Eglin Case Resolution Report

UNCLASSIFIED
4
UNCLASSIFIED
(U) Intelligence Assessment
(U) AARO’s IC partner on this case assesses with high confidence that the object was not
exhibiting anomalous characteristics based on the available data and its reconstruction of the
event. Available data included the altitude, geocoordinates of the object, the aircraft viewing
angle and heading, as well as the sun geometry at the time of the observation.
• (U) Based on reconstruction of the event, to include the viewing angle of the EO/IR sensor
that took the zoomed-in image, the sun would have illuminated the bottom hemisphere in
a manner consistent with the IR image (see Figure 3). The orange-red color at the center
of the bottom half of the object could be explained by the sun glint off the object as the
pilot observed it, thus causing the appearance of the orange-red colors on the balloon.
(U) Science & Technology Assessment
(U) AARO’s S&T partner independently came to the same general conclusions based on the
available data and its deconfliction of military and commercial radar tracks in the vicinity of the
sighting. The partner assesses with high confidence that the object was not anomalous and very
likely was some kind of balloon.
• (U) The S&T partner assesses that the image is consistent with a Mylar balloon as viewed
from above where the bottom is illuminated with light reflected from the clouds or the
earth. This effect is known as “Earth shine.”
• (U) The partner notes that many larger balloons have red-colored tether points around the
circumference of the balloon which could account for the orange-red color the pilot
reported observing near the center.