PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 2. LOCATIOH 12. CONCLUSIONS C Wos Balloon 8 December 1957 i:flet-Monor Morocco o Probably Balloon bly Balloon ----------..n G _.VI 1 D GrounciRoclor Wai Aircraft XK row...-ua D Probably Alrcroft GMT 08/1715Z D Alr-VIauol D Alrlntercept Raclar Poulbly Alrcroft Was Atronoml ca(J ~S) D Probably Astronomical D Poulbly Astronomical 7. LIMOTH Ofl OISIRVATION ~ Other C t? J f~ AlL<; D In suffl clent Dote for Ealucatlon D Unlcnown 2-5 minutes tO, IRII' $UMMARY Ofl liGHTING object or light, length equal to diameter of moon, color yellow to orange, edges well defined. ATIC PORM 329 (RKV 2e BBP 12) '' COMNIHTS From the limited information given no firm conclusion can be made other than it appears to be that the planet Venus and a jet afterburner exhaust were Jt'J.AII ... -,-o J'ioS( .Ga. 1. IJsbt ._ f'.rc:a a J)lattc:ca, i.e. automobile. Teata conductea ~ ,.._.. aco, al8ala~n1 a11dle:r ccaclit1wa vbeH tbe e,e at.tempta t.o ata7 OD, tn.ck a 1D tbe alq ahGW that. "1 siven or elewat1on an atten UDN11able. ""1 1a pai'Uc:al.arq true vben roads ue h1Jl~, or other tbeD pedeeU7 strai&b't n.&'t. Tbe Yill. aJmoat. ilrlariabl.y aner to IDOft elevattoa. ]. Ob&a'lel' obJect." 1D othera. Jt. It 1a to po1Dt out that tbe planet Venue wu 1D the SSW ( tbe ~t.oD aeter11i aea an. the car atoppe4 an4 tbe bear ills or tbe light taken) ':b1a bo47 aa ao b:r11lialr\ l.v1q Dec.U. vas b7 botb the preaa ancl ac:leD~' f'1c paper a ( :!DCla). 5 Jet c will C'ttn gs..,. -.eUct, ar unwnal -...... at avnaet or davn 1dleD tba lev, alalrt I'&J8 ot tbe aUD atz-Dit thea. As ahOVD b'e the co~ 1Wllow, l'ecl t:. (See abeet) CUSS I rlc:AfiOit INFORMATION REPORT . ~ a : IDICU.SSIF 1 e:u OJIPICI OP NAVAL INTILLIGINCI o cc a DAfl 0' IHFOJUf,'fiON OATI Of Rl,OIIIIf Intelligence Center~ (l) Overlq indicating geographic poeitiona (2) Sketches of light and ita movement (Figures 1-J) =........ For appzooxtmate:q lS minutes on 8 December 1957, reporting. officer observed a large 11 ght in the aq over Morocco. The light' e behavior and appearance did not contorm t,o that expected of the usual range of airborne objects. Between. l71SZ and 17.30Z 8 December l9S1 Time o! Sunset'.;. 1716Z Morocco, between Titlet and !.f.onod. See Encl. (1) tor details ot poaition. ; ; -Position of light a Approxtmate13' 20 Degrees above the horizon to the SW ot observer : Deseript,ion ot the light: Its length appeared to be equal to the diameter of the moe B .. or the length or an R5D at l' miles. The color was yellow to orange; color and intensity ; ~;were unitona over th ana o! the light. The edges of the shape were well defined, but c: ; a not as definite as those ot a metal object. Figure (1) ie a sketch of the lights shape 2 ... a ... during the liret part or the observation. e: g u Narrative descr1J5ion o.f' sightinB. While riding in an auton:t)bile at approximatel.1 1715Z !!!! : = on 8 December~ re}:Ort.ing officer sighted a bright light in the elq to the SW. It first ~! . ! gave the impression o! being sunlight reflected from a jet va.por trail; as it a jet had ~ ~ ~ just entered a contrail level. It appeared to be on a llNE course and gradually descending, 8 ~; ~ because i te thicket-end waa pointed in that direction and a1,1 ght~ downl!lard. While E ~a I watching this light tor trom 2 to S mi.nutes~ it was noted that it did not develop as a ~ ~5~ vapor trail should. lts intensity appeared to increase, but its length relative to its g! i 5 width remained constant. Reporting officer called the attention of his wite an da ~ 2: z to the light. His daughter, age 11, had alreaAr been watching it. C'\ DltTIU8UIIOJt 8'f OtUIUIATOI Coml,tm CPl.S ((taCh 0' I H4 ndlcoted V1 CJmHCIYP!rit (om)lnlant , c UA'Q'O' 6. BQCit DOt 1Jid1cate the , uams 1ntell1geDCe fac111 ties to b1 u a P Izltell t pzace Officer~ cbecb ar ~iea r4 n4R or mill opeHti"" UD1ta to 1t aJrcratt or m:taa1le 1D ana. 'l'heH 1nv.ttpt101'i en be ccmcluctecl 1D tbe &l'ea or caa1s;lD thaD Do\ a .tee.' ar a :returniDs aateWte u implied. '.rhe time I'Ula ee out. Metear u-e ael4011 en -rar lODpr tbM 1. O'b.jec awatiOD ot 1' 6-9 Mc;oMJ earth et17 wlocit7 ot .. tel11 te vov14 be 18-20 a FX'ca tbe ltm:t 1ntarat1oD giftll u4 lack c:t 1DTest1pt1ve 4ata, no i'in ccmclwli&me caD be -a. repri1Ds tbe 1cleot1ty ~ tbe light, otheJ-tba that it ...-n Vemaa and a Jet attezabui'Der CODtl-ail eepazaateJ.7 a .. za-, a:a4 m1 rar a 1!hia vas prob&bl7 due to tbe fact onenaticm wen 1Dter.i ttent ,and c:banse 1D tbe obJecta beel'inS reaul ti.Dg from the travel ot cr. IIIPOI.AIIOI IIPOII OU&AY POll .. atao.atC) ce II I CUeei~ICATION ter ~ Butem "' .. llllOo~C Mel Mediterranean 1214 After another &fnu\e Or tWO 1 the ) 'gbt deSCended rapidlJ tOWards the earth, describing an are u in Fil (2). This movement was verr rapid and definite. The thicker end or light was poi.Dti.Dg straight dow ancl while the light could be observed, it dropped approx'Jmat,e:q 10 de- greea or balt of the clistance to the borison. AJ l obaervere were convinced at t.hia time that the light vu either a meteorite or a returni.Dg Soviet satellite. At this point, a row ot trees blocked the view tor approximateq 30 eeconds. . . . .. When the view wu again clear, the light bad regained lts former altitude, was in a hor- izontal JI)SitiOD, and appeared to be beading in tbe opposite direction, in tbat ita thicker end waa now pointed ssw. the car was now stopped and it was possible to determine the bearing of the 1 ight trom the observers. Ita bearing did not change, but the light decreased ill in- tenaitJ, became and sradualq faded from view. This gave the impression ot JII)Vement straight ~ ti'OJI the ob.-ervera. Ho"ever, the ligbts disappearance 'NV' well have been due to lack or reflected sua t .. the object entered the earths shadow. Tilla o! disappearance w approximate~ 173<E. . Weather .Conditione, Fleet Weather Gentral~ Port 1ifaute," has pzsovicled the , mation on wather conditione between 08171SZ and 08173C tor the ~icinit7 of Rabat proximate area of aightinaa Tperaturea Sq conditiona Clear 1000 rt. Visibilit.7s Unreltricted NortherJ.T 10 knots Temperature Inversions 1 About ltC at 1200 teet 40000 .n. (Above temperature inversion considered insignificant tor optj.cal 11luaicfta) 60000 ;tt, currentl1 attached to the Fleet Air lDtelligence ~ara ~rience aa an Air Intelligence Officer. ~ The tact that such aightiDgs are uauall1' due to natural JilenOMna is well established. However, ai.Dce the reporting officer 11 11ft ,qualified to deteraine the caue of the J:benoZDeDOn obser,ed, this report hae been prepared in the hope that .it '1'/J/q be ot so use to thoae qased in anal7siq unidentified. object reports . Pleparecb Po1warded: IIUOIMAYION II,Oit. OPNAV PORN We ... ac Ct , .... en rCAnoM I'I'OW , RI~RT NO. Fleet Intelligence Canter, ZIH, NaY,1 214 Apparenb bead'"l Before deacen~ Attar t-8SW Ovsr l..ay ot 'lAC Chart 420 9 Deaember 1957 Direction of light trom observers B -poaltion ot iai tial a1gbt.1 Dg A -poait:lon ot ttnal sighting CUMI~ICATrON Pleet Intelllpnoe Center, rilf41 1. Shape ot llpt ud ita orientat1011 betore ftaw 2. Arc described b7 light' a deaQent Figure ). Shape o light aad its orientation "While t'adt ng rroa viaw.