Sighting near Honshu in 1960

Summary

In October 1960, a U.S. pilot in Japan observed a bright object with an unusually long tail. The report describes a white, round object that appeared suddenly at 30 degrees above the aircraft and vanished almost instantly. The object's tail faded gradually, but the main body disappeared in a blink. The pilot observed it for only one second, making detailed analysis difficult. Despite the brief encounter, other officers in the area reported seeing something similar, suggesting it could have been a meteorite.

The official report classifies it as a probable meteorite, though other possibilities are not ruled out. The lack of physical evidence and the fleeting nature of the event prevented a definitive evaluation. Although the pilot did not identify it as a UFO, the testimony and sighting conditions generated some curiosity. The document, part of a military archive, shows how even in the 1960s, aerial sightings were recorded with some rigor, albeit with limitations.