A weather balloon explodes over Annapolis

Summary

In October 1953, five civilians in Annapolis, Maryland, observed a small, extremely bright and shiny object hovering motionless in the sky. The object, seen for 18 minutes, suddenly exploded in a burst of white smoke and split into two halves. One half fell rapidly and disappeared from view, while the other descended more slowly. Although initially intriguing, the final explanation pointed to a weather balloon launched from the same area hours earlier.

The observation was made with Japanese binoculars and the naked eye, on a clear day. Witnesses agreed on the object's description and behavior, helping investigators rule out more exotic explanations. The report concluded it was a weather balloon, a conclusion consistent with weather data and the launch time.