Case Directory
  Category 01, Distant Encounter 
 
  Preliminary Rating: 5  

                                   
     

White Sands Incident / C.B. Moore Case
April 24, 1949
Arrey, New Mexico

Updated: 20220201
Brad Sparks:
April 24, 1949; 3 mi. N of Arrey, New Mexico (BBU 358)
10:30 a.m. (MST). General Mills meteorologist and balloon expert Charles B. Moore and 4 Navy crew on a balloon launch crew (Akers, Davidson, Fitzsimmons, Moorman) saw a white, round ellipsoid, shadowed yellowish on one side, length/width ratio 2.5x, cross the sky from the S (azimuth 210° elevation 45°) to the E at about 5°/sec angular velocity, passing near the sun (126° azimuth 60° elevation), tracked by Moore viewing through 25x ML-47 theodolite after it came out of the sun. Object seemed to turn to the N, maintained constant azimuth at about 20°-25° when it suddenly climbed from 25° to 29° elevation in 10 secs and disappeared by distance or dust obscuration. Distance unknown; by assuming 57 miles, velocity is then 5 mi/sec or 18,000 mph (earth orbital velocity, not escape velocity) but this is pure assumption. (Sparks) 60-secs

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