FOIA: MP Fireball Sighting at Sandia Base NM 15FEB50

NM_FEB_15_1950.pdf
Sandia Base NM Sighting 15FEB50
Report of sighting by MP at Sandia Base of round fireball moving across the sky for 30 seconds
Document date: 1950-02-15
Department: USAF IG OSI
Author: Doyle Rees
Document type: report
pages: 4


Archivist's Notes: File is in excellent condition, all pages legible, the sighting was determined to be a meteor but no documentation of who made this determination is in the file.

While there is no information to be sure this isn't a meteor, it isn't totally conclusive in my opinion. The witness seems reliable, and his position as an MP and his rank would indicate that he is at least fairly reliable.

It seems to me that seeing a meteor that goes from the NW to the W is not normal, considering the object in question was near enough to notice the colors, trail, and shape as clearly as the witness claims.

However, without further evidence, there seems no way to go forward on this.

--Date: 15 February 1950

--Location: Sandia Base, New Mexico

--Number of objects: 1

--Length of Observation: 30 seconds



--Object looked like shooting star, though not as bright. Faint trailing edge. Faded out of sight. Color red and green. Object appeared to be round.


--Listed in "Report of Investigation" as "Unconventional Aircraft", though, official determination was object was a meteor.

--Attention of witness was gained as a result of a "flash from Northwest"

--We get a liste of the witness' hobbies which include; Golf, horseback riding, shuffle board and swimming.







My thoughts:


After reading this, I think it would be fairly safe to assume this was a meteor or "falling star".

Sounds like many that I have seen during a meteor shower.

Though, I do find it interesting that this was even reported. I have to wonder what exactly the witness thought the object was.





Jasn