The Tremonton, Utah UFO Color Film Incident (1952)

The incident involving Warrant Officer and Navy photographer Delbert C. Newhouse and his wife is a notable example of a UFO sighting by a qualified observer. While driving near Tremonton, they observed a formation of metallic disc-shaped objects in the sky. Newhouse, leveraging his expertise, filmed the objects using a 16mm camera equipped with a telephoto lens, capturing forty feet of footage that showcased the objects’ maneuvers.

This footage was subsequently submitted to Project Bluebook, the United States Air Force’s investigation into UFO sightings, where it underwent a rigorous three-month analysis at the Photo Reconnaissance Laboratory of the Air Force Intelligence. The analysis of the film aimed to scrutinize the objects’ image structure, movements, and any identifiable characteristics that might align them with known aircraft or natural phenomena. Despite the detailed examination, which included adjustments to the film’s exposure in hopes of enhancing clarity and contrast, as well as microscopic examination to ascertain the focus, size, and shape of the objects, the conclusion drawn was that these objects did not correspond to any known aircraft or natural phenomena. The movements of the objects, which included elliptical or circular patterns and speeds surpassing those of conventional aircraft, alongside their well-focused, circular to elliptical shapes, aligned with the typical description of “flying saucers.”

The thorough investigation and the inability to correlate the observed phenomena with known entities or conditions led the head of Project Bluebook to consider the footage as evidence of unidentified flying objects, possibly of extraterrestrial origin. This case stands out not only due to the credibility of the observer but also because of the extensive analysis it underwent, making it more than just a mere sighting report but a significant piece of evidence in the study of unidentified aerial phenomena.