28977069.pdf

|  1. DATE | 2. LOCATION | 12. CONCLUSIONS  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  19 Feb 58 | Topeka, Kansas | ☐ Was Balloon ☐ Probably Balloon ☐ Possibly Balloon  |
|  3. DATE-TIME GROUP Local GMT 19/2200Z | 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ☑ Ground-Visual ☐ Ground-Radar ☐ Air-Visual ☐ Air-Intercept Radar | ☐ Was Aircraft ☐ Probably Aircraft ☐ Possibly Aircraft  |
|  5. PHOTOS ☐ Yes ☑ No | 6. SOURCE Military | ☐ Was Astronomical ☐ Probably Astronomical ☐ Possibly Astronomical  |
|  7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 1-2 secs | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS one | 9. COURSE downward  |
|  10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Comet-like fallin…

4E4
8 4X22
25

8 III

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd Class

2nd

18004V SQC102 YMBO84 WYC064 WDA068FBA042

RR RJEDDN RJEDKF RJEDSQ RJEPHQ

REL

FBA009

RR RJEDDN RJEDKF RJEDSQ RJEPHQ

DE RJWFFB 2

R 200145Z

FM COMDRADIV21

TO RJEDDN/COMDR ADG ENT

INFO RJEDKF/COMDR 20 AIRDIV

ZEN/CINCSAC

RJEDSQ/COMDR ATIC

RJEPHQ/DIRECTOR OF INTLEEIGENCE HEDUSAF

BT

UNCLAS/90DOI 0976. UFOB. 1. A. COMETK-LIKE FALLING OBJECT.

B. DIME. C. ORANGE FLAME. D. ONE. F. N/A. G. APPEARED TO HAVE TAIL FOUR TIMES DIAMETER OF OBJECT. H. NONE. I. NONE. 2A. FLASH OF ITS LI…

Note: Sky almost fully clear across to this other evidence some delivery of A. C.

PAGE TWO RJWFFB 2

FORBES AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS. SQUADRON OPERATIONS OFFICER, HIGHLY RELIABLE. 7A. 10,000 BROKEN, VISIBILITY: GOOD. B. SURFACE 090/04; 6M 310/15; 10M 330/30; 16M 320/45; 20M 330/60; 30M 340/80; 50M 330/55. C. ESTIMATED 8,000 BROKEN, HIGHER BROKEN, 15 MILES VISIBILITY. E. SIX TENTHS TO EIGHT-TENTHS. F. NONE. 8 AND 9: NONE. 10. UNKNOWN. 11. CHIEF, INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, 90TH STRAT RECON WING. A SIMULTANEOUS REPORT SIGHTING OF AN OBJECT FALLING FROM AN AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY OVER THE CITY OF TOPEKA KANS…

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY

SECTION OF UPPER ATMOSPHERE STUDIES
IGY OPTICAL SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM
60 GARDEN STREET
CAMBRIDGE 38, MASSACHUSETTS

May 23, 1958

Captain George T. Gregory
Hqtrs, Air Technical Intelligence Center
Box 9307
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Dear Captain:

I now have had a chance to look through all the reports you sent, and the one concerning the "satellite-type sighting" from Denver interests me very much and I am giving it the full treatment. It is clear that this could not have been any of the American satellites, not only because …

(period of morning twilight had already begun). Vega was, as you say, near the point of sighting but it seems to me that it was somewhat higher than 60°. There was of course a very fine spectacular object in the sky at that time but, unfortunately, in the southeastern sky. The planet Venus was at its brightest in the pre-sunrise sky, and I know from past experience how easily it can be mistaken for an unknown object. My only reaction is to question the stated position and to consider the possibility that it was Venus.

The case of the "daylight meteor" is greatly ambiguous. While a daylight fi…