UFO sighting in Maine 1956

Summary

In August 1956, a witness in South Portland, Maine, reported a slowly moving object in the sky. It was a large, round, white light moving northeast before turning south. The observer saw it with the naked eye and binoculars, and although the wind direction didn't match the object's path, investigators labeled it as "possibly a balloon." No photos or radar were involved, and the object remained visible for a long time. These kinds of reports were common back then, as the U.S. Air Force collected data on unidentified sightings.

The next day, another report came from the same area. This time, the object was stationary and remained in the southeast sky for forty minutes before vanishing quickly. Witnesses described it as brighter than a star, with an intense white color. Investigators concluded it was likely Mars, as its appearance matched the planet. The short duration and sudden disappearance were explained by poor weather conditions. Despite differences between the two cases, both were recorded as possible natural explanations, reflecting the analysis methods of the time.