Project Twinkle was a US Air Force investigation in the late 1940s and early 1950s into green fireballs and anomalous light phenomena.
Project Twinkle was a US Air Force investigation launched after reports of anomalous light phenomena, primarily green fireballs, observed in New Mexico and the southwestern United States in the late 1940s. According to various sources, the project was established in 1949, with its operational activities continuing into 1950. It focused on the White Sands area and Holloman Air Force Base, near military and nuclear research sites.
The project's goal was to photograph and measure these phenomena and attempt to identify their source, using tools such as spectrographic cameras, radio frequency receivers, and optical measuring devices. The final report, typically dated 1951, concluded that most findings were inconclusive, and some sightings could be explained by aircraft, balloons, rockets, birds, clouds, or meteorites. According to published summaries, the project failed to obtain decisive photographic documentation, and its termination was recommended due to a lack of useful evidence.
Secondary sources describe Twinkle as one of the earliest US government investigations into UFO-like phenomena; this is an characterization by those sources, not an official project definition. The historical project is unrelated to later initiatives also named Twinkle.
It was a US Air Force investigation designed to examine and identify anomalous light phenomena, primarily green fireballs.
Various sources indicate the project was established in 1949, and its work continued into 1950. The final report is typically dated 1951.
According to summaries of the project, it did not obtain decisive photographic documentation of the phenomena.
The report stated that most findings were inconclusive, and some sightings could be explained by known phenomena. According to sources, the project's termination was recommended.