Green Fireball of December 12, 1948
A greenish-yellow fireball observed simultaneously from two stations in New Mexico traversed a nearly horizontal path at approximately 8-10 miles altitude for 25 miles at 8-12 miles per second with no sound or persistent trail.
“The green fireball of December 12, 9h 2m plus or minus 30s appeared very nearly at a point with the coordinates latitude 35° 50, longitude 106° 40' and disappeared near a point with the coordinates latitude 35° 45!, longitude 107°...traversing a nearly or exactly horizontal path with a length of very nearly twenty-five (25) miles at an altitude above the surface of the earth of approximately 8 to 10 miles...the velocity with respect to the Earth works out at between 8 and 12 miles a second”
Verbatim from DOW-UAP-D017.pdf · View original on war.gov
Case details
- Date
- 1948-12-12
- Date exactness
- Known to the day
- Location
- Near Starvation Peak (Bernal, New Mexico) and Los Alamos, New Mexico
- Country
- United States
- Region
- New Mexico
- Branch
- USAF
- Unit
- Office of Special Investigations, District No. 17
- Sensors
- eyewitness
- Shape
- Fireball
- Altitude
- 52800 ft
- Duration
- 2s
Resolution
Non-meteoric; exhibits horizontal path, no sound, no persistent trail, and low altitude inconsistent with genuine meteors
Source document
Quote checked against the original file.
This sighting
Near Starvation Peak (Bernal, New Mexico) and Los Alamos, New Mexico / 1948
- DOW-UAP-D017.pdf — Written report of this sighting