UFO identified as a bolide in New Mexico

Summary

In August 1958, an airline pilot reported a luminous object breaking up in the sky over southern Roswell, New Mexico. The sighting lasted 3 to 4 seconds, and the greenish object produced an explosive flash with vertical extension before fading. Investigators concluded it was a bolide, a meteoroid entering Earth's lower atmosphere and exploding. Although initially thought to be a rocket or unknown phenomenon, data confirmed it was a common astronomical event.

The report, classified under UFOB 3961, was reviewed by multiple military and scientific offices, including the ATIC (Allied Tactical Air Forces Intelligence Center). Despite no photographs or radar involvement, the pilot's testimony and the phenomenon's description matched typical bolide characteristics. The report also notes there was no military activity or other events in the area to explain the sighting, reinforcing the conclusion that it was a natural occurrence.