Almiro Baraúna

Professional Photographer

On January 16, 1958, photographer Almiro Baraúna captured a series of famous images of a disc-shaped object over Trindade Island, Brazil, while aboard the Brazilian Navy training ship Almirante Saldanha.

The Sighting: Approximately 50 witnesses, including Baraúna and retired Air Force Captain José Viegas, observed a silver, saucer-shaped object that emitted a phosphorescent trail and moved at high speed before disappearing.
The Photographs: Baraúna took six photos; four were developed in the ship’s infirmary and later published in newspapers like Correio da Manhã. The images showed an oval object with a central ring, often described as "Saturn-shaped."
Investigation & Controversy: The Brazilian Navy conducted an inquiry and initially kept the case secret until President Juscelino Kubitschek shared the photos with the press. While Brazilian experts found no signs of tampering, U.S. entities like Project Blue Book dismissed the case as a hoax.
Alleged Confession: Years later, a friend of Baraúna claimed on TV that he had fabricated the photos using spoons and a refrigerator backdrop, though Baraúna himself never made this confession, and skeptics note inconsistencies with the 1954 Mundo Ilustrado article where he demonstrated photographic tricks.