‘Mystery Potato’ Hovering Over Colorado Emerges in Newly Released Pentagon UFO Files

A bizarre object described as a shimmering “potato” hovering above Colorado has become one of the most unusual cases revealed in the Pentagon’s latest release of declassified U.F.O. files.

The newly published documents — part of the third batch of government disclosures concerning unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) — describe a 2022 sighting near Colorado Springs involving a strange airborne object observed by five U.S. Army personnel stationed at Fort Carson. (AP News)

According to FBI and Pentagon records, the witnesses reported seeing an object floating motionless over Cheyenne Mountain on a clear February morning before it suddenly disappeared. The files were released Friday under the Trump administration’s broader transparency initiative involving UFO-related records. (Reuters)

Witnesses Described a “Potato” With Fish-Like Scales

The object was reportedly “potato-shaped with distinct edges” and appeared coated in a “creamy/whitish opalescent color,” according to the FBI account included in the release. Witnesses also described the surface as resembling “articulating fish scales or panels” that shifted subtly while the object remained suspended in the sky. (Spectrum Local News)

The Army personnel stated the object hovered silently for between 30 seconds and two minutes before vanishing almost instantly.

One witness reportedly said the object “cloaked” out of view with no visible shadow or conventional movement. No photographs or videos were captured because none of the witnesses had phones with them at the time. (https://www.kktv.com)

The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, known as AARO, reviewed the case and classified it as unresolved.

Investigators Suggested a Possible Light Illusion

A preliminary intelligence assessment proposed that the phenomenon may have been caused by “backscattering of sunlight” reflecting off snow-covered terrain and illuminating low-altitude cloud formations near Cheyenne Mountain. However, investigators labeled the explanation “low confidence.” (The Guardian)

Witnesses strongly disputed the theory, insisting the sky was cloudless and visibility conditions were excellent at the time of the sighting.

Officials also reportedly ruled out known aircraft, balloons, drones, and foreign adversary technology as definitive explanations. (AP News)

The case has gained widespread public attention largely because of the unusual description and the credibility of the military witnesses involved.

Part of Broader UFO Disclosure Campaign

The “mystery potato” case was included among 72 newly released government files involving alleged UFO sightings, glowing orbs, spinning discs, and unexplained aerial lights reported across the United States and internationally. (Reuters)

Other newly disclosed incidents involve glowing red orbs over the northeastern United States, unexplained aerial activity near military facilities, and historical CIA reports involving strange craft over Zimbabwe in 2008. (The Guardian)

Despite public fascination, Pentagon officials continue emphasizing that none of the released files provide confirmed evidence of extraterrestrial life.

AARO has repeatedly stated that most unresolved cases likely involve atmospheric effects, sensor limitations, classified technology, or still-unidentified conventional explanations. However, several incidents remain officially unexplained due to insufficient evidence. (Reuters)

Growing Public Interest in UAP Investigations

Public and congressional interest in UAP investigations has surged in recent years following military pilot encounters, whistleblower claims, and multiple government disclosure initiatives.

President Donald Trump ordered expanded public release of UFO-related records earlier this year, describing the files as “extremely interesting and important.” The Pentagon has since released hundreds of pages of documents, videos, witness interviews, and artistic renderings connected to unexplained aerial sightings. (New York Post)

For now, the Colorado “potato” remains one of the strangest unresolved entries in the government’s expanding archive of unexplained aerial phenomena.