# What did the three witnesses see over Hackensack on the evening of 3 August 1947? · Incident 88: the Hackensack disc, 3 August 1947 > Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-11-03T00:09:28+00:00 --- **0** # What did the three witnesses see over Hackensack on the evening of 3 August 1947? Asked 3 Nov 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Three answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters It is the sighting the incident number was given to; Hynek left it unexplained only because the Air Force file held almost nothing. ## Answers 3 [**A bird lit by the low sun** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/incident-88/answers/ANS0DFY7GGKX0DA/a-bird-lit-by-the-low-sun) Not tested yet Evidence: 1 against Still possible [**A small balloon carried on the evening's light south-westerly wind** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/incident-88/answers/ANS0DFY7GAY22GM/a-small-balloon-carried-on-the-evenings-light-south-westerly) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible [**An unidentified flying object that no ordinary cause explains** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/incident-88/answers/ANS0DFY7H3A68ZE/an-unidentified-flying-object-that-no-ordinary-cause) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Still possible ## Next steps 2 1 Read The Bergen Evening Record for 4-5 August 1947 Adds evidenceFair odds~2 h **15** score Details Look for the police report, other callers, or a balloon release that evening (a fair, party or advertising balloons). 2 Bergen Evening Record, 4-5 Aug 1947 Adds evidenceFair odds~2 h **15** score Details Read the Hackensack paper for the police report, other callers or a balloon release that evening. Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes ## History 1. 1947[Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division: the witnesses first took it for a balloon, and it moved like one](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3NXV9HJ2/sac-newark-to-director-fbi-flying-disc-reported-at)For: A small balloon carried on the evening's light south-westerly wind 1. 1947[NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: the witnesses first took it for a balloon, and it moved like one](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3XPMYC8H/global-hourly-integrated-surface-database-teterboro-airport)For: A small balloon carried on the evening's light south-westerly wind 1. 1947[Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division: no witness describes wingbeats or turns](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3NXV9HJ2/sac-newark-to-director-fbi-flying-disc-reported-at)Against: A bird lit by the low sun 1. 1947[Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division: no one else reported it, and a neighbour on a porch saw nothing](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3NXV9HJ2/sac-newark-to-director-fbi-flying-disc-reported-at)Against: An unidentified flying object that no ordinary cause explains 1. 1947[Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division: two witnesses judged it too fast for a balloon and saw no string](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3NNGPV7K/teletype-sac-newark-to-director-flying-disc-reported-at)For: An unidentified flying object that no ordinary cause explains 1. 1947[Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division: two witnesses judged it too fast for a balloon and saw no string](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DFY3NXV9HJ2/sac-newark-to-director-fbi-flying-disc-reported-at)For: An unidentified flying object that no ordinary cause explains 1. Nov 2026[Session 1: raised the question, found four results bearing on its answers and worked on one of its sub-questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DFY9WVPW4NG/session-1-incident-88-opened-the-three-files-untangled-and) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY739G80E5/what-did-the-three-witnesses-see-over-hackensack-on-the%23add-source) Where it fits Incident 88: the Hackensack disc, 3 August 1947 **What did the three witnesses see over Hackensack on the evening of 3 August 1947?** Key question · you're here [Do the object's reported course, size and motion fit a small balloon drifting on that evening's wind?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/incident-88/questions/QST0DFY75MM5T34/do-the-objects-reported-course-size-and-motion-fit-a-small)Open · 2 answers, inconclusive [ Ask a question under this one ]