APRO Bulletin - 1975 05 00 - Vol 23 No 7

Magazine Overview

The APRO Bulletin, Volume 23, Number 7, dated May 1975, is the official copyrighted publication of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, Inc. (APRO). It is issued monthly to members and subscribers and is dedicated to the eventual solution of the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects. The magazine is based in Tucson, Arizona.

Tucson Area Has Mini Flap

This section details several UFO sightings that occurred in the general area of Tucson during the first 15 days of May 1975. Two cases are presented in detail, with investigations ongoing for others, including one involving possible communication.

The Ruby Lopez Sighting (May 7, 1975)

Miss Ruby Lopez, her sister Tina, brother Arthur, and two neighbor boys (the Marzoni children) reported seeing a strange sight while driving north up Sunrock Drive in west Tucson. They observed four bright white lights with a bluish cast, arranged in a row above a house. Curious, Ruby drove towards the lights. As the headlights swung towards them, an additional red light appeared behind the object, flashing three times, pausing, and then flashing three times again. The object, now behind their car, was described as an oval body of an indistinct dark color with silverish-white lights on the front. The red light was observed from the rear or lower center. The object maintained a tilted angle of about 25 to 30 degrees, with the lower edge containing the four bright lights down and forward. The object then began to follow their car down a winding dirt road towards a house, moving westward. The lights on the object became brighter.

The Robbins Case (May 11, 1975)

This report came in four days after the Lopez sighting from Donna and Jim Robbins. At approximately 8:15 p.m., Mr. Marty Martinez called them, stating he and his son Ricky were watching a strange light in the sky to the southwest. The light was flashing red, white, green, yellow, blue, and violet in a random sequence, appearing diffused rather than brilliant. Mr. Martinez estimated the object was 3,000 to 4,500 feet above the ground. Mrs. Robbins, determined to see the object, picked up Marty Martinez and his daughter Lupita and drove towards Mission Road. They found the object blinking continuously and slowly moving west. A jet interceptor aircraft passed overhead to the northeast of the object. The object then began to rise slowly, its lights momentarily went out, and then came back on as it moved west faster. Marty Martinez, observing through binoculars, described the object as bright and derby-hat-shaped, appearing closer. He also noted a smaller point of light below the bright object and a second one to the left and higher, described as flat disc-shapes of a dim blue color. The brighter object had colored lights scattered over its curved dome surface, surrounded by a thin haze or halo. The object then began to move in a vertical diamond pattern, followed by a vertical zig-zag pattern, retracing the patterns, and repeating the diamond pattern, all while moving westward at over 80 miles per hour. The witnesses followed the object further west to Three Points, about 12-13 miles beyond Ryan Field, and observed it for 8-9 minutes before losing sight of it at Sandario. The total viewing time for this case was one hour. This area has been a 'hot bed' of UFO reports, and a subsequent investigation concerned a landed object viewed by several people over three hours, with alleged communication.

UFO Sighted In Philippines

Reverend Angel Hidalgo, Head of the Archives of the Manila Observatory in the Philippines, reported observing an unidentified flying object from the observatory roof at 9:30 p.m. on February 28th. He described the object as approximately tear-shaped, with a spherical front part and a conical rear part. The front was whitish, with semicircular arcs of different colors toward the rear. The boundaries were well-defined. The object was observed a few minutes after the moon had risen over the Antipolo hills. Fr. Hidalgo was on the observation deck of the Manila Observatory, with an unobstructed view of Marikina Valley and the eastern mountain range. APRO Representative Aderito A. De Leon has interviewed Fr. Hidalgo, and other witnesses will be interviewed.

"Cluster" UFO Over Arizona

A UFO was observed in the Paradise Valley area of Arizona at 4:30 a.m. on July 22, 1974, by Mrs. Dorothy Tessmer, her son Alan (16), and her daughter Ann (24). Mrs. Tessmer, unable to sleep, noticed a brilliant source of light from her bedroom window facing northeast. The light source was visible for only two or three minutes before leaving her field of view. She called her son Alan, who also observed it briefly before it became invisible from the window. When they went into the backyard, the object was clearly visible again, appearing as a bright clump of lights at a 30-degree angle in the northeast. The object gave off no sound and remained a brilliant white. It moved slowly in an easterly direction and remained almost stationary for several minutes before proceeding northerly and fading from view. All witnesses observed the bright cluster of lights through Sears 10x50mm Wide Angle Binoculars. Mrs. Tessmer described the object as a circular, relatively flat disk with lights surrounding its outer perimeter. The witness stated that none of her neighbors had seen anything. Mrs. Tessmer is a real estate broker, and her husband Robert works for the city of Phoenix. Mr. Tessmer, suffering from Glaucoma, only saw a bright glare. Mrs. Tessmer's belief in UFOs was reinforced by this sighting. The weather conditions were: Wind northwest at 6 mph, Humidity 79%, Temperature 77, Clear Sky. The witness could not recall the apparent size or area filled by the object in the field of view, making size, altitude, or distance determination difficult. Mrs. Tessmer mentioned that Mrs. Harold Banta, living at 7018 West Highland Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, had also witnessed a similar object around 4:20 a.m. on July 22, 1974. Mrs. Banta described it as an extremely bright bluish-white light moving quite slowly in the northeastern sky for approximately 20 minutes. Contact with local police departments did not yield confirmation of any related calls.

New Consultant: Dr. Terry L. Maple

The APRO Consulting Staff welcomes Dr. Terry L. Maple, Ph.D., as a new member. Dr. Maple's educational background includes a B.A. in General Psychology from the University of the Pacific, an M.A. in Comparative Psychology of Learning, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Animal Behavior from the University of California at Davis. He also studied at the University of Stockholm. His experience includes considerable teaching and research, serving on committees, and chairing the Research Committee of the San Diego Zoo. He has published many papers and is a member of Sigma Xi and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Maple is currently engaged in research on behavioral biology of nonhuman primates.

Making Temporal Estimates and Measurements (Part III)

This article, by Richard F. Haines, Ph.D., is the third in a series on standardizing terms, concepts, and procedures related to UFO investigations. It emphasizes the critical importance of accurate time estimates and measurements. The author defines time as 'the relation of any event to the continuum of (physical) existence that any event has to any other event.' He stresses the need for consistency in time usage, recommending the 24-hour clock notation (GMT/UTC) for reporting times to avoid ambiguities. The article discusses methods for estimating time, including mental associations with concurrent events and self-calibration experiments. It highlights that field investigators should be prepared to measure time with high accuracy, ideally using synchronized starting points related to GMT. The article also presents formulae for calculating object velocity error based on timing errors at two different points and discusses the psychological factors influencing time perception, noting that people vary significantly in their time estimation abilities. It references several studies on time perception and measurement, including those related to visual and auditory perception, and the 'psychological present.' The importance of accurate timing is further illustrated by Table 1, which shows how small timing errors can lead to large errors in calculated object velocity. The article concludes by noting the availability of various time-measuring instruments and the role of organizations like the newly formed Center for UFO Studies in providing expertise and instrumentation for calibrating field investigators' equipment.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The APRO Bulletin consistently focuses on detailed reports of UFO sightings, emphasizing witness testimony and object characteristics. The organization appears dedicated to the scientific investigation and eventual solution of the UFO phenomenon. The inclusion of articles on methodology, such as temporal estimation, indicates a commitment to rigorous data collection and analysis. The magazine also highlights the contributions of its staff and consultants, fostering a sense of community and expertise within the field of UFO research.