Project Twinkle
From the UAP Encyclopedia, the open encyclopedia of UFO and UAP history · 🏛️ Program or study
Contents 6
| Type | Program or study |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Twinkle |
| On the Timeline | 3 events, 1951–1952 |
Project Twinkle was a U.S. Air Force effort, begun in 1950, to photograph and measure the "green fireballs" and other unusual lights reported over New Mexico from late 1948. It ran camera stations near Vaughn and at Holloman Air Force Base, recorded nothing of value, and was wound down in 1951 with a final report calling the results inconclusive.[1][2]
Background
From December 1948, pilots, military personnel and scientists in northern New Mexico reported bright green fireballs crossing the sky near sensitive sites such as Los Alamos. University of New Mexico meteor expert Lincoln LaPaz, who saw one on 12 December 1948, argued that they did not behave like ordinary meteors. A conference at Los Alamos in February 1949 failed to identify them, and a further conference there on 14 October 1949 concluded that the existing reports were not precise enough and called for photography, triangulation and measurement of the light's spectrum.[1][2]
Setting up
Twinkle was ordered by the Air Force's Geophysics Research Division in early 1950. LaPaz declined to lead it because of his university commitments. On 21 February 1950 Holloman set up a two-person observation post, and a conference at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on 5 March 1950 agreed a three-part programme:[2] - the contractor Land-Air Inc. would run two Askania theodolite-camera stations, placed near Vaughn, New Mexico, where many sightings had come from; - Holloman personnel would operate Mitchell cine cameras fitted with spectrum gratings; - the Army Signal Corps would measure radio emissions, though this part was never used because its cost of about $50,000 a year was not justified by how rarely the lights appeared.
Results
During the first contract period, from 1 April to 15 September 1950, the cameras took photographs on 27 April and 24 May but never caught an object from two stations at once, so no position could be calculated. Lights seen over Holloman on 30 and 31 August 1950, around a missile launch and a V-2 launch, were not triangulated either. Operators of the grating cameras were withdrawn because of the Korean War. The Askania contract was extended to 31 March 1951 and the cameras were moved to Holloman around 5 November 1950, but they recorded no sightings, and pilots from the Northrop company asked to watch for the lights reported none.[2]
Final report
The final report, written by L. Elterman and dated 27 November 1951, concluded that many reports were probably man-made objects such as balloons, aircraft and smoke rockets, and others natural ones such as birds, planets and meteors. Harvard meteor astronomer Fred Whipple reviewed meteor photographs from 35 nights and found nothing unusual. The report judged the overall picture inconclusive and recommended spending no more money for the time being; the project was placed on standby. LaPaz continued to believe that the green fireballs were not natural.[2]
On the UAP Timeline
- Urner Liddel's Skyhook balloon explanation (27 February 1951) — A Navy physicist publicly says all UAP reports are mirages or balloons.
- Anthony Mirarchi's challenge to the balloon explanation (27 February 1951) — The head of Project Twinkle tells reporters the Navy is misleading the public and real UAP show controlled motion.
- Project Twinkle kept classified (1952) (19 February 1952) — The Air Force's science advisers recommend keeping Project Twinkle, a UAP study at atomic sites, classified.
References
- Green fireballs — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy
- L. Elterman, "Project Twinkle — Final Report" (27 Nov 1951), transcribed by Project 1947 · project1947.com · archived copy
This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.
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