Arcturus seen as an object over Buffalo in 1958

Summary

In March 1958, a witness in Buffalo, New York, reported an object in the sky resembling a small satellite with red and green flashing lights. The object appeared stationary or moved very slowly toward the northeast. Despite fighter jets being scrambled to 40,000 feet and other commercial and military aircraft reporting nothing unusual, the observer maintained his description. The investigation concluded that the object was not a balloon, nor an aircraft, but the star Arcturus, which was indeed located in the direction reported at that time. Astronomical charts confirmed that Arcturus was shining brightly in the sky, and the lack of sightings by aircraft supports this explanation.

The confusion may have been due to the star's brightness and possibly fast-moving clouds that altered the visual perception. Although the witness mentioned a tail, no physical object was identified. The lack of weather data and photographic evidence prevented a more precise evaluation, but the most reasonable conclusion points to an astronomical identification.