BUFORA Newsfile - No.18 - Feb 1994

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO NEWSFILE
Issue: 18
Date: February 1994
Publisher: BUFORA (British Unidentified Flying Objects Association)

This issue of UFO Newsfile delves into various UFO-related phenomena, featuring reports from the UK, USA, and Australia, alongside expert analysis and discussions on the scientific and cultural aspects of the UFO topic.

Feature Articles and Reports

Local Daylight UFO Sighting Analyzed by Dr. Bruce Maccabee

This section details a sighting report from The Islander, analyzed by optical physicist Dr. Bruce Maccabee. The incident, which occurred on September 11, 1992, in Gulf Breeze, Florida, involved a witness seeing an unusual round object rise upward, tilt, and disappear. Subsequent investigation using a Schoenstedt flux gradient magnetometer detected an unusually strong magnetic field in a cluster of pine trees behind the witness's house. Dr. Maccabee calculated the field's strength to be equivalent to that of a powerful electromagnet, 350,000 ampere meters squared, noting that no conventional explanation exists for such a field. The abstract of this analysis was published in the April issue of the Bulletin of the American Physical Society.

Air Force Veteran Believes Area UFO Was 2 Helicopters

By Janice Karlovich, Staff Writer, this article reports on a sighting near Ligonier, Indiana, where a 33-year Air Force veteran, Clarence McDaniel, believed the strange, red lights he saw were two high-tech Army Apache helicopters. McDaniel and his wife observed the quiet, low-flying object. While others described it as a spaceship, McDaniel, a retired master sergeant, was convinced it was helicopters, noting their quietness and swiftness. Spokesmen from the Indiana and Michigan National Guard confirmed that while Apaches are typically reserved for active-duty bases, the craft could have been in the area. The Apache is described as a quick-reacting, anti-tank weapon, and the Blackhawk as a similar transport helicopter.

Probe into UFO Sightings on the Isle of Wight

This report highlights that sightings of UFOs in the Shanklin area have prompted mainland investigators to seek witnesses. Christopher Harrington of the Havant-based Southern Paranormal Investigators mentioned numerous reports from people living on Hayling Island, describing a large crescent-moon-shaped object with small lights and a big green light. The Hayling Island coastguard also reportedly watched the object. Readers with information were asked to contact Mr. Harrington or Bob Schindler.

A Real Space Case?

Written by Dan Kening, this article explores the growing belief in UFOs among researchers and buffs who engage in online discussions. It recounts an experience of graphic designer/artist Mike Hughes and his girlfriend Elizabeth in Ocean City, Maryland, who witnessed two red spheres in the sky. Hughes had previously had a vivid dream about a TV talk show discussing UFOs. The article points to online forums on CompuServe (GO ISSUES, GO SPACEFORUM, GO NEWAGE) where discussions about UFO sightings, alien abductions, and related phenomena take place. It also touches upon the statistical probability of extraterrestrial life, citing astronomer Frank D. Drake's estimate of 10,000 technologically advanced civilizations in our galaxy.

Scanning the Skies for Satellites

This piece discusses how hobbyists can view man-made satellites in the nighttime sky. It highlights the 'Viewing Satellites' section in CompuServe's Astronomy Forum (GO ASTROFORUM) and mentions satellite-tracking programs. It features insights from satellite viewers like Frank Hentschel, who developed the 'Presat' program, and Ron Chapman, who uses radio amateur hardware to capture photos from weather satellites. The article emphasizes that viewing satellites requires orbital elements, tracking software, and a computer, but can be done with low-powered binoculars.

Fylde Man Enjoys a Close Encounter with Some UFO-Spotters

This article profiles Sam Wright, an enthusiast from the Fylde area who attended a transatlantic UFO congress. Wright, who has not personally seen a UFO, shared accounts from the conference, including an ex-CIA man's story of an Eskimo village where 150 people disappeared, and a Russian general's report of planes going missing while chasing UFOs. The conference also featured discussions on alleged UFOs on Mars, cattle mutilations in Brazil, and a sighting by 150 people at a government site. Wright found the conference attracted some 'cranks' but noted that many participants were serious investigators with open minds. He also mentioned a 'channeling' session that he found less convincing.

West Lancashire Evening Gazette: 'An Eskimo village disappeared — with even the graves robbed of bodies'

This brief report, attributed to Sam Wright's conference experiences, mentions an account of an Eskimo village where 150 people and their graves disappeared.

Mystery Fire in the Sky Baffles Motorist

An ET reader from Bozeat, Nick Gibbins, reported seeing a blazing object fall from the air near Grendon. Another witness described a bright orange light in the sky at midnight near Grendon.

'UFO Spotted Over Town'

A Kettering couple, Nicola and Peter Minney, reported seeing a triangular object with a brilliant white light hanging in the sky. A spokesman for the Met Office suggested thunderstorms could be mistaken for UFOs.

In Brief: UFO mania in Melbourne

Callers to a national hotline reported over 100 sightings of unidentified flying objects over Melbourne's outer suburbs in recent weeks.

White Hole: A glimpse into the Twilight Zone

This section mentions a local bar in Rachel, Nevada, called 'A Le Inn', which caters to UFO enthusiasts and serves 'out-of-this-world' cocktails. It humorously notes that alien customers are identifiable by their appetite for strawberry ice cream.

Ride in a UFO not 'off rails'

This article discusses research by Dr. Nicholas Spanos of Carleton University, Canada, which suggests that people who claim to have seen and ridden in UFOs are not necessarily abnormal. Psychological tests on these individuals showed they were ordinary people with normal imaginations, often white-collar and well-educated.

Women See UFO off Whitsunday Island

Bronwyn Murphy and Jean Neal reported seeing a huge, rectangular object, described as about twice the size of a Jumbo Jet, slowly move behind Whitsunday Island. They contacted Hamilton Island Airport and Townsville Airport, but no conventional aircraft matched their description.

Tales of the Unexplained

UFO buff Sue Hembury-Kellow sets up a network in Somerset
Sue Hembury-Kellow has established a local network to investigate unexplained flying objects in Somerset. She has received reports of various sightings, including a bright rocket-like light, a ring of lights that changed shape and size, and a rectangular object with colored lights that disappeared at incredible speed. None of these sightings could be explained by local police or the Ministry of Defence. Hembury-Kellow is logging all sightings to investigate the phenomenon and is appealing for witnesses.

Lights in the Sky Leave Some Sitkans Puzzled
By Will Swagel, Sentinel Staff Writer, this article reports on a sighting of a bluish-green ball of light by five people in Sitka, Alaska. The object was observed for three seconds, traveling in a southeasterly direction without sound. It was estimated to be at an altitude of 2,500 feet. The sighting was logged by mill security guard Arnie Pederson, who confirmed with the FAA that there were no flights in the area. Richard Lawson, a wood room foreman, and Officer Ed Green also witnessed the event. Valerie Lawson, Richard's daughter, also saw a similar light from her home.

UFO was a balloon

Hundreds of people in Nottingham reported seeing a cigar-shaped UFO, but police stated it was an advertising hot-air balloon.

Exposed: how UK came under 'nuclear attack' from meteors

By Nigel Hawkes, Science Editor, this article reveals that American military satellites have monitored at least three explosions, comparable to nuclear blasts, in the skies above Britain over the past 20 years. These were caused by meteors burning up in the atmosphere. The article notes that these events were kept secret due to fears of misinterpretation leading to nuclear war. The explosions were detected by geostationary Pentagon satellites using infra-red detectors. The article suggests that the actual number of such events could be up to 40 a year and that some reported fireballs, flashing lights, or UFOs might be these meteor events. It highlights the work of Simon Worden in declassifying this data and mentions the potential for such events to be mistaken for UFOs.

Identified flying object!

An object spotted over Barnsley, initially thought to be a UFO, was identified as a West Yorkshire Police helicopter by Debbie Holt and her family. Paul Ward confirmed hearing the engines and rotor blades, identifying it as the police helicopter.

Online Resources and Discussions

The Online X Files: UFO and Related Uploads

• This section provides a guide to UFO-related files available on CompuServe forums, including:
• Issues Forum (GO ISSUESFORUM): Gulf War UFO, Famous UFO Crashes, Alien Abductions (featuring Dr. John Mack), First Encounter, Gulf Breeze UFOs.
• New Age Forum (GO NEWAGE): UFO Facts, Lear Paper (discussing government involvement with aliens), UFO Files List (from MUFON), Skeptics' View File, Alien Visitors, Alien Implant Photo.
• Space Forum (GO SPACEFORUM): NASA Tape Editorial (discussing a UFO near a space shuttle launch), Object 8-13A (discovered near Jupiter), Top UFO Cases, MJ-12 Plot (government involvement with aliens).

UFO spotters need to identify meeting venue

'Skywatch,' a local UFO spotting group, is seeking a venue for an open meeting to share experiences. Mr. Peter Gregory of the group hopes that by sharing stories, others with similar experiences will come forward. He plans to present a map of local UFO sightings and pictures of unidentified craft. He also reported seeing a large, delta-shaped object that made no sound and was attracted to a mast at Trusthorpe.

Lights in the Sky

This letter to the editor describes a sighting of a triangle of white lights hovering over the Suffolk area, similar to a previous report. The witness also noted psychic phenomena in their home, including a drinking glass exploding and a baby's pram spinning.

Philosophical and Cultural Perspectives

Detached planet, no neighbours: As Nasa cancels its search for extraterrestrials, Patrick Parrinder argues that the Earth is left a poorer place with the demise of the men in the moon.

This essay by Patrick Parrinder discusses the cancellation of NASA's High Resolution Microwave Survey (SETI) and its implications for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Parrinder traces the historical concept of the 'plurality of worlds,' from ancient philosophers like Plutarch to Giordano Bruno and Nicolaus of Cusa, who argued for the existence of other inhabited worlds. He notes that such ideas were often opposed by religious orthodoxy. The article highlights the influence of thinkers like Francis Godwin and Johann Kepler, who explored the possibility of lunar and other extraterrestrial life. Parrinder contrasts the scientific approach of Kepler with the more speculative voyages in early science fiction by Cyrano de Bergerac, Swift, and Voltaire. He argues that Darwinism, while underpinning modern portrayals of aliens, also led to a focus on aliens as competitors. The essay concludes that the cancellation of SETI leaves humanity in a state of potential isolation, diminishing the humanistic aspect of exploring extraterrestrial life and making the concept of aliens less resonant.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO Newsfile include:

• Eyewitness Accounts: Numerous reports of sightings from ordinary individuals across different locations.
• Scientific and Expert Analysis: Efforts to investigate and explain sightings through scientific methods, as exemplified by Dr. Bruce Maccabee's work and the mention of SETI.
• Government Secrecy and Cover-ups: Allegations and concerns about governments withholding information about UFOs and alien contact, as seen in the 'Operation Right to Know' protest and discussions about 'MJ-12'.
• Online Communities: The growing role of the internet and online forums in sharing information and fostering discussion about UFOs.
• Psychological Aspects: Research into the mental state of individuals who report UFO experiences, suggesting they are not necessarily abnormal.
• Philosophical Implications: The broader questions raised by the possibility of extraterrestrial life regarding humanity's place in the universe and its impact on religion and philosophy.

The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various accounts and analyses without necessarily endorsing any single explanation, while also highlighting the ongoing public interest and the perceived need for transparency regarding UFO phenomena.