Oct. 14, 1949; Mt. Palomar Observatory, Calif (BBU)
1:15 and 1:20 p.m. Observatory Manager of Public Relations
Harley C. Marshall drove away from Observatory when he saw a perfect "V
of V's" formation of about 16-18 silver [round?] objects without tails
or wings overhead traveling at high 1 + 1 EM effects on cosmic ray
detector speed to the NW and emitting a sound like jets but not quite
the same which noticeably lagged behind visual location of objects in
the sky by about 35°-40°. Marshall stopped car and observed
objects disappear [behind?] cloud cover that extended from horizon to
about 45° elevation. [Marshall returned to Observatory] and phoned
Asst. Superintendent-Electrical B. B. Traxler on duty who at about 1:20
p.m. saw one dark unidentified object traveling to the SW while
checking the cosmic-ray Geiger counter recording equipment and saw that
the needle had jumped off scale for several secs. For the next 10 days
another 21 incidents of off-scale cosmic-ray detector incidents
occurred at scattered times fitting a periodic 1.5-hour time schedule,
a phenomenon not seen before or after, and unexplainable by equipment
failure or radio interference from aircraft. Several Navy aircraft of
differing prop and jet types were flown near Palomar Observatory using
radio, altimeter and radars on Oct. 21 and Nov. 2 in an unsuccessful
effort to trigger the Geiger counter. (Jan Aldrich; McDonald list)
Statement by Mr. Harley C. Marshall, Manger of Public Relations at
Palomar Observatory,
Subject: Sighting of 16 to 18 unusual objects on October 14, 1949,
at about 1315, near the Palomar Observatory and high radiation
reading on a recording geiger counter at Palomar
Observatory at the same time the objects were sighted by Mr.
Marshall
Statement by Mr. B. B. Traxler, assistant superintendent
(Electrical) for the Observatory.
He could offer no explanation for the action of the geiger
counter.
| Page
ID (PID) |
 MAXW-PBB7-913 |
| Collection |
NARA-Maxwell |
| Roll Description |
Maxwell Blue Book 7
|
| Document Code |
|
|
Frames 913 - 915 |
|