This is a report by Dr. Donald H. Menzel made 16May49 of objects he saw on 12May49. He reports that on that date he was in transit from Holloman Air
Force Base to Allamogordo, New Mexico, when he observed objects in the sky that he could not identify.
It seems that a red "star" near the full moon was seen as "bright", even though the Moon's extreme luminosity should have washed it out, and made
an object only a few degrees offset impossible to see. He also observed two fuzzy stars just above the eastern horizon that were estimated at 180
miles distance and 1000 feet in diameter. These stars "disappeared" after a few minutes.
While lights in the sky reports are common, this report has more going for it than many. First, Dr. Menzel worked for the Harvard Observatory, where
three years after this incident, he was named acting director. As a trained observer of the night sky, and someone of the status to become the
director of a major observatory, this report cannot be dismissed.
It is interesting to note that Dr. Menzel later went on to become known as a debunker of UFOs. en.wikipedia.org...
It is almost as if he spent the rest of his life trying to erase this moment in the New Mexico desert, a moment when something effected him very
deeply. Something all of his training said just couldn't be true.
A very interesting report.
FOIA: Fuzzy Star Sighting Holloman AFB 12MAY49, page
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Topic started on 23-11-2007 @ 07:18 AM by AboveTopSecret.com
NM_MAY_12_1949.pdf
"Fuzzy Star" sighting Holloman AFB 12MAY49 Incident 359?
Donald Menzel, observed two "fuzzy stars" in the skies while watching the moon and filed a report.
Document date: 1949-05-12
Department: Unknown
Author: Various
Document type: Record
pages: 7
Archivist's Notes: The observer worked for the Harvard Observatory, and witnessed the stars, (white w/greenish tinge), in a two page report. This file is poor in a couple of places though one complete record from the witness details the entire event. The first page is the 10073 record card where it appears to classify the incident as Astro (STARS/PLANETS?)
"Fuzzy Star" sighting Holloman AFB 12MAY49 Incident 359?
Donald Menzel, observed two "fuzzy stars" in the skies while watching the moon and filed a report.
Document date: 1949-05-12
Department: Unknown
Author: Various
Document type: Record
pages: 7
Archivist's Notes: The observer worked for the Harvard Observatory, and witnessed the stars, (white w/greenish tinge), in a two page report. This file is poor in a couple of places though one complete record from the witness details the entire event. The first page is the 10073 record card where it appears to classify the incident as Astro (STARS/PLANETS?)
reply posted on 24-11-2007 @ 04:22 AM by justyc
reply to post by NGC2736
perhaps him first reporting the unusual sighting, then becoming director and then debunking ufo's from thereon have some link.... ?
he was leaving holloman air force (i wonder what he was doing there when he worked at harvard) base when he had the sighting and there were a lot of unusual sightings of green fireballs/lights in the sky around the area at that time. for someone who went into such great detail in his report, it makes you wonder why, as such a great astronomer, he remained puzzled as to what it was or even why he reported it in the first place - it's sort of like a traffic warden reporting a parked car!
pages 6 & 7 are copies of pages 2 & 3
perhaps him first reporting the unusual sighting, then becoming director and then debunking ufo's from thereon have some link.... ?
he was leaving holloman air force (i wonder what he was doing there when he worked at harvard) base when he had the sighting and there were a lot of unusual sightings of green fireballs/lights in the sky around the area at that time. for someone who went into such great detail in his report, it makes you wonder why, as such a great astronomer, he remained puzzled as to what it was or even why he reported it in the first place - it's sort of like a traffic warden reporting a parked car!
pages 6 & 7 are copies of pages 2 & 3
reply posted on 24-11-2007 @ 10:30 AM by NGC2736
reply to post by justyc
Yes, his reaction is strange for an astronomer. Your analogy of the traffic warden is correct except I would say it's more like a traffic warden that couldn't recognize that it was a parked car, and didn't know what in the hell it was. Yet later on insisting that there were only cars to ever be found on any road at any time.
Very strange reaction all the way around.
Edit to add: the word "analogy" has never had two "o's" in it.
[edit on 24-11-2007 by NGC2736]
Yes, his reaction is strange for an astronomer. Your analogy of the traffic warden is correct except I would say it's more like a traffic warden that couldn't recognize that it was a parked car, and didn't know what in the hell it was. Yet later on insisting that there were only cars to ever be found on any road at any time.
Very strange reaction all the way around.
Edit to add: the word "analogy" has never had two "o's" in it.
[edit on 24-11-2007 by NGC2736]
reply posted on 24-11-2007 @ 10:48 AM by Badge01
reply to post by NGC2736
I agree. Many times while driving we make a mental note to do something, such as report a bad driver, or maybe report a sighting, but by the time one gets home the feeling is 'bah, why bother'.
Here, Menzel took it to the next level. He didn't appear to be concerned that he'd be labeled a kook.
In addition the sighting seems, to me, to be unremarkable. I mean 'fuzzy stars'? You'd think it would even cross his mind that he wasn't much of an astronomer to not be able to identify something in the sky like that and just blow it off. But...he didn't. Curious.
I agree. Many times while driving we make a mental note to do something, such as report a bad driver, or maybe report a sighting, but by the time one gets home the feeling is 'bah, why bother'.
Here, Menzel took it to the next level. He didn't appear to be concerned that he'd be labeled a kook.
In addition the sighting seems, to me, to be unremarkable. I mean 'fuzzy stars'? You'd think it would even cross his mind that he wasn't much of an astronomer to not be able to identify something in the sky like that and just blow it off. But...he didn't. Curious.
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