Ancient Skies - Vol 19 No 4 - 1992

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 19, Number 4
Date: September-October, 1992
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Location: Highland Park, Illinois, USA

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES delves into theories of ancient extraterrestrial influence, featuring a detailed analysis of a potential Martian pyramid and announcements for upcoming conferences and publications.

A Martian Great Pyramid

The lead article, "A MARTIAN GREAT PYRAMID" by Maurice Chatelain, a retired space scientist, presents a compelling argument for artificial structures on Mars. Chatelain believes that the recently discovered features on Mars, specifically a five-sided pyramid, are not natural formations but artificial monuments built by Martians. He attempts to prove this by demonstrating that the apparent angles and dimensions of this Martian pyramid indicate a sophisticated knowledge of geometry and trigonometry, comparable to that found in the Egyptian pyramids of Cheops and Chephren.

Chatelain proposes a design for the base of the Martian pyramid as an irregular pentagon with a width of approximately one mile (1600 meters), which he equates to 3000 Babylonian cubits. He uses a circle with a radius of 924 meters (1732 1/2 cubits) and divides it into segments of 60 and 90 degrees to construct this pentagon. The design incorporates smaller sides opposite 60-degree angles and larger sides opposite 90-degree angles. The larger width is calculated to be R√3 (1600 m or 3000 cubits), and the smaller width is 14/9 R (1437 m or 2695 cubits). The oblique length AC is estimated at 2R sin 75 (1785 m or 3347 cubits), and horizontal heights vary. The total length AF along the axis is R(1 + sin 60) (1724 m or 3233 cubits), which is eight times the base length of the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

He further suggests that the base angles of the Martian pyramid, estimated at approximately 56 and 61 degrees, would be difficult to construct on Earth but feasible on Mars due to its lower surface gravity (2.63 times lower than Earth's). The base area of the Martian pyramid is calculated to be 1,962,270 square meters, about 36 times that of the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Assuming a height of 1176 meters, the original volume could have been 76,920,983 cubic meters, approximately 296 times that of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

Chatelain also connects this to his previous work, where he identified fifteen possible distances between Martian features that were multiples of the 3000 cubit width, suggesting this is not a coincidence. He posits that the Martian pyramid's axis is oriented 15 degrees east of North, which would have been significant for observing equinoxes and solstices when Mars' rotation axis was tilted. He speculates that this could explain why Martian monuments align with celestial events and suggests that Martians may have later visited Earth, building the Egyptian pyramids as a testament to their presence.

Synodic Revolution Period of Mars

Chatelain also touches upon the synodic revolution period of Mars, noting that while American astronomers use 67,369,536 seconds, French and British astronomers have slightly different figures. He proposes that the period might be exactly 760 times the Martian rotation period (88,643 seconds), resulting in 67,368,680 seconds. This synchronization, he suggests, could be natural or artificial, possibly involving Phobos, Mars' larger satellite. He draws a parallel to Earth's heliacal rising of Venus, which occurs every 243 solar years, and suggests a similar spectacular heliacal rising of Earth might occur on Mars every 760 Mars days.

Member Expedition to Guatemala and Honduras

An announcement is made for a Society Member Expedition to Guatemala and Honduras scheduled for May 6-19, 1993. The two-week trip includes visits to Tikal, Copan, and Quirigua, with a price of US$1,964 per person (double occupancy), covering hotels, ground transportation, half the meals, site admissions, and airfare. Details for reservations and itinerary are available from the Society headquarters.

20th Anniversary World Conference - Las Vegas

The magazine extensively promotes the 20th Anniversary World Conference of the Ancient Astronaut Society, to be held at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Las Vegas from August 1-5, 1993. The conference promises to be a major event, featuring a wide array of speakers, including:

• Gene M. Phillips: Society's Founder, presenting a slide presentation on sites and artifacts examined during the Society's first 20 years.
• Erich von Daniken: Author of "Chariots of the Gods?", presenting a two-hour slide lecture and Q&A session.
• Zecharia Sitchin: Author of "The Twelfth Planet".
• Josef F. Blumrich: Retired NASA space engineer and author of "The Spaceships of Ezekiel".
• Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger: Authors on ancient astronaut topics.
• Andrew Tomas: Author of numerous books in the field.
• Stuart W. Greenwood: PhD in aerospace engineering.
• George T. Sassoon: Co-author of "The Manna Machine".
• Pasqual S. Schievella: PhD in philosophy.
• Vincent DiPietro: NASA computer expert.
• Walter Hain: Engineer and computer expert.
• Gerardo Levet: Electrical engineer.
• Peter Krassa: Journalist and author.
• Johannes Fiebag: PhD in geology, lecturer and author.
• David Fasold: Marine salvage expert.
• Donald W. Patten: Geographer and author.
• Samuel R. Windsor: Marine engineer.
• Ulrich Dopatka: Librarian and computer expert, serving as Master of Ceremonies.

The conference includes lectures, a show called "Legends in Concert," a Gala Buffet Banquet, and access to the Hotel's Antique and Classic Auto collection. Reduced room rates of US$45 per night are available for attendees. American Airlines is the designated official airline, offering discounted fares. A special group flight from Chicago is also arranged. A sightseeing tour of Las Vegas is offered on Wednesday afternoon.

The conference bookstore will be operated by Robert Girard of ARCTURUS BOOKS, INC. The weather in Las Vegas in early August is expected to be hot, with daytime temperatures exceeding 100°F, but the environment will be air-conditioned.

Erich von Daniken Stars in German TV Series

This section reports on the popularity of Erich von Daniken in Europe, despite efforts by the "scientific establishment" to discredit him. He is scheduled for 31 lectures in German-speaking countries during October 1992 and is the star of a year-long television series on German Television SAT I, titled "Auf Den Spuren Der All-Mächtigen" (In Search of the Almighties). The 25-part series explores ancient astronaut themes using new footage and computer animation. The article expresses hope that the series will be translated and shown in the US, potentially ending the boycott of von Daniken's works by US book publishers.

The "Aiud Object" in Ancient Skies

A reader, David M. Stewart, shares a newspaper clipping from June 26, 1977, regarding three perfectly shaped discs found buried in a South Australian coal mine. Each disc is five feet in diameter and estimated to be millions of years old. Initially thought to be fossilized shells, this theory was discarded. An Adelaide marine expert described them as having the identical color of iron or steel that has been buried for a long time. Mrs. Shirley Kemp of the Australian UFO Research Society called it "the find of the century." The article suggests these discs could be landing pads, linking them to aboriginal folklore about a giant craft landing in the area.

Books and Authors

This section provides a list of books and authors related to the ancient astronaut field, including:

• Erich von Daniken's "Der Götter Schock" (The Shock of the Gods).
• Peter Krassa's "Das Licht Der Pharaonen" (The Light of the Pharaohs).
• Walter Hain's "We, From Mars" (available in English).
• R. A. Boulay's sequel, "Dragon Power".
• Donald W. Patten's "The Biblical Flood and the Ice Epoch", "The Long Day of Joshua", and "Catastrophism and the Old Testament".
• Donald L. Cyr's "Crop Circle Secrets, Part Two: America's First Crop Circle".
• Bernd Hartmann's "The Great Pyramid: The Way to the Fire Within".
• Brad and Sherry Steiger's "Starborn" and "Beyond Belief", with a new edition of "Worlds Before Our Own".
• David Fasold's involvement with The Noahide Society and its newsletter "Ark-Update".
• Dr. Pasqual Schievella's book "Hey, IS That You, God?"
• "Catastrophism and Ancient History" publication.
• Zecharia Sitchin's five books.
• Maurice Chatelain's books: "The First Americans", "The First Christians", and "Nostradamus Decoded".

The section also notes that September 14, 1992, marks the Society's 19th Anniversary.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ancient astronaut theory, with a strong emphasis on the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence influencing ancient civilizations on Earth and other planets like Mars. The magazine promotes the idea that ancient monuments and artifacts hold clues to past alien contact. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of exploring these theories, providing platforms for authors and researchers like Maurice Chatelain and Erich von Daniken, and organizing conferences to discuss these topics. There is an evident effort to present these ideas as credible, despite perceived opposition from the mainstream scientific community. The magazine also functions as a communication hub for its members, announcing expeditions and society events.