Ancient Skies - Vol 02 No 1 - 1975-76

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1
Date: MARCH-APRIL, 1975
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES delves into the intersection of ancient monuments, mythology, and potential extraterrestrial influence. It features articles exploring astronomical alignments at Giza, the interpretation of mythological figures as astronauts, and the analysis of satellite imagery for evidence of UFO activity.

GIZA: EXTRATERRESTRIAL FOCAL POINT?

By STUART W. GREENWOOD

This article posits that Giza, Egypt, the site of the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus, and the Great Sphinx, may have served as an extraterrestrial focal point. Greenwood highlights the precise N-S and W-E alignments of the pyramids and notes that the Great Sphinx faces the eastern horizon, where ancient cultures believed their gods dwelled. He establishes Giza's location at approximately 30° latitude, a position that offers a significant velocity contribution from Earth's spin for space launches, making it a potentially attractive site for an ancient space center.

The author discusses the concept of transfer planes for interplanetary travel lying close to the Ecliptic Plane, suggesting that launch sites on the tropics would be preferred. While Giza is slightly north of the tropics, its latitude still provides a favorable launch assist. Greenwood speculates that ancient astronauts might have used Giza as a launch site, departing on flat trajectories over the eastern horizon, possibly in vehicles that appeared to ancient observers as 'mechanical birds,' drawing a parallel to the legend of the Phoenix.

THE PLUMED SERPENT

By Stuart W. Greenwood

Greenwood extends his exploration of ancient astronaut theories to Mesoamerica, focusing on Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican god symbolizing wisdom, life, fertility, and the dawn. He notes that Quetzalcoatl is often identified with Venus and the color white. The author references W. Raymond Drake's work, which interprets Quetzalcoatl as an astronaut. Greenwood also revisits his previous article on underwater bases for extraterrestrials from Venus, noting that depths of around 3000 feet correspond to Venus's atmospheric pressure.

He proposes that the name Quetzalcoatl might be derived from the appearance of land formations seen from a specific vantage point, possibly near the Bahama Banks, which resemble a winged serpent. The illustration accompanying the article, centered on Lake Okechobee, Florida, depicts the Bahama Banks as the serpent's body, the Florida Keys as its tongue, and the grouping of Keys near Key West as its fangs. The spreading coastline of Northern Florida, combined with the field of view, forms the outline of wings, with the lush green foliage representing the Quetzal bird's plumage. This interpretation suggests that Quetzalcoatl arrived in Mexico from his base in the Bahama region, having traveled from Venus.

THINGS FROM THE SKIES

By JAMES A. GUPTON, JR.

This article examines unusual features identified in Nimbus V satellite photographs, particularly concerning Florida and its surrounding regions. Gupton collaborates with Stuart Greenwood and references Immanuel Velikovsky's "Earth in Upheaval" to discuss potential meteor impacts.

Greenwood oriented a 'line' or 'trench' running through Florida at 10° West of North. Velikovsky discusses meteor falls following a similar NW to SE path. Gupton notes that North Carolina's coastal bays, some exceptionally large, have also been attributed to meteors, exhibiting oval shapes with elevated rims. He points to two craters on Florida's East coast, north of Miami, shown in Figure 2, which measure 18 and 24 miles in diameter, significantly larger than the largest known meteorite crater listed in the 1974 World Almanac.

Gupton speculates that the 'trench' in Florida might have been formed by a giant meteor that grazed the surface and then bounded upward. Furthermore, Lawrence Blazey of Cleveland, Ohio, provided information linking these landmarks to UFO landings. The article highlights two 'underground rectangles' or 'cold spots' near the end of the 'trench' in Florida, which are significant because they are the only locations where 'Angel Hair' has been found. 'Angel Hair' is described as an extremely fine, hair-like filament typically found at UFO landing sites.

Gupton invites readers to contribute their theories to explain these Florida landmarks.

Original Papers and Recommended Reading

Page 4 lists subjects for original papers to be presented at the Second World Conference in Zurich in May 1975, covering themes such as "Scientists versus the ancient astronaut theme," "Travels in Time," "Spaceman in antiquity," and "The Great Pyramid." It also features sections for "Our Members Recommend," listing hardcover books on related topics, and "Paperback Books," which includes an extensive list of influential works by authors like Erich von Daniken, Charles Berlitz, and Jacques Vallee.

C. Lord Amery, author of "The Secret of the Sphinx," is mentioned as predicting important archaeological finds in Egypt in July 1975, including a spaceship from the lost colony of Atlantis.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ancient astronaut hypothesis, the interpretation of ancient monuments and myths through an extraterrestrial lens, and the investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena. The magazine's stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, encouraging speculation and reader participation in explaining anomalous findings. The articles suggest a belief that ancient civilizations may have been influenced or directly visited by extraterrestrial beings, and that evidence for this can be found in archaeology, mythology, and modern UFO sightings.