Green and red light over Potsdam, New York

Summary

In May 1966, two witnesses in Potsdam, New York, observed an object emitting green and white light that turned red. The object changed direction and fluctuated in altitude, creating confusion about its nature. The moon, in a crescent phase, was the only celestial body visible in an almost clear dawn sky. Clouds that later obscured the UFO moved from north to south or northeast to southwest, further complicating the analysis. Plattsburgh Air Force Base was asked to investigate, but no additional information was received after 30 days.

The official conclusion was that the data was insufficient for evaluation. It was suggested that Venus, located at 100° azimuth and 170° elevation at 5:00 AM, could have been mistaken for the object. However, the witnesses were not convinced it was a planet. The official response from the air command suggested the phenomenon could be explained by atmospheric refractions and apparent movement due to observation from a moving vehicle. Despite this, the object's unusual color changes and erratic behavior remain difficult to explain with known phenomena.