UFO sighted in North Dakota in 1961

Summary

In September 1961, a civilian in Grafton, North Dakota, reported a unidentified flying object appearing in the sky at 3:40 AM. The observer, driving in his car, described a disc-shaped object between 12 and 18 inches in diameter with a red glow, similar to the sun seen through smoke. The object was observed for 25 minutes, slowly descending toward the eastern horizon. Despite no known air traffic and no unusual objects detected by radar, investigators concluded it was likely a weather balloon. Balloons released in the area at the same time could have broken loose, allowing the red lights visible at high altitudes to be mistaken for an UFO.

The preliminary investigation included interviews with the witness, consultations with meteorological experts and tower operators. Although no definitive explanation was found, the available data did not rule out the possibility of a balloon. This case, like many others, highlights the difficulty in distinguishing between natural or conventional objects and truly unexplained phenomena.