Blue object with red tail seen in Duluth Minnesota

Summary

A round object the size of a baseball was sighted in Duluth, Minnesota, on the night of June 1, 1961. It had a bright blue color and a red and yellow tail measuring 8 to 10 feet long. The witness saw it from their car, describing it as moving in a straight path toward the west, quickly losing altitude until it disappeared in a blue glow. The observation lasted between 1 and 15 seconds, and another witness reported seeing something similar, though with a 6-minute difference. Despite this discrepancy, it was considered that both saw the same phenomenon.

The official evaluation classified it as a probable fireball, noting that the duration was longer than typical for a meteor. It was mentioned that the object did not show characteristics of a balloon, aircraft, or conventional astronomical event. The report was reviewed by Captain William Williamson, who concluded it could be an atmospheric phenomenon like a fireball, but the possibility of a perceptual error was not ruled out.