Argus - 1980 No 2

Magazine Overview

Title: ARGUS
Issue: NR. 2
Volume: 1980
Publisher: UFO GÄVLEBORG
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish

This issue of ARGUS, a member magazine for UFO GÄVLEBORG, focuses on a variety of topics including UFO sightings, astronomical phenomena, and ancient legends.

Editorial Section

The editorial section begins with an apology for the delay in publication, attributed to understaffing, and an appeal for members to contribute material and help with the magazine. It notes a low attendance at recent meetings, despite interesting films like "STJÄRNORNAS KRIG" (Star Wars) and "FORNTIDENS GÅTOR" (Riddles of Antiquity) being shown. The editorial also looks forward to the darker months of autumn and winter, promising new ideas and energy for activities such as exhibitions, theme nights, and observation evenings. The magazine highlights past observation evenings where, besides observing the sky, members enjoyed nature and observed animal activity. A specific incident is mentioned where an object behaving "highly unnaturally" was observed in a southerly direction during an observation evening, and was also noted by the SAF Solna Astronomical Association. A new initiative is announced to hold meetings alternately in Sandviken and Gävle to accommodate members in Gävle. The editorial staff also mentions attending a field researcher training in Köping, noting that the number of trained field researchers within UFO-SVERIGE has reached 200. The section concludes with an encouragement for members to show interest and attend the next meeting.

Article: VÄRLDSHAVENS FÖRFLUTNA (The Past of the World's Oceans)

This article, excerpted from Charles Berlitz's "Dödens Triangel" (The Bermuda Triangle), explores the geological concept that large parts of the Earth's landmass were once the seabed, and vice versa. It references findings of fossils in desert areas and whale skeletons far inland, as well as marine fauna fossils in the Himalayas, to support the idea that areas like the Sahara were once an inland sea. The article discusses the significant rise in sea levels after the last Ice Age, approximately 12,000 years ago, when melting ice sheets caused coastlines to recede and valleys to become fjords. It estimates that sea levels were about 200 meters lower during the third Ice Age. The text then delves into ancient legends from various cultures about catastrophic floods and survivors who repopulated the Earth, drawing parallels to the biblical story of Noah. Other examples include the Greek myth of Deukalion, the Babylonian legend of Ut-napishtim, the Persian Yima, and the Mexican Coxcox, who all survived great floods with the help of vessels or rafts. The article notes that the animals accompanying these legendary survivors often correspond to the local fauna.

Article: RYMDENS gäckande svarta HÅL (The Enigmatic Black Holes of Space)

This article delves into the scientific concept of black holes. It begins by referencing Karl Schwarrschild's work in 1915, exploring the idea that if a star becomes sufficiently compact and dense, its gravity could warp space and time to the point of enclosing itself. For a star of the Sun's mass, this critical radius is estimated to be about 3 kilometers. The concept of a "Schwarrschild-Radien" is presented as the natural boundary of a black hole, from which no matter can escape. The article explains that a star's life is a struggle between the outward pressure of gases created by radiation and heat, and the inward pull of gravity. It describes the Sun's stable state and its future evolution into a red giant, potentially engulfing Mercury, Venus, and Earth. The article then discusses the theoretical possibility of stars collapsing into white dwarfs and, for more massive stars, into even denser objects – neutron stars. The work of scientists like Fritz Zwicky and Walter Baade at Mount Wilson Observatory is highlighted for their more daring intellectual pursuits regarding the extreme compression of stars. The article mentions the discovery of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell and Anthony Hewish in 1967, which were initially thought to be signals from extraterrestrial civilizations but were later identified as rapidly spinning neutron stars acting as celestial lighthouses. This discovery reinforced the idea that gravitational collapse could indeed create black holes. Scientists at Caltech, Cambridge, MIT, Harvard, and Princeton are cited as determining that a mass only about 3 times that of the Sun would be sufficient to crush matter into oblivion, forming black holes. The article notes that astronomers have found numerous "black hole candidates," some being "super giants" 40 to 50 times the Sun's mass.

Article: HÄR ÄR FÖRSTA BILDEN PÅ EN KVINNA FRAN YTTRE RYMDEN! (Here is the First Picture of a Woman from Outer Space!)

This article presents a purported photograph of an extraterrestrial woman named Semjase, taken by Eduard Meier, a former truck driver and father of three, near the Swiss village of Hinwil. Meier claims to be the contact person for messages from beings from the planet Erra, located in the Pleiades star cluster, approximately 500 light-years away. He states that the inhabitants of Erra are 13,000 years more advanced than humans and can control time and space, living for about 1,000 years. Meier describes his first encounter with Semjase on January 28, 1975, on a forest meadow behind Hinwil, where he witnessed and photographed flying saucers. He claims to have taken numerous photos and an hour-long film of the craft and its occupants. The article mentions that NASA experts were also present at one point to photograph the craft. Photographer Helmut Wald, who investigated the story for a German magazine, initially suspected a hoax but was convinced by the evidence. Meier has reportedly written over 1,000 pages of messages from the aliens, which he intends to publish. He also claims to have flown in the spacecraft and been healed by an alien apparatus. Stones from Erra have been sent to the Max Planck Institute for analysis, but their origin remains unidentified. The article suggests that Semjase sometimes visits Earth and blends in with humans, possibly having long earlobes hidden under a headscarf.

Astronomy Section

This section provides data about our solar system, listing the planets in order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. It includes their mass relative to Earth, density, diameter, average distance from the Sun in millions of kilometers, and orbital speed in km/sec. It also lists some of the larger minor planets (asteroids) and their diameters and rotation periods. The section is titled "ASTRONOMI" and includes a zodiacal illustration for Aquarius.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of the unexplained, including UFOs, extraterrestrial life, and ancient mysteries. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, presenting both scientific theories (like black holes) and anecdotal accounts (like the Eduard Meier encounter) for the reader to consider. There is a strong emphasis on member participation and the dissemination of information within the UFO community in Sweden.

This issue of "UFOS ÖVER SVERIGE" (Issue 77) presents a collection of reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and cryptids, primarily focusing on sightings within Sweden and scientific investigations into creatures like Bigfoot and the Yeti. The magazine also includes a historical retrospective on early press coverage of flying saucers from 1947 to 1951.

UFO Sightings in Sweden (1977)

The issue details several specific UFO sightings that occurred in Sweden in early January 1977:

• Hammarstrand, January 1, 1977: Fru Thyra Ljung reported seeing a moon-sized, silent, glowing sphere glide westward, sometimes obscured by clouds. This sighting was reported in Länstidningen Östersund.
• Borlänge, January 6, 1977: Juan Manzanares and his wife observed a large, cigar-shaped object flying upright, white in color, and reflecting sunlight. It appeared to shrink as it moved away, with an estimated speed of 400-500 km/h and an altitude of 500-1000 meters. The observation lasted 7 minutes. A similar sighting was made by Anita Zäther near Sunnansjö. This report is from Borlänge Tidning.
• Kramfors, January 6, 1977: Tomas Andersson saw an object moving eastward, leaving a luminous streak. The wingless object changed color and accelerated rapidly. Algut Lundvall reported a similar observation. This is from Nya Norrland.
• Kramfors, January 6, 1977: Rudolf and Tulla Engvik observed an object resembling a flying saucer, strongly golden in color, moving jerkily over Latberget. This report is from Nya Norrland.
• Svanstein, January 6, 1977: Sture Björnfot and six companions saw a glowing sphere move slowly over Pullengiberget before disappearing behind a mountain. This is from Norrländska Socialdemokraten.
• Borlänge, January 6, 1977: Bojan and Esbjörn Danielsson saw a luminous rod in the sky to the west, possibly the same object seen in Ludvika. This report is from Ludvika Tidning.

Additionally, an initial report from photographer Helmut Wald describes a fantastic sighting that he cannot explain, which was captured on his film.

The Bigfoot and Yeti Investigations

The magazine extensively covers the search for and evidence of Bigfoot (Sasquatch) and the Yeti (Snowman):

• Bigfoot in the USA: The issue highlights the famous 1967 film by Roger Patterson, who captured footage of an ape-like creature approximately two meters tall in the Cascade Mountains of Northern California. Despite expert analysis, opinions are divided between hoax and genuine evidence. Patterson and Bob Gimlin also collected plaster casts of large footprints. The article notes that Bigfoot is reported in California, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Canada, with numerous sightings and footprints documented since the first mention in American press in 1882.
• Yeti in the Himalayas: The article discusses the Yeti, also known as the 'abominable snowman,' found in the Himalayas of Nepal. It mentions the 1951 photographs of Yeti footprints taken by Eric Shipton, which were large and deep. The report also touches upon Sir Edmund Hillary's expedition and the controversial 'Yeti scalp' obtained from a Buddhist monastery, which was later found to be made of goatskin. Russian researchers, like Professor Alexander Pronin, are noted as leading current investigations, with scientific journals publishing descriptions of snowmen as remnants of prehistoric, ape-like beings.

Flying Saucers in the Press (1947-1951)

This section revisits early media coverage of UFOs:

• Denver Post (March 10, 1950): Reports questioning the reality of UFOs, with Ray Dimmick attributing his earlier sighting to a metal piece or balloons. Dr. Vallarta, a nuclear physicist, suggested balloons from the US Weather Bureau.
• Denver Post (March 10, 1950): Lewis Hayden, involved in aviation, described a flying saucer as high-flying, gleaming, and moving with incredible speed.
• Denver Post (March 10, 1950): Articles about UFO reports causing panic, including a story about a crashed 'saucer' in Mexico with a deceased 'pilot'. A lecture at Denver University mentioned three crashed UFOs.
• Los Angeles Times (March 10, 1950): Composer and amateur astronomer Eddie Coffman claimed to have seen flying saucers about 400 feet high, about 15 meters in diameter, observed through a telescope.
• True Magazine (March 1950): Commander R.B. McLaughlin detailed his experience observing a 'flying saucer' at 4,000 meters altitude and 580 km/h, believing it to be a spaceship from another planet.
• Los Angeles Times (March 12, 1950): The Chilean Navy's meteorological observatory reported a 2cm diameter spherical object visible to the naked eye, passing east-west.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of unexplained phenomena, scientific inquiry, and public perception. It presents eyewitness accounts alongside scientific skepticism and ongoing research. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation, encouraging the exploration of possibilities beyond conventional understanding, while also acknowledging the need for verifiable proof. The recurring theme is the persistent mystery surrounding UFOs and cryptids, and humanity's ongoing quest to understand them.