UFO seen in Torrance in 1956

Summary

In March 1956, a witness in Torrance, California, observed an object that changed shape and appearance. Initially round, it looked like a fish when turning. At times it shone like a streetlight and at others like a star. The object, seen for one hour and thirteen minutes, had a bright white glow with rays and a violet exhaust trail 30 feet long. It was observed through a telescope, the type and power of which were not specified. The description matched Venus, though there were doubts about the initial direction.

The official conclusion pointed to Venus as the explanation, ruling out balloons, aircraft, or insufficient data. However, an officer doubted the change in azimuth and suggested the observer simply moved around the object. The report, though brief, shows how UFO sightings were often steered toward conventional explanations, even when the details seemed unusual.