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This Department of War release reproduces Project Blue Book records on the Tremonton, Utah film of 2 July 1952. In them, Navy Chief Photographer Delbert C. Newhouse explains how he filmed a group of bright objects near Tremonton. ATIC memos and a December 1952 travel report record Navy and General Mills balloon specialists judging that the objects closely resembled pillow balloons. A January 1953 memorandum discusses publicly releasing the film. The file also includes unrelated sighting reports from Phoenix and Massachusetts, plus material about Donald Keyhoe.
“Adams”2 pages
•·. ~1ilLALYSIS OF 16 i!U . MOTI ON PICTURE PHOTOORAPHY ill"' tnUDENTIFIElJ .AERIAL OBJECTS. IlilTRODITCTIOi1 The motion picture was examined both by normal and slow motion projection, and by low nower microscope. At the start it was found that the images are much too small to show any detail in the objects; the only effect visible on t he film by microscopic examination is a collection of small white spots. They are freouently elongated in the direction of motion with respect to the camera position, but no other significant sha;oe features can be seen. A :Bell & Rowell Hodel D-1-B projector was used to examine the motion of the objects. This nrojector permits the operator to reverse the motion during motor driven projection, or to examine any length of film frame-by-frame, by means of a band crank and frame counter. It was found that the objects are te::i in number, in every one but the last of the motion sequences photograpnect . Occasionally some of these objects moved out of the camera's field of view momentarily. A list of questions, accompanying the reouest for this evaluation, are answered below. 1 . It cannot be stated definitely whether the objects are seen by reflected sunlit;ht or because they are self- powered light sources. However, it can be de duced that, if they are light-reflectiug only, they are decidedly non-spherical in shape. During part of their flight paths they shine brightly, while at other times they .are so nim as almost to escape detection. Furthermore, those objects which are following similar courses show similar brightness fluctuations, which could be caused by their taking similar flight attitudes. 2. It is believed to be reasonably certain that the reflection brightness of these objects exceeds that of any natural diffusing type of reflecting object, such as "'hite birds against the sky. Also, there is no knm"ll bira. that could emit such a radiation as would be required to produce the observed brightness. ~ither a large metallic surface of nearly flat shape, or a self-luminous source, is thought to be responsible. This statement, and the deduction of a non-suheri cal shaue, combine to rule out large translucent spherical balloons, but not bright aluminum-surfaced aircraft . 3. Slow motion studies of the objects disclose tha.t, in several instances, two objects on a nearly uarallel course pass very close to each other, producing the blending effect . However, in each instance the two separ2.te objects reanpear after a moment. 4. and 5. As stated above , the only detail that can be seen is the small bright spot on the blue film, so no object sba.pe can be determined. However, the maximum brightness of all the different spots appears to be the same, when they do become bright. The color at maximum brightness appears to be a clear white . At reduced brigntness the spots remain essentially a neutrcl or grayish DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
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