 Case Directory Category 1, Distant Encounters Preliminary Rating: 5 |
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| A Hynek
Classification of Distant Encounter is usually
an incident involving an object more than 500
feet from the witness. At night it is
classified as a "nocturnal light" (NL) and
during the day as a "daylight disc" (DD). The
size of the object or the viewing conditions
may render the object in greater detail but
yet not qualify the sighting as a Close
Encounter which is an object within
500'. |
Moon-Shaped
Object Observed From S.S. Wolfport
Oct. 15, 1948
50 miles E. of Virginia coast
Oct. 15, 1948
50 miles E. of Virginia coast
| Brad Sparks: Oct. 15, 1948; (about 50 miles E of Virginia
coast in the Atlantic) (BBU)
5:20-6:10 p.m. (EST). Ship's observer aboard SS
Gulfport Keme [?] saw a bright nearly moon-shaped
object with distinct bright center about 1/4 moon's
angular size at 350° azimuth (nearly N) 40°18'
elevation heading SE becoming darker with nightfall,
at 5:30 p.m. at 358° azimuth 43°41' elevation,
[passing near the North Celestial Pole by about
10°], at 5:54 at 50° azimuth (nearly NE) 57°5'
elevation. (FOIA)
Fran Ridge: Oct. 15, 1948; (about 50 miles E of Virginia
coast in the Atlantic) (BBU)
5:20-6:10 p.m. (EST). Ship's observer aboard S.S.
Wolfport saw a bright nearly moon-shaped object with
distinct bright center about 1/4 moon's angular size
at 350° azimuth (nearly N) 40°18' elevation heading
SE becoming darker with nightfall, at 5:30 p.m. at
358° azimuth 43°41' elevation, [passing near the
North Celestial Pole by about 10°], at 5:54 at 50°
azimuth (nearly NE) 57°5' elevation. Listed as
Incident 182, the only documents we could find were
the two presented. The report, which is very brief,
simply states, "the bearing and motion given in this
report, by the Master of the S.S. Wolfport, do not
correspond to those of a celestial object." The
document then closes with the conclusion that the
object was spherical and probably a balloon.(FOIA) |