UFO seen over California and Oregon in 1961

Summary

A red-orange fireball with a smoke trail was observed across northern California and southern Oregon in May 1961. Witnesses described it as a round object the size of a quarter, moving east to west across the sky. It appeared 15 degrees above the horizon and disappeared near the horizon, remaining visible for about 20 seconds. Both military personnel and civilians reported the sighting, including aircraft crews and ground observers.

Although initially considered a balloon or aircraft, investigators concluded it was likely a meteor. The wide area of visibility and the described features, such as smoke and trajectory, supported this conclusion. However, the report also noted the possibility of another space phenomenon or an unexplained event, due to the lack of definitive data.