Argus - 1978 No 3

Magazine Overview

This issue of ARGUS, NR.3 from 1978, is a Swedish publication from UFO-Gävle, a member of UFO - Sverige. It is a member magazine published six times a year. The cover features a striking illustration of a large, jellyfish-like object hovering over a city, hinting at the themes of unexplained phenomena.

Editorial and Organization Information

The editorial board is listed, with Ove Strand as Chairman and Ove Holmgren as Treasurer. The UFO-Gävle organization is based in Gävle, Sweden, with contact information provided for Ove Holmgren and Ove Strand. Membership fees are detailed, with options for individuals, families, pensioners, and youth.

Editorial Commentary

The editorial section, "REDAKTIONELLT," notes a lack of activity during the spring season, attributing it partly to members' lack of engagement and the board's heavy workload. They appeal for member assistance and suggest members use the summer holiday to brainstorm ideas for the association's activities in the fall. The editorial also expresses surprise at the low number of UFO reports nationwide in 1978, questioning whether UFO activity is waning or if this is a lull before a storm. The editorial team wishes readers a pleasant summer.

Article: VAR FARAOS PRÄSTER FYSIKER? (Were Pharaoh's Priests Physicists?)

This article, by Bengt Olvång, explores the mysteries of ancient Egypt, particularly the pyramids and the era of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. It discusses how modern interpretations of ancient history can be influenced by class interests and the tendency to either humanize or exoticize past civilizations. The author critiques the tendency to create fantastical hypotheses by over-identifying with or alienating ancient peoples. The article references an exhibition at the Nationalmuseum and the book "Offorna tiders kvinnor" (Women of Forgotten Times), which reinterprets the skeleton of the oldest Swede found, previously identified as a fisherman from Barum, as a woman.

The article further examines the artistic representations of Akhenaten, suggesting that perceived abnormalities in his depiction are stylistic choices in art rather than medical conditions. It contrasts this with medical hypotheses proposed to explain his appearance. The author argues that Akhenaten's "reformation" was primarily a power struggle, particularly concerning land ownership controlled by the Amun priests, rather than a move towards a more humane society. The parallel is drawn to Versailles and the "Sun King's" absolute rule. The article criticizes the approach of some amateur historians, like Erich von Däniken, for imposing modern concepts onto ancient evidence.

Article: Ancient Technology and UFOs

This section, drawing from Erich von Däniken's "Unsolved Mysteries," discusses the interpretation of ancient artifacts and structures, such as the Nazca lines in Peru and rock carvings in the Sahara. The author argues that conventional archaeology is resistant to the idea of ancient visitation by extraterrestrial beings, dismissing hypotheses of advanced ancient technology as "humbug." The Nazca lines are presented as potential landing strips or signals for aerial vehicles, with the large geoglyphs in Peru, like the figure near the Pisco Bay, interpreted as signals for beings in the sky. The immense effort required to create these structures suggests a purpose beyond mere artistic expression, implying they were meant for beings approaching from high altitudes. The article calls for a multidisciplinary approach to solving these mysteries, acknowledging the difficulty of getting such unconventional ideas taken seriously.

Another part of this section discusses Philipp Vandenberg's book "Faraonernas förbannelse" (The Pharaohs' Curse), which explores theories about ancient curses and the possibility of ancient Egyptians possessing advanced knowledge, including parapsychology, mysticism, and even nuclear physics. The article mentions a hypothesis that priests enriched uranium and used it in mummy wrappings. It even humorously suggests that the Titanic might have sunk due to radiation from a mummy.

Karlholmsbruks Unga Örnar på UFO Information

This is a brief caption accompanying a photograph, indicating that young people from Karlholmsbruk received UFO information.

UFO Sightings in Sweden

Several UFO sightings are reported from Sweden:

• Storvik (September 24, 1977): Two flattened, luminous objects, bright blue-white, were observed near Kungsgården. They split into four, flew in formation, then rejoined into one brighter object before disappearing.
• Hammarby-Lemstanäs-Kungsgården (October 9, 1977): A luminous object was seen moving towards a house, stopped, then appeared to follow a car. It later changed course eastward and disappeared.
• Borlänge (December 3, 1976): Following a newspaper article about a UFO sighting in Avesta, numerous calls were received from people reporting similar experiences. The objects were described as being the size and shape of a small bus.
• Böda Sand, Västervik (February 1, 1977): A mysterious blue-green-white luminous object, much larger than Venus, with a tail, was observed moving north and then diving into a forest clearing.

Gunnar Schelin of the Kalmar-Ölands UFO-förening comments that these reports are interesting and caution against hasty conclusions.

UFO Incident in Petrozavodsk, Soviet Union

This article details a significant UFO event that occurred in Petrozavodsk on September 20, 1978. A large, circular, luminous disc, estimated to be about 110 meters in diameter, appeared over the city. The object hovered over the harbor before moving inland. Witnesses described it as a "flying saucer" or UFO. An investigation committee, led by physicist Alexander Kazantsev, was formed. Kazantsev is convinced it was an extraterrestrial craft. The appearance of the UFO caused panic, with people rushing for shelter. Penn-shaped light beams were emitted from the underside of the craft, illuminating the streets and houses. The beams reportedly melted holes in windows and pavement stones. Witnesses consistently described the object's color, shape, and size, and most believed it was not of terrestrial origin.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of ARGUS are the intersection of ancient history and modern mysteries, particularly concerning advanced ancient technologies and potential extraterrestrial contact. The magazine also focuses on reporting UFO sightings and fostering a community of researchers and enthusiasts. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained phenomena, encouraging member participation and the collection of detailed reports, while also acknowledging the skepticism and challenges faced by those who investigate these topics. There is a clear interest in bridging the gap between historical enigmas and contemporary UFOlogy.

This issue of UFO-Sveriges UFO Information magazine, dated from the period 1947-1951, delves into various aspects of UFO phenomena and astronomy. The cover prominently features the Petrozavodsk incident, where a UFO reportedly caused significant physical damage. The magazine also includes detailed articles on stellar photometry and spectral analysis, a DIY UFO detector project, and historical UFO reports from the late 1940s.

The Petrozavodsk Incident

The lead article details the Petrozavodsk incident, where a UFO's 'rays' affected stone and glass, causing them to be 'urholked' or melted. Notably, no human injuries were reported, leading to speculation that the rays only affected inorganic matter or that humans were simply not hit. The investigation group concluded it was an 'visiting UFO.' The Russian government reportedly suppressed information about the incident to prevent panic. Vasil Zakharchenko, an editor, confirmed that the investigation group believed it was a UFO. The UFO reportedly stayed over Petrozavodsk for about 12 minutes before moving towards Lake Onega, where it may have dropped an object. The report also mentions five subsequent UFO visits to Petrozavodsk, with the latest in January of the current year.

UFOs in the Soviet Union and Beyond

Aleksei Zolotov, a geophysicist, links the Petrozavodsk event to earlier sightings, including the 1908 Siberian explosion, which he suggests was caused by nuclear power and resulted in radiation damage. He believes the Petrozavodsk object was a flying saucer, citing hundreds of witnesses and parallels with previous observations. Zolotov is convinced it was an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

Stellar Photometry and Spectral Analysis

Two articles delve into astronomical topics. The first, 'STJÄRNORNAS LJUSSTYRKA OCH FÄRG' (The Brightness and Color of Stars), explains the concepts of absolute and apparent brightness, and the magnitude system used to classify stars. It details how magnitude differences relate to intensity ratios, with a five-magnitude difference equating to a 100-fold intensity difference. Negative magnitudes are used for very bright objects like Sirius (-1.6) and Venus (-4), while the Sun is -26. The article also mentions the faintest stars observed at magnitude +24.

The second astronomical article, 'VAD SPEKTRA BERÄTTAR OM STJÄRNORNA' (What Spectra Tell Us About Stars), highlights spectral analysis as a crucial tool for astrophysicists. It explains that by studying stellar spectra, scientists can determine a star's size, temperature, chemical composition, magnetic field, and motion. The process involves using spectrographs to record spectra on photographic plates, which can reveal continuous spectra with absorption lines, or sometimes emission lines. Nebulae and nebula-like objects often exhibit emission line spectra.

UFO Detector Project

A section titled 'RADIOSIDAN' (Radio Page) presents a 'RELÄLÖS 12 Volt UFO-DETEKTOR' (Relayless 12 Volt UFO Detector). It describes a circuit diagram and a parts list for building a UFO detector. The article notes a correction to a previous design, specifying how to connect the coil's output to a capacitor and a variable resistor. It clarifies that the detector is a magnetometer measuring local magnetic fields, and it will alarm if the field is disturbed by events like thunderstorms, solar eruptions, or UFOs. The detector is presented as a complement to visual UFO observations, not a replacement.

Historical UFO Reports (1947-1951)

'"TEFATEN" I PRESSEN 1947 - 1951' ('"Saucers" in the Press 1947 - 1951') compiles several news clippings from 1947. These include a report from Detroit suggesting saucers might be signals from Mars, an astronomer's inability to locate 'tefat' (saucers) in Arizona, and numerous reports of 'tefat mysteries' flooding in from across the country. It also mentions a 'tefat experiment' from 1928 involving a flying model demonstrating a vacuum principle. Flyers Dan J. Whelan and Duncan Underhill reported seeing a disc-shaped object near Santa Monica at an altitude of 600 meters, estimated to be flying at 560-800 km/h. Louis E. Starr, leader of the 'Veterans of Foreign Wars,' called for an official explanation from Washington regarding 'flying saucers.'

Gävle UFO Association News

The 'UFO GÄVLE INFORMERAR' (UFO Gävle Informs) section announces a summer break from June 23 to August 1, 1978. It invites members to a large observation evening on August 19, 1978, at Kungsberget, featuring films and inviting representatives from media and other UFO associations. Members are urged to attend and bring their families. Contact information for Eskil, Ove, and Roland is provided for notification if unable to attend. The section also reminds members about the membership fee, noting that the magazine costs 300 SEK per issue to print. The Gävle UFO-Förening's Postgiro account is listed as 21 45 89 - 4. They also offer assistance for members with communication difficulties to Kungsberget.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO sightings, investigations, and the scientific study of related phenomena. There's a clear interest in extraterrestrial visitation, with a belief in the reality of UFOs and a critical stance towards government secrecy. The inclusion of astronomical articles suggests an effort to contextualize UFO phenomena within a broader scientific framework, while the DIY detector project appeals to the practical, hands-on interests of its readership. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFOs, encouraging member participation and information sharing.