. The observer, identified as the superintendent of a machine shop at the Mining Reserve Company, described the object as being four times the size of a star. The object remained visible for approximately 20 minutes, during which time it moved west for about 20 seconds before disappearing over the western horizon. The weather was reported as clear. The sighting was reported to the 29th Air Division at Duluth International Airport. MSgt Gray at Finland AFS, who was personally acquainted with the observer, described him as level-headed and reliable. Capt. William B. Stoecker, Chief of the Intelligence Division, evaluated the report and concluded that the object was likely the planet Venus, which was setting in the west at the time. The report notes that similar sightings had been occurring in the Duluth area, which the Air Force considered a common pattern for such observations.