Spherical UFO sighted over Dayton in 1958

Summary

Three teenagers on their way to school observed a spherical object in the sky on March 21, 1958. They watched it for 10 minutes as it slowly moved away. Although no photos were taken, the report concluded it was likely a balloon. A balloon had been launched from Sulphur Grove two hours earlier, and winds of 25 mph could have carried it to Dayton. Radars did not detect any object during that period, and there were no aircraft in the area. The object's characteristics and the time the report was submitted support the balloon theory.

The investigation included consultations with the Weather Bureau and radar units, but no evidence of other objects was found. Experimental aircraft or conventional planes were ruled out. Although the case was not fully resolved, the final evaluation clearly pointed to a balloon as the explanation. Cases like this were common at the time, as UFO reports often involved ballistic or weather balloons.