The Charles B. Moore UFO Sighting of 1949: A Scientific Anomaly in the Early UFO Era

In the annals of UFO history, certain cases stand out for their combination of credible witnesses, technical documentation, and extraordinary reported characteristics. The April 24, 1949 sighting by Charles B. Moore near Arrey, New Mexico represents one such case—particularly notable because the primary witness was a scientist who would later become known for his skeptical stance on other UFO incidents. This rare confluence of scientific expertise, multiple witnesses, and instrumented observation makes the Moore sighting an especially compelling case for serious examination.

Historical and Factual Background

On April 24, 1949, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Charles B. Moore—a balloon expert working for General Mills—was tracking a weather balloon with a theodolite about three miles north of Arrey, New Mexico, roughly 50 miles west of the White Sands Proving Ground. Moore was accompanied by four Navy technicians: Akers, Davidson, Fitzsimmons, and Moorman. The group had released a small 350-gram weather balloon for observation of upper wind velocities and directions. Moore was following this balloon through his theodolite when, after taking a 10:30 reading, he looked up with his naked eye to reorient himself to the balloon’s position¹².

During this momentary break from the theodolite, Moore spotted what he initially thought was the balloon he had been tracking. However, he quickly realized this new object was moving at a much higher speed and angular rate than would be possible for a balloon. Moore immediately abandoned tracking the actual balloon and directed the theodolite toward this new unidentified object².

The object was described as a whitish-silver, elliptical craft approximately 100 feet long by 40 feet wide. Moore noted it had no metallic or reflected shine but was gleaming white in color, with the underside near the tail transitioning to a light yellow. The object was clearly visible to the naked eye and was observed by all five members of the group¹².

What made this sighting particularly remarkable were the performance characteristics that Moore and his team documented. Using his theodolite, Moore tracked the object as it moved at an estimated speed of 18,000 to 25,000 miles per hour (5-7 miles per second). At one point, the UFO reportedly climbed approximately 25 miles in only 10 seconds, representing an acceleration of about 80 G-forces—far beyond what any known aircraft of the era could achieve or what human pilots could survive. The object left no vapor trail or exhaust and was observed for approximately one minute before disappearing in a sharp climb¹.

Moore later provided additional observational details that further eliminated conventional explanations. The sighting occurred under conditions of a cloudless sky with no haze. There was extreme quiet in the desert location, and no sound of any kind was heard in connection with the object. Moore noted that later in the day, as airplanes flew over their balloon launch site, his team could easily identify them by appearance and engine noise—emphasizing that they saw nothing else that resembled the elliptical object they had observed earlier².

Fifteen minutes after the object disappeared, Moore sent up another weather balloon to check wind conditions. This balloon burst after an 88-minute flight at 93,000 feet, having traveled only 13 miles in a southerly direction. This data point was later cited as “positive proof that the object could not have been a balloon moving at such angular speed below 90,000 feet”².

Credibility Assessment

The credibility of the Moore sighting rests on several pillars that distinguish it from many other UFO reports of the era.

The Charles B. Moore UFO Sighting of 1949: A Scientific Anomaly in the Early UFO Era - Full-Text (SVG)

Scientific and Technical Expertise

Charles B. Moore was not a casual observer but a scientist with significant expertise in atmospheric physics and balloon operations. At the time of the sighting, he was part of the General Mills balloon group, which was developing advanced high-altitude balloons. Moore would later become professor emeritus of physics at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and former chairman of Tech’s Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research. Over his career, he received numerous scientific awards, including a fellowship from the American Geophysical Union, the Otto C. Winzen Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Atmospheric Electricity Community³.

Moore’s expertise in balloon technology is particularly relevant, as it meant he was uniquely qualified to distinguish between balloon behavior and other aerial phenomena. As he later wrote in response to skeptical explanations: “It was not a balloon; at the time we were the innovators and manufacturers of the new balloons and I certainly would have known about any new developments as I was newly in charge of General Mill’s Balloon operations”¹.

Multiple Witnesses

The presence of four additional Navy technicians significantly strengthens the case. Multiple-witness sightings generally carry more weight than single-witness accounts, reducing the likelihood of perceptual errors or fabrication. All five witnesses reportedly observed the object with their naked eyes¹².

Instrumented Observation

Unlike many UFO sightings that rely solely on visual estimation, Moore’s observation benefited from the use of a theodolite—a precision optical instrument designed for measuring angles in horizontal and vertical planes. This allowed for more accurate assessments of the object’s movements, speed, and altitude than would typically be possible with unaided observation².

Official Documentation and Classification

The sighting was officially reported and investigated by Project Blue Book, the Air Force’s UFO investigation program, which classified it as “unknown”¹. According to Dr. Allen Hynek (scientific consultant to Project Blue Book), Moore told him he was “disgusted” with the Air Force for its lack of attention to the sighting despite its unusual characteristics¹.

Contemporary Military Interest

Commander Robert McLaughlin, who was in charge of the guided missile program at White Sands, took the sighting seriously enough to write an article about it for TRUE Magazine in March 1950. In this article, McLaughlin explicitly stated his belief that the object was a “space-craft from another planet guided by intelligent beings”¹. The sighting was also cited in an August 14, 1952 CIA study, indicating interest at high levels of government¹.

Moore’s Later Skepticism

In an interesting twist that actually enhances his credibility in this case, Moore later became known as a skeptic regarding other UFO incidents—particularly the Roswell case. Moore was involved with Project Mogul (the secret balloon project that likely created the debris found near Roswell in 1947) and became a prominent voice arguing that the Roswell incident was caused by a Mogul balloon train rather than an extraterrestrial craft⁴⁵. This makes his unwavering position on his own 1949 sighting more compelling, as it demonstrates he was not predisposed to interpret ambiguous aerial phenomena as extraordinary.

Counterarguments and Skepticism

Despite the strength of the witness testimony and the presence of instrumental data, several alternative explanations have been proposed.

Menzel’s Mirage Theory

Dr. Donald Menzel, a Harvard astronomer and prominent UFO skeptic of the era, suggested that what Moore observed was simply a mirage of his own balloon¹. This explanation fails to account for several key aspects of the sighting:

As a balloon expert, Moore would be intimately familiar with how balloons appear, even under unusual atmospheric conditions.
The reported movement pattern—with extreme acceleration and velocity—is inconsistent with mirage effects.
Multiple witnesses observed the same phenomenon simultaneously.
The object was observed alongside the actual balloon Moore had been tracking, allowing for direct comparison.

Moore directly addressed Menzel’s explanation in 1986, writing: “What I saw was not a mirage; it was a craft with highly unusual performance… It was not the X-1 that was in its hangar at Muroc [Edwards AFB, California] that Sunday. It was nothing from White Sands nor from Alamogordo”¹.

Secret Military Aircraft

Another possible explanation is that Moore and his team observed a classified military test vehicle. However, Moore specifically addressed this possibility, noting that they “were in contact with Range Control and were informed our operation was the only one active on Sunday”¹. Given Moore’s position and security clearance related to his work on military projects, it seems unlikely that he would have been completely unaware of any advanced aircraft testing in the area.

Additionally, the performance characteristics reported—particularly the extreme acceleration and velocity—far exceeded the capabilities of any known aircraft in 1949, including experimental designs. The X-1, which had broken the sound barrier in 1947, was specifically mentioned by Moore as not being responsible, and in any case, its performance envelope was orders of magnitude below what was observed¹.

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Meteorological or Astronomical Phenomena

Natural phenomena such as unusual cloud formations, ball lightning, sundogs, or meteorites might be considered as explanations. However, the reported duration (approximately one minute), the controlled flight path, and the clear visibility conditions make these explanations problematic. Furthermore, Moore’s background in atmospheric physics would have given him familiarity with unusual meteorological phenomena.

The second weather balloon launched after the sighting provided important control data, showing that conventional objects in the atmosphere were moving much more slowly and in different directions than the observed UFO².

Influence and Impact

The Moore sighting has had several significant impacts on UFO discourse and investigation:

Media Coverage and Public Awareness

The sighting achieved national prominence when it was featured in LIFE Magazine’s April 7, 1952 article on UFOs, which was one of the most widely-read mainstream media treatments of the subject during that era¹⁶. Commander McLaughlin’s article in TRUE Magazine (March 1950) further amplified its reach, explicitly arguing for an extraterrestrial interpretation¹⁶.

Official Attention

The fact that the sighting was cited in an August 14, 1952 CIA study indicates it had attracted attention at high levels of government intelligence¹. Project Blue Book’s classification of the case as “unknown” also demonstrated that it withstood standard investigative procedures designed to identify conventional explanations¹.

Impact on Scientific and Military Personnel

Perhaps most significantly, the Moore sighting appears to have influenced attitudes toward UFOs among scientific and military personnel involved in balloon projects. One source notes: “One of the ironies of using Project Mogul to try to explain away the Roswell case and other New Mexico sightings is that Mogul and later Skyhook balloon personnel themselves contributed many high-quality UFO sightings”⁶.

According to Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, who headed the Air Force’s UFO investigation in the early 1950s: “I knew the two pilots of the C-47; both of them now believe in flying saucers. And they aren’t alone; so do the people of the Aeronautical Division of General Mills who launch and track the big Skyhook balloons. These scientists and engineers all have seen UFO’s and they aren’t their own balloons”⁷.

Historical Irony and Case Study Value

The Moore case presents a fascinating historical irony. As noted by researcher Karl Pflock, Moore later became famous for debunking the Roswell incident while having himself “made one of the most impressive–and still unexplained–early UFO sightings”⁸. This duality makes the case particularly valuable for understanding how individual scientists navigate between extraordinary observations and scientific skepticism.

The case continues to be cited as an example of a high-quality UFO sighting with strong witness credentials and some degree of instrumental confirmation. It represents a data point that even skeptically-minded researchers find difficult to dismiss entirely.

Critical Analysis of the Evidence

When evaluating the Moore sighting from a contemporary perspective, several aspects deserve particular attention:

Technical Data Limitations

While Moore’s use of a theodolite provided more precise observational data than typical UFO reports, the limitations of the equipment and the circumstances must be acknowledged. Moore himself noted that the object’s rapid movement “prevented Moore from obtaining a hard or clear focus, and no good detail was observable”². This limits the precision of some of the reported characteristics, including the exact dimensions and speed calculations.

Witness Reliability Over Time

While Moore’s immediate reporting appears to have been detailed and consistent, there’s always the possibility of memory evolution over time. Moore discussed this sighting many times over subsequent decades, and while the core details remained consistent, some aspects may have been refined or emphasized differently as the cultural context around UFOs evolved.

The Challenge of Contextual Knowledge

One difficulty in evaluating the case is our incomplete knowledge of all military and scientific testing occurring in and around White Sands Proving Ground in the late 1940s. While Moore believed he was informed about all operations in the area that day, the compartmentalized nature of classified programs means this cannot be verified with complete certainty.

The “Unknown” Classification

While Project Blue Book classified this case as “unknown,” this designation doesn’t necessarily imply an extraordinary explanation. It simply means the investigation couldn’t identify a conventional explanation that satisfied all the reported characteristics. However, the fact that this classification persisted despite efforts to explain all UFO reports conventionally does strengthen the case’s significance.

Avenues for Further Research

Several promising directions for future research could help resolve remaining questions about the Moore sighting:

Original Documentation Review: A comprehensive examination of all original documents related to the case, including the complete Project Blue Book file, Moore’s original report, and any still-classified CIA or military documents.
Witness Statement Analysis: Comparative analysis of all statements made by Moore about the sighting over time to identify any evolution or inconsistencies in the narrative.
Historical Context Expansion: More detailed research into all known military testing activities in the region during this period, including still-classified programs that may have been declassified since.
Technical Analysis of Reported Performance: Modern computational modeling of the reported flight characteristics to better understand their physical implications and compare them with both 1949-era and current aerospace capabilities.
Meteorological Data Integration: Analysis of all available weather and atmospheric data from the time and location to evaluate potential natural explanations more thoroughly.

Conclusion

The Charles B. Moore UFO sighting of April 24, 1949, stands as one of the more compelling cases from the early era of UFO reports. Its strength derives from the scientific credentials of the primary witness, the presence of multiple corroborating observers, the use of optical instruments for tracking, and the extraordinary performance characteristics reported.

What separates this case from many others is the apparent contradiction it presents: a scientifically trained observer who would later debunk another famous UFO incident (Roswell) maintained throughout his life that he had observed something truly anomalous in the skies above New Mexico. Moore’s dual position as both UFO witness and UFO skeptic creates a fascinating tension that resists simple categorization into “believer” or “debunker” narratives.

While conventional explanations cannot be ruled out completely, the alternatives proposed—including Menzel’s mirage theory—fail to adequately account for all reported aspects of the sighting. The case remains technically “unexplained” and continues to represent one of the more scientifically credible UFO reports from the formative years of the modern UFO era.

Whether one interprets the Moore sighting as evidence of extraterrestrial visitation, an unacknowledged human technology, or an as-yet-unexplained natural phenomenon, it deserves its place among the small subset of UFO reports that have withstood scrutiny and continue to challenge our understanding of aerial phenomena.

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References¹ ATS forum thread on Charles Moore’s UFO sighting. https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread139774/pg1⁹ Blog post on Charles Moore and the Array, New Mexico UFO. http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com/2022/02/charles-moore-and-array-new-mexico-ufo.html⁴ The Roswell Incident at 70: Facts, Not Myths. Skeptical Inquirer. https://skepticalinquirer.org/2017/12/the-roswell-incident-at-70-facts-not-myths/² CIA document on the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp81r00560r000100010001-0⁶ Project Mogul UFO sightings - Roswell Proof. http://www.roswellproof.com/Mogul_UFOs.html¹⁰ Statement on Unidentified Flying Objects submitted to Congress. http://kirkmcd.princeton.edu/JEMcDonald/mcdonald_hcsa_68.pdf⁵ The Roswell Incident and Project Mogul. https://centerforinquiry.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/1995/07/22165104/p17.pdf¹¹ NASW article: No aliens Visit Earth, But The Government Covers Up Anyway. https://www.nasw.org/sites/default/files/sciencewriters/html/sum00tex/aliens.htm⁸ Roswell and Mogul – The Memories of Charles B. Moore. https://www.davidhalperin.net/roswell-and-mogul-the-memories-of-charles-b-moore-part-1/¹² UFO Crash at Roswell: The Genesis of a Modern Myth. https://www.smithsonianbooks.com/store/aviation-military-history/ufo-crash-at-roswell-the-genesis-of-a-modern-myth/³ Charles B. Moore Dies - A Different Perspective. http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com/2010/03/charles-b-moore-dies.html⁷ UFOs at close sight: Arrey, New Mexico, April 24, 1949. https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/arrey49.htm

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Isaac Koi