Australian UFO Bulletin - 1985 03 - March

Magazine Overview

Title: THE AUSTRALIAN U.F.O. BULLETIN
Issue: March 1985
Publisher: The Victorian U.F.O. Research Society
Country: Australia
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the Australian U.F.O. Bulletin provides a comprehensive look at UFO research, history, and potential extraterrestrial intelligence. It includes organizational details, subscription information, historical accounts, scientific speculation on star systems, and analysis of recent UFO events.

Society Information and History

The V.U.F.O.R.S. (Victorian U.F.O. Research Society) is presented with its office bearers, including President Judith M. Magee, Vice-President Paul Norman, Secretary Mark Sawyers, Treasurer Clive Yates, Membership Secretary Stafford Hall, Sightings Investigations Officer Paul Norman, Librarian John W. Auchettl, and Officer Stephen Partridge. The society welcomes reports of unusual Aerial Phenomena, promising strict confidentiality and exchanging information with similar organizations worldwide. Communications should be addressed to P.O. Box 43, Moorabbin, Victoria 3189.

Subscription rates are detailed: Full Membership is $6.00 per annum (including the magazine), Overseas Membership is U.S. $8.00, and a single copy costs 50 cents Australian plus postage. Contributions published do not necessarily reflect the policy of the V.U.F.O.R.S., and no part of the publication may be reproduced without prior written consent.

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to the Society History. The earliest Australian UFO group mentioned is the "Australian Flying Saucer Bureau" in the early 1950s, directed by Edgar Jarrold and Andrew Tomas. Fred Stone founded the "Australian Flying Saucer Research Society" in Adelaide. The "Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (Victorian Branch)" was formed on February 17, 1957, later becoming the "Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society" under Mr. Peter E. Norris L.L.B., and finally the "Victorian U.F.O. Research Society" in 1968. The society has published various papers, including the "Australian Flying Saucer Review" and the "Australian U.F.O. Bulletin," and previously sponsored a radio program called "The Truth Behind Flying Saucers." The society maintains a dispassionate, scientific approach to UFOs and boasts the largest UFO library in the Southern Hemisphere, making books available by post to its members.

Possible Locations of Alien Intelligence in Our Galactic Neighbourhood

Authored by Mark E. Sawyers, this article delves into the speculation of where extraterrestrial intelligence might originate. It emphasizes the need for a basic understanding of astronomy for serious UFOlogy. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) logically begins with stars similar to our Sun. The article focuses on stars within 55 light-years, noting that 91% of stars in this range are main sequence stars. These stars are categorized by spectral class (A, F, G, K, M), with A stars being the hottest and most massive, and M stars the coolest and least massive. The Sun is a G2 star with a lifespan of approximately 11 billion years; it is currently 5 billion years old.

Stars of classification A0 to F5 are generally ruled out due to short lifespans insufficient for life's evolution. F6 and F7 stars, with lifespans of 5 billion years, are also considered too short. M and lower K stars are too weak in heat and light, and planets close to them would be affected by solar flares. Planets further away would be too cold. Rotational lock, where a planet's rotation ceases due to proximity to its star, is also an obstacle. The article identifies F8 through K1 stars as the most likely candidates, with 46 such sun-like stars within 55 light-years. Notably, 15 of these are in the southern sky quadrant, including Tau Ceti (11.8 light-years away), Alpha Mensae, Gliese 95, and Kappa Fornacis, all estimated to be 4 to 6 billion years old.

The article highlights the twin stars Zeta 1 and Zeta 2 Reticuli (37 light-years away) as particularly interesting. These G2 stars are almost identical to the Sun and are separated by about 550 billion km. They are 6 to 8 billion years old, potentially allowing for advanced civilizations to have evolved for a billion years longer than on Earth. The author speculates about the possibility of finding life, from primitive algae to advanced civilizations, and suggests that in 100 years, humanity might be the UFOs to newly discovered alien species.

Table I provides characteristics of main sequence stars, and Table II lists the 17 nearest sun-like stars. Table III details 15 sun-like stars in a southern sky quadrant, noting that Tau Ceti, 82 Eridani, and Zeta Tucanae are in this region, with 82 Eridani and Zeta Tucanae estimated to be around 10 billion years old.

Editorial: Revolving Double Breasted Liars

The editorial, excerpted from F.S.R. Volume 30, No. 1 (October 1984), discusses the concept of "revolving double-breasted liars" in the context of UFOs. It references President Franklin D. Roosevelt's use of the term for journalist Drew Pearson. The editorial critiques governments, particularly the American and British, for portraying UFO enthusiasts as "demented nincompoops" while simultaneously gathering UFO reports through intelligence agencies like the CIA and Air Force Intelligence. It argues that for thirty-seven years, officialdom has slandered and abused individuals who reported seeing UFOs or occupants, leading to ruined lives and careers. The editorial suggests that governments have been engaged in a deliberate cover-up and misrepresentation of the UFO phenomenon.

Analysis of the Northeastern United States UFO Sightings

This section, authored by John Auchettl, examines the recent UFO flap in the Northeastern United States. It notes that the New York Times reported the sightings as a possible hoax by stunt pilots. The article references a 'Free UFO Symposium' organized by CUFOS in response to numerous reports of strange lights. Speakers at the symposium refuted police theories about ultra-lights, Cessnas, or blimps. Eyewitnesses shared their experiences and compared photographs. Dr. Allen Hynek, in an editorial for 'International UFO Reporter,' is cited for his research, suggesting that some sightings might have been aircraft investigated by APRO. The author expresses skepticism about pilots flying in close formation at night, deeming it highly improbable and potentially dangerous, and believes such stunts would not occur in Australia or likely even in New York.

Other Content

• Contents: A list of articles includes "Possible locations of Alien Intelligence," "Analysis of Northeastern UFO Sightings," "Revolving Double Breasted Liars," "Aliens Will Stop Nuclear War," "Crashed Alien Craft," "Observations of U.F.O.'s by Betty Hill," "On The UFO Trail," "Halley's Comet," "'Green Cloud' UFO sighted," and "Film Review."
• Bibliography: A list of recommended books is provided, including "The Zeta Reticuli Incident" by Terence Dickinson, "Extraterrestrial Civilizations" by Dr. Isaac Asimov, and "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Space" by Ian Ridpath.
• Discussion Nights: Upcoming discussion nights are announced for June 3rd, September 2nd, and December 2nd (Annual General Meeting) at the Royal Society, 9 Victoria Street, Melbourne.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the scientific investigation of UFO phenomena, the history of UFO research organizations in Australia, and the potential for extraterrestrial life. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, challenging official narratives and government secrecy surrounding UFOs, while also promoting a scientific and dispassionate approach to the subject. There is a strong emphasis on the historical development of UFO research and the importance of credible evidence and analysis.

Title: Flying Saucer Review
Issue Date: October 4th, 1984
Content Focus: UFO phenomena, alien activity, government secrecy, and related scientific and cultural topics.

Article 1: 'ALIEN WATCHERS WILL STOP NUCLEAR WAR'

This article, credited to the Watford & West Herts Review, England, dated October 4th, 1984, focuses on the claims of retired diplomat Gordon Creighton, editor of 'Flying Saucer Review'. Creighton posits that aliens are present on the moon, observing Earth with potentially unfriendly intentions. He is preparing a series of articles for his international journal detailing this and other UFO information.

Key evidence cited includes documents obtained from U.S. government agencies through the Freedom of Information Act. These documents, numbering between 3,000 and 4,000 pages, reportedly show that missiles on Earth have been immobilized due to inexplicable power failures and computer interference. Creighton's theory is that aliens possess the capability to disable our missile systems, which they would use to prevent global nuclear war, thereby preserving the planet for their own purposes.

Further evidence includes photographs from NASA, which Creighton claims demonstrate alien activity on the moon. Dr. James A. Harder, a Professor of Civil Engineering at Berkeley University, is mentioned as believing that approximately 30 different types of aliens, possibly from other dimensions, are studying Earth, with U.S. authorities concealing this information. Creighton also possesses a photocopy of an FBI document detailing three alien spacecraft crashes in New Mexico, supporting the long-held belief among UFO watchers that crashed spacecraft and their alien crews are being kept under heavy guard by Americans.

Creighton asserts that the released documents indicate authorities have been studying UFOs intensely, contrary to public perception, and have actively tried to discredit the subject. He believes there is an official order preventing him from discussing these views on British television, though he has recently given interviews to Japanese television. One interview covered a reported alien landing near a U.S. Air Force Base in Suffolk in December 1980.

Article 2: 'PICTURES OF CRASHED ALIEN CRAFT'

This section, credited to 'Observer', Watford, England, October 19th, 1984, addresses a dismissive comment about moon bases from P. Smith of the Watford 'Observer'. The author, likely Gordon Creighton given the context, defends the existence of moon bases and presents evidence from the 3,000-4,000 pages of documents secured from U.S. agencies like the Air Force and FBI, some dating back to 1947 and 1950.

These documents include details about crashed flying saucers with dead crews, with many held in the U.S. and other countries. The author is publishing a selection of these 'photo-stats' in 'Flying Saucer Review'. The journal has a global readership, including in Russia and China, and receives material in numerous languages. The author has also translated China's first book on UFOs, which suggests the phenomenon is worldwide.

The author expresses that people with common sense and curiosity are interested in these extraordinary events, implying that readers of the Watford 'Observer' might not share this interest.

Article 3: 'OBSERVATIONS OF UFOs'

This article, by Betty Hill and copyrighted February 1985, details her personal observations and experiences with UFOs over a period of fifteen years. Hill categorizes UFO sightings into types based on their behavior and appearance.

The first type of UFO seemed interested in observing human activities, such as construction, events, and even individuals. They would hover outside windows, light up homes, and follow people on bicycles and snowmobiles. Some people became fearful and avoided their backyards where UFOs frequently landed.

Hill describes a recurring pattern where a UFO lands on railroad tracks, protected by others. These landed craft have different lighting patterns and landing gear (three legs, skids, or direct landing). When a train approaches, the UFO either moves aside, becomes airborne, or flips over. The purpose of this pattern remains unknown, but Hill suspects the landed craft serves as a 'headquarters'. She notes that approaching these landed UFOs is difficult, as they employ tactics like darting objects to frighten people, emitting disorientating lights, or simply leaving.

Hill recounts two instances of beings leaving their crafts: one where four beings in green outfits exercised for twenty minutes, and another where 'strange beings' were observed watching a woman's home, causing her distress and leading her to sell her home at a loss.

Over three years, Hill filmed UFOs and has a collection of over 160 slides. She notes that colder weather seems to correlate with more frequent UFO sightings. She also mentions that others have begun observing UFOs in similar locations.

Article 4: 'OBSERVATIONS OF UFOs' (Continued)

Betty Hill continues her account, reflecting on the rarity myth surrounding UFOs. She notes that in New Hampshire, where she visited in 1970, sightings were common. During this visit, she was shown a field where UFOs reportedly landed nightly.

She describes witnessing 26 'lights' land in the woods and others circling the sky. She observed that flying objects would extinguish their lights when cars passed and relight them afterward. This confirmed the adoptive mother's report and marked the beginning of her direct observation, which has continued for fifteen years.

Hill has been observing UFOs weekly, with cooperation from locals and volunteers. Scientists and media also participate in observations. Between 1970 and 1976, which she calls the 'Period of Exploration', UFOs appeared as small orange-red moons that could change their appearance by altering lighting patterns, resembling small planes or stars. They formed patterns like large circles or triangles, using various colored lights.

She could predict their arrival by seeing a large glowing green object high in the sky that descended. In the summer of 1976, this type of UFO disappeared, leading into what she calls the 'Period of Infiltration'. During this period, UFOs exhibited diverse shapes, often dull black or gray, with small dim lights or occasional bright ones. They traveled in groups and came closer to people and houses.

Article 5: 'ON THE U.F.O. TRAIL'

This article by Paul Norman, dated sometime in the year it was printed (likely 1984 or 1985 based on context), details UFO-related incidents in Victoria, Australia, and their electromagnetic effects.

The author recounts a quiet period in Victoria that was interrupted by a UFO sighting report from Wangaratta, coinciding with a blackout. Investigation revealed a three-second power outage on the 22 IV town feeder. While the automatic reclosing relay operated, commercial installations still experienced difficulties. Some witnesses reported seeing a blue light over Wangaratta that flashed, causing the town to go dark.

Mystery lights had been seen in nearby areas up to 24 hours prior to the blackout. The incident generated mistaken identities, but the timing of the blue light's flash and the blackout was precise.

Norman highlights the documented phenomenon of electromagnetic effects associated with UFOs, where power lines, electrical apparatus, and vehicle ignition systems malfunction when UFOs are nearby. He cites the great North American blackout of November 9th, 1965, which lasted nine hours and involved 27 UFO activity incidents along the power grid in New York State and Canada.

He also recounts an interview with a civil engineer in New Mexico whose car engine failed inexplicably. The engineer and others witnessed a silver cigar-shaped object stationary in the sky. After the UFO departed, all stalled cars restarted. Government officials dismissed the event as a mirage, attributing the car failure to a faulty ignition system, which Norman considers an inadequate explanation.

The article concludes with a plea for readers to help keep records up-to-date by informing the publication of any address changes.

Article 6: 'HALLEY'S COMET'

This piece, by John C. Shorten, discusses the impending return of Halley's Comet. It notes that a European Space Agency probe, along with missions from Japan and the Soviet Union, will study the comet extensively. The comet is composed of frozen hydrogen, helium, and ammonia.

Astronomers expect to gather new data on kinematics, thermal emissions, and solar wind pressure. Halley's Comet returns every 76 years, with its next appearance due in approximately October 1985, and visible to the naked eye from March-April 1986. The subsequent return is scheduled for 2062.

The comet's tail is described as a silver streak about 25 degrees long, 60 million miles in length, with a diameter of approximately 3 miles. It will pass within about 40 million miles of Earth on April 11th, 1986. Key dates mentioned are December 27th, 1985 (approaching the sun), February 9th, 1986 (closest to the sun), and April 11th, 1986 (closest to Earth).

Shorten anticipates significant media coverage and advises that the public should be educated to distinguish the comet from UFOs.

Article 7: ''GREEN CLOUD' UFO SIGHTED'

This report, credited to 'Age', Melbourne, dated February 1st, 1985, details a UFO sighting over Moscow.

Witnesses aboard an Aeroflot flight from Rostov to Tallinn, along with ground controllers, reported a phenomenon that began as a yellow light, then a white ray, and finally a green cloud that resembled a plane. This event is presented as the latest example of unidentified flying objects captivating the Soviet imagination.

The report, published in the trade union newspaper 'TRUD', is one of several on unexplained phenomena in a nation fascinated by subjects like the Abominable Snowman and the Bermuda Triangle.

In 1967, the Soviet Air Force established a commission to investigate UFOs, but its findings were not made public. 'TRUD' also published an appeal for more sighting reports. The newspaper account emphasized the sobriety and credentials of the crew.

The second pilot, Gennadi Lazurin, described the event, and the captain, Igor Cherkashin, reportedly told the flight attendant to describe it as a cloud. However, ground controllers in Riga and Vilnius confirmed a cloud-like plane near the airliner. After landing, the crew learned that two blips had followed the plane on radar.

Nikolai Zheltukhin, a member of the Academy of Sciences, ruled out weather and stated that a genuine UFO was involved, calling the sighting valuable documentation of an unidentified flying object's transformation.

While some media accounts are skeptical, a 1976 underground document attributed to a Moscow professor mentioned 300 UFO sightings, a report that was not publicly contradicted.

Article 8: FILM REVIEW: THE COMING OF 2010

This film review by Rick Rendell discusses the movie '2010', the sequel to '2001: A Space Odyssey'. The review notes the film's release in Australia, following its U.S. and European debut.

'2001', released in 1968, was praised for its imagery and special effects but criticized for its ambiguous plot. '2010', written by Arthur C. Clarke, is presented as a continuation that delves deeper into contact with alien intelligence. Clarke believes '2010' is a better book and film than its predecessor, exploring the presence and influence of alien intelligence in human anthropology and the future.

The reviewer questions whether audiences will engage with the film's themes of alien life or simply view it as entertainment. The article contrasts '2010' with 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', another major film about alien intervention, noting that the latter's message was largely dismissed by a skeptical public. The review mentions Dr. J. Allen Hynek as a notable UFO scientist involved in the film's context and points out that Steven Spielberg, despite directing 'Close Encounters', rarely receives credit for it, possibly because the film was considered offensive by some.

The reviewer concludes by stating that while film critics will focus on cinematic qualities, UFO enthusiasts will look for the film's approach to extraterrestrials, and the average moviegoer will seek entertainment.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the topic of UFOs and alien visitation, often presenting evidence and theories that challenge conventional explanations. There is a strong undercurrent of government secrecy and a perceived effort to discredit or conceal information about UFOs from the public. The publication appears to support the idea that UFO phenomena are real and warrant serious investigation, as evidenced by the detailed accounts and the editor's active role in disseminating information. The inclusion of scientific perspectives, personal testimonies, and discussions of related cultural phenomena like science fiction films indicates a broad approach to the subject matter. The editorial stance seems to be one of advocating for open inquiry into UFOs and alien intelligence, while also cautioning the public against being misled by official narratives or dismissing credible evidence.