14.02.2025
January 20, 1958 - Near Bitburg, Germany
The source of this information comes from the blue book files. The other source is the 1947 database, which is not available to examine. I suspect that it just contains copies of the blue book file and maybe some news paper clippings from the time period.
Source information
The Blue Book file contains two messages that contains most of the particulars. One message provides the observations by the pilot and the other contains the information provided by the ground based observer:
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The date is listed as January 29 and not January 20. The time is 0627 UTC on the record card but the time listed on both messages is 0625Z. I suspect the mistakes on the record card are a typographical or transpositional error.
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The ground observer was in a motor vehicle south of Helinburg, Germany. His sighting was recorded as 0625Z.
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The ground observer described the object as intense Blue-White with a red tail. It was visible from 45 degrees azimuth, 70 degrees elevation to 10 degrees azimuth, 20 degrees elevation. Duration was 3-4 seconds.
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F-86, USAF
A report from the F-86 pilot, about 50 miles east of Bitburg, described the object as round with a trailing flame about the size of a basketball. They also gave a time of 0625Z. It was a bluish fluorescent color that was first visible due to a blinding flash. It went from Northeast to southwest at a 45 degree angle. Duration was 4 seconds.
Analysis
Contrary to the comments in the message describing the pilot’s observations, that it was not a meteor, the event can be classified as a meteor fireball. The duration was short (approximately 4 seconds), it was visible at night, it flew a straight trajectory, and it was visible above the observer in the sky. This kind of comment is often made by observers, who have never seen a bright fireball before. They are used to seeing meteors that are less bright.
Conclusion
This is another Weinstein catalog entry that can be classified as a probable meteor and should be removed from the list.
Quelle: SUNlite 1/2025