Balloon Sighting in Norman, Oklahoma

Summary

In March 1967, a witness in Norman, Oklahoma observed a spherical orange object slowly moving from east to west. The object, appearing about one-eighth the size of the moon, was seen for approximately seven minutes. The witness used binoculars to observe it, though the type and magnification were unknown. The sighting occurred from the campus of the University of Oklahoma, under a partly cloudy sky. The report concluded the object was likely a weather balloon launched from Tinker Air Force Base. These white balloons can reflect light under a bright moon, explaining the orange appearance and the trajectory observed.

The object gradually disappeared to the north, likely because the balloon entered scattered clouds at around 7,000 feet. No additional physical evidence was found, though a witness attempted to take photographs. The report noted the witness was a university student and considered the testimony "fairly reliable," though "impressionable." The air base confirmed a weather balloon was launched in the area around the time of the sighting, reinforcing the conventional explanation for the phenomenon.