BUFOA JOURNAL

Magazine Overview

Title: BUFOA JOURNAL
Issue: NUMBER 2
Date: AUTUMN 1963
Publisher: BRITISH UFO ASSOCIATION
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of the BUFOA JOURNAL, published in Autumn 1963, is dedicated to the investigation and dissemination of information regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs). It features a collection of reports, witness accounts, and articles from various locations, including the UK, USA, and Austria.

Contents

The journal includes an editorial and several articles and letters. Key articles and reports featured are:

• EDITORIAL
• Two reports/Dutch Crater
• Saucer over Leeds
• The Night Sky In Colour
• Oradell Incident 1962
• Wave over Austria
• Curiouser and Curiocuser...
• Satellite Tracking and UFOs
• Is Seeing Believing?
• Charlton Confession
• As a Matter of Fact...
• Orthoteny

Articles and Letters

Articles and letters for publication are to be addressed to the Assistant Editor, Peter Starkey, and the Editor is F. Malcolm Bull.

Saucer over Leeds

This report details an incident on Wednesday, 24th July, 1963, where Michael Lee and John Duffy, aged ten, saw a 'flying saucer' while walking to school in Leeds. The object was described as round with a cockpit, metallic in appearance, with a dull surface. It moved from right to left (westwards) and appeared to be moving amongst the clouds. Its altitude was estimated at 30°, about one mile away, and it made a buzzing noise. Michael's sketch showed darker markings at the forward end. John Duffy noted the object moved too fast to be an aeroplane. Donald Foy, John's uncle, recalled seeing two similar objects over Leeds six years prior.

Cigar-shaped ufo at Parkstone, Dorset

On Sunday, 14th July, 1963, Frank Selwood of Parkstone reported seeing a huge cigar-shaped object hovering over a gasholder. The object, described as 'about as big as four terraced houses,' hovered about 300 feet from the ground, displaying an intermittent wavy blue-green light. It emitted a flapping sound, like a broken-down dynamo, and a quiet whistling. After hovering for three minutes, it sprang into life, its motor whining louder, and moved off towards the west at high speed. Friends and relatives initially doubted the experience, but Selwood's persistent recounting convinced them it was real.

The Night Sky - in colour

This section compiles several sightings from the Midlands on Thursday, 25th July, 1963, with acknowledgements to the Stratford-on-Avon UFO Group. Observers in Birmingham described an object that turned on a bright light, illuminated the ground, glowed bright red, climbed at fantastic speed, and vanished. Reports from Malvern mentioned ten objects. Mr Dunn and Mr Cope of Bloxwich saw an object like a 'big beaming searchlight' flashing on and off at 6,000 feet, changing colour from bluish-white to red, and moving towards Walsall. Mr B. Whitehouse reported a bright light climbing vertically and moving towards Evesham. Mr B. Jordan of Alveston described a bright light seen from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which appeared as a car headlamp with two small rays, moved gaining height and speed, and displayed green and orange-red lights. Another witness in Birmingham reported an object the size of the moon emitting grey vapour. Preston Air Control suggested the lights could be civil aircraft, as Walsall is on a main air route. The Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern stated an aircraft from their Flying Unit, equipped with a powerful searchlight, had been operating in the area. The following day, an object described as 'satellite-like' was seen moving from south-east to north-west by four witnesses.

Oradell Incident 1962

This article details a series of incidents near the Oradell Reservoir and Oradell Avenue Dam, New Jersey, USA, during September 1962. On 15th September, three boys reported an oval object that hovered above the water, submerged, surfaced, and disappeared vertically. A fisherman heard a splash. Strange tracks, 4-feet by 6-feet, were found after witnesses claimed a UFO landed. The USAF sent a representative, and police barricaded the area. On 16th September, two youths saw a domed object with portholes, and heard a noise like a car door slamming; police advised them to refrain from speaking due to a government secrecy policy. On 18th September, over a hundred people gathered at the reservoir, and two Westwood policemen reported a fast-moving object shaped like an inverted cone. On 19th September, nine witnesses in other areas sighted aerial objects, one landing, and a rumour of police shooting at a 14-foot man circulated. On 20th September, four boys saw a craft intercepted by three jet fighters, after which the object rose silently. On 21st September, two formations of six large, vivid white objects were reported. The 'Hackensack Record' received a letter from boys claiming to have constructed and flown a model using a helium balloon, which was presented as an explanation for the sightings.

Wave over Austria

Beginning on 28th July 1963, there was an increase in sightings in the Saileralm district of Upper Austria, similar to a 'wave' in France in 1954. On 28th July, a spherical object moved north-south with a zig-zag motion for 105 minutes. On 10th August, a bright spherical object moved easterly for 45 minutes. On 11th August, a sequence of sightings over four and a half hours included a large object east of Schwarzkogel, forty or more discs from spheres, three large objects travelling east, and a mothership with discs hovering over Almkogel. Another object, ten times brighter than the moon, flew north then east. Small discs were seen entering the mothership. On 12th August, seven objects flew in formation. On 16th, 17th, and 23rd August, similar sightings of a flying object moving east towards the south were reported. On 24th August, a yellowish UFO was observed for fifty minutes, falling in a zig-zag manner, and causing a magnetic compass to deflect about 11º.

Curiouser and Curiouser...

This section features a letter from J.P. Painter of Coventry, relating an incident from the summer of 1952. While strolling, he saw what he initially took to be a soap bubble, about the size of a golf ball, hovering and moving against the breeze. More bubbles appeared, circling and hovering, then merged into a larger bubble resembling a goldfish bowl. He questions whether these phenomena could be related to flying saucers and suggests that humanity's belief in its own superiority might blind it to the possibility of other life forms being interested in us, just as we are interested in microscopic life. He emphasizes that he was not dreaming and seeks to know if others have had similar experiences.

The editor notes that while not agreeing with all sentiments, he invites readers to share similar occurrences.

Satellite Tracking & UFOs

This article by J.G. Roberts discusses the Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern's installation of two large cameras for tracking artificial earth satellites. These cameras, weighing over eight tons, are capable of recording objects one-fifteenth the brightness of the faintest stars. The article explains how satellite orbits are determined and predicted, and how tracking cameras are used to photograph them. It then addresses the likelihood of these cameras photographing unidentified flying objects. The author notes that while it is possible, it is largely a matter of luck due to the restricted field of view and the unpredictable nature of UFOs. The article also touches upon the limitations of using such heavy equipment for UFO hunting, suggesting that observant amateurs with simpler equipment might be more effective.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed reporting of UFO sightings and incidents from around the world, the investigation of these phenomena, and the sharing of witness testimonies. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and a desire to collect and disseminate information on UFOs, encouraging reader participation. There is a clear emphasis on presenting factual accounts and encouraging further research, while also exploring more speculative ideas about the nature of UFOs and potential extraterrestrial intelligence, as seen in J.P. Painter's letter.

This issue of Flying Saucer Review, Volume 9, Issue 1, published in 1963, features a cover story by an ophthalmic optician titled "IS SEEING BELIEVING?" which explores how visual phenomena within the eye can be mistaken for UFO sightings. The magazine also includes a confessional account related to the Charlton craters, statistical analyses of UFO sighting reports, and various astronomical facts and theories.

Is Seeing Believing? Asks an Ophthalmic Optician

The lead article, written by an ophthalmic optician, addresses how certain visual phenomena can cause distortion and lead to false UFO sighting reports. It begins by explaining the basic structure of the eye, including the cornea, iris, pupil, crystalline lens, retina, aqueous humour, and vitreous humour. The article then details several "Entoptic Phenomena" – visual sensations excited within the eye that can be projected externally and interpreted as UFOs.

• These phenomena include:
• Muscae Volitantes (flying gnats): Specks of various shapes and sizes that appear to float in front of the eye, caused by irregularities or small particles in the vitreous humour.
• Bright spots: Caused by small droplets and mucus on the corneal surface, or vacuoles in the crystalline lens, appearing as bright spots with a dark margin.
• Star-like distortion: Produced by the structure of the crystalline lens, causing small points of light to appear distorted, sometimes with radial fibres acting as a diffracting grating.
• Coloured haloes: Similar to those produced by diffraction within the cornea, with angular diameters of about 8°, and larger ones (60°) associated with Glaucoma.
• Visibility of blood corpuscles: Small dancing spots seen shooting up and describing a circuitous path, thought to be caused by blood corpuscles in the retina's blood vessels.
• 'The yellow spot': A bright elliptical or crescent-shaped disc seen at the centre of the visual field when the eye is illuminated from an unusual angle.
• 'The blue arcs': A transitory blue light seen entoptically when a spot of light is viewed eccentrically.

The article also discusses "After-Images," which occur when visual activity continues after the retinal stimulation has ceased. These can be positive (same as stimulus) or negative (opposite to stimulus). A simple demonstration of a negative after-image is described using a black and white illustration.

Finally, "Spatial Induction" is explained, where a patch of grey on a white background appears darker than on a black background, and colours change towards their complementary colours when placed side by side. This phenomenon is suggested as a possible explanation for the red cloud observed behind a green light reported by Mrs Spanner.

Charlton Confession!

This section details a 'confession' by Mr John Southern of Wembley, published on August 26th, 1963, in which he claimed responsibility for digging craters at Charlton and in Scotland. The article explains that while newspapers treated this as the end of the incident, Mr Southern later wrote a report for a popular Sunday paper (which was not published) detailing his motivations. Southern states he became interested in the story of the two craters and, feeling that others who had found evidence were being dismissed, decided to claim responsibility to draw them out. He had previously written a play with a similar plot, 'The Big Hoax.' Southern asserts that he has established to his satisfaction that the craters were not made by earthly creatures and that he has learned more about the subject through correspondence. He references an article by Geoffrey Thompson and Peter Davis from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Pictorial, which called for help in solving the mystery.

As a Matter of Fact...

• This section presents a series of brief, disconnected facts and observations, many of which relate to space and potential extraterrestrial phenomena:
• George Adamski is rumoured to have made another confession and has written a fourth book.
• US-launched dipole needles are orbiting Earth at 2000 miles, with a brightness one-twentyfifth that of the night sky.
• The shape of the Earth is discussed, moving from round to flattened at the poles, then pear-shaped, heart-shaped, and even doughnut-shaped, questioning its true form.
• Thousands of white objects, described as spheres releasing vapour and resembling soap bubbles, fell on Mexico City on July 30th, 1963, vanishing upon touching the ground.
• On September 6th, 1963, a 11 lb block of ice fell from a clear sky near Moscow, raising questions about its connection to the Charlton crater.
• Volcanic dust from the eruption of Mount Agung has caused a five percent decrease in solar radiation intensity, requiring longer exposures for photographers in Australia.
• A cartoon depicts a group of figures concluding that flying saucers are "entirely hallucinatory."

Of Fact...

• This section continues with a series of factual snippets:
• N.A. Kozyrev of the Crimean Astrophysical Laboratory detected an atmosphere on Mercury, possibly 1/100 the density of Earth's, composed of hydrogen.
• The minor planet Betulia passed within 14,600,000 miles of Earth on May 21st, while the record for closest asteroid passage is held by Hermes at 485,000 miles on October 30th, 1937.
• The direction of a comet's tail is now believed to be caused by the flow of ionised hydrogen away from the sun combined with an interplanetary magnetic field, not just sunlight pressure.
• Tiros IV, a US weather satellite, transmitted thousands of pictures, with one showing white streaks identified as snow-bound logging routes in a Canadian forest.
• Reinhold O. Schmidt, who claims to have travelled in a spaceship, is on trial for theft in California. Mrs Eva Newcomb invested $5,000 in his ventures, including an Alaskan gold mine and a quarry for 'pre-energised quartz' with healing powers.

Orthoteny?

Written by F. Malcolm Bull, this article statistically examines UFO sighting reports. It discusses Aime Michel's theory of orthoteny, which posits that sightings lie along specific straight lines. Bull uses data from BUFOA for the years 1959-1962 to analyze the distribution of sightings across British counties.

Two statistical tests are applied:
1. Chi-square test: This test compares the theoretical distribution of sightings over time with the observed numbers. The analysis suggests a relationship between the location and date of sightings, particularly in counties like Kent, Essex, Lancashire, Warwickshire, and Hampshire. However, it does not reveal an overall sighting majority along any specific line.
2. Correlation coefficient (R): This test examines the relationship between the number of sightings and the population of the respective counties. The calculated R value of 0.63 indicates a positive correlation, meaning that the number of reported sightings is roughly proportional to the population of the area. This is considered a predictable outcome, as more potential witnesses lead to more reports.

• Conclusions from the statistical tests:
• The chi-square test indicates a relationship between location and date, but not a consistent increase along any single line.
• The correlation coefficient shows that sighting reports are proportional to population density.

Bull concludes that while these statistical tests provide evidence, they should not be considered definitive proof for or against orthoteny. He suggests that more convincing hypotheses are needed and attaches more importance to the correlation coefficient test.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of UFO phenomena, the reliability of eyewitness accounts, and the application of scientific and statistical methods to understand these reports. The magazine appears to maintain an open-minded yet critical stance, presenting both anecdotal evidence and analytical approaches. The editorial stance seems to encourage further investigation and critical thinking, as evidenced by the optician's article explaining natural phenomena and Bull's statistical analysis of sighting data. The inclusion of the 'Charlton Confession' and various factual snippets suggests an interest in exploring diverse aspects of the UFO phenomenon, from hoaxes to astronomical observations, while also acknowledging the potential for misinterpretation and the need for rigorous analysis.