A meteor observed in Berlin in 1959

Summary

A German civilian contacted U.S. military authorities after reading a newspaper article about an unusual celestial object. In December 1959, while standing at her gate in Berlin, she observed a bright white ball with a comet-like tail moving rapidly across the sky. She described it as about 15 cm in diameter, visible for less than three seconds. The amateur astronomer tried to locate the object between the constellations of Taurus and Eridanus, though she admitted her knowledge was limited. After failing to find confirmation at a local observatory, she sent a sketch of her observation to Washington.

The official response from the U.S. Air Force was clear: they found no records of a sighting on that date, but concluded the object was likely a meteor. Although the witness sought a connection with a newspaper report, officials could not confirm such a link. The case was closed with the most plausible explanation: a common meteor. Still, the letter and sketch from the observer are an interesting testament to how civilians tried to make sense of celestial phenomena during a time of great interest in the unknown.