UFO over Atlantic seen by Coast Guard

Summary

A Coast Guard officer reported a luminous object over the Atlantic in 1952. The object, described as a greyish disc, appeared between clouds at around 5000 feet. It was estimated to be 500-600 feet in diameter and moved at speeds up to 800 mph. The commanding officer, initially skeptical, was impressed by the object's solid appearance. After a few minutes of observation, the mystery was solved when an aircraft with landing lights was spotted. The light beam projected into the clouds created an oval shape that seemed to have substance. This case shows how optical phenomena can be mistaken for unidentified objects. The explanation didn't appear in contemporary media but is key to understanding many similar sightings.