CENAP - REPORT

Magazine Overview

Title: CENAP - REPORT
Issue: Nr. 83
Volume: 7. Jahrgang / H1
Date: January 1983
Publisher: CENAP
Country: Germany
Language: German

Main Cover Story: Extraordinary Photos of Light Phenomena over NORWAY

The cover story, authored by H. Köhler/CENAP, details a series of UFO sightings and photographic efforts in southern Norway, specifically around the town of Arendal. This report is based on material provided by UFO-Norge, with special thanks to Arne P. Thomassen of Arendal for sending 50 slides and his translation from Norwegian to English, which was then translated into German for this report.

UFO Sightings and Photography in Norway

In connection with UFO observations around Arendal, 78 photographs were taken over three weeks in November 1981. The UFOs were observed nightly. Five film rolls were used with a 400mm lens. Of the 78 photos, 34 were completely black, likely due to the UFOs being outside the camera's field of view or incorrect exposure settings. Another 19 photos were of poor quality due to incorrect shutter or exposure times. The remaining 25 photos are described as more or less good, showing light arrangements of hovering and sharp-angled craft, with colors described as 'inherent'.

The initial observations began with a young family on the west side of Arendal. Hans Aass, a member of UFO-Norge from the east side of Arendal, visited them and attempted to observe the UFOs from a nearby mountain, but they were not visible that evening.

On Sunday, November 3, 1981, at approximately 15:45 MEZ, the family and a guest observed a UFO appearing to the southwest, to the right of Venus. The object moved up and down and in various directions, performing an irregular 'dance' with pulsating bluish light. The light intensity varied, changing from blue to green and yellow-red. At times, the light was weaker than an aircraft's beacon, but occasionally, after several flashes, it became so strong it illuminated large parts of the clouds and the area below, similar to a strobe light. After a while, the UFO moved south and disappeared, only to return later from the southeast with a much stronger blinking light. It passed to the right of the veranda at an estimated distance of 500-800 meters, clearly visible.

An annotation (d.R.) suggests that many light phenomena are often interpreted as UFOs, and the 'saucer' shape might be due to the witness's imagination connecting light points. The report illustrates this with a comparison to the lights of a train.

At a specific point, Hans Aass was on a mountain about 8 km east of the observers but could not see the UFOs with his naked eye or 7x50 binoculars. He only saw a small light point emitting multi-colored rays, which deeply impressed him.

A day later, Harald Faerner observed a flying object with his wife near Vegaarshei, northeast of Arendal. They saw it about 300 meters away. It emitted a strong white light and made jerky movements, executing sharp turns, mostly at 90-degree angles.

Thursday, November 12, 1981, was a notable day. Four young men in Blakstad, north of Arendal, observed a UFO about 100 meters above a nearby mountain. It moved silently and had four lights on its underside in a square formation: two large lights at the rear and two smaller lights at the front. The time was 23:30 MEZ.

A drawing by the witnesses of these four lights is included. An annotation (d.R.) notes that the lack of shape description for the object suggests it could be an unknown flying object or even something terrestrial.

On the same evening, Hans Aass, Alf Thomassen, and Arne P. Thomassen visited the young family in Strømmen and took 15 UFO photos with binoculars and a camera. When the film was developed, the UFOs were clearly visible with the two small front lights and two large rear lights. These photos appeared two days after a newspaper report about the Blakstad sighting.

In the following days, 63 more UFO photos were taken using long exposure (5-10 seconds) and a tripod with a remote shutter release. Photos were taken specifically of blinking, dancing lights seen in the sky. The report mentions that the equipment used included a Minolta XG-2 camera, a Vivitar 400mm/5.6 lens, Fujichrome-400/Dia-Film, and a UV filter.

Of the photos taken, one-third were considered reasonably good, one-third had incorrect exposure times, and one-third were unusable. The UFOs moved out of frame quickly before the photographer could press the shutter. Five film rolls were shot between November 12 and December 1, 1981, in Strømmen and Vik.

Some of the images were very good, showing interesting details, including the UFOs appearing to flash themselves with sharp light pulses. Cylindrical clouds were also visible, surrounded by faint blinking lights in blue, orange, and green. A series of 64 copies and enlargements were made from the 30 best original photos.

The report concludes by stating that 3 photos from Strømme will be shown on the next page and that the report will continue in the next CENAP-Report Nr. 84.

News Briefs and Other Reports

Italy: Reported only 23 UFO sightings in 1982, a significant drop from previous years (700 in 1978, 200 in 1980, 60 in 1981).

Brazil: A mysterious metal cylinder fell from the sky near Macae, striking a house and causing a fire. The cylinder, about 60 cm long and 10 cm in diameter, had two windows and visible red wires inside. Authorities debated whether it was part of the Soviet satellite 1402 or from a UFO.

Austria (Vienna): A TV program featuring the detective Kottan included a fictional UFO landing near Duisburg, which caused over a hundred viewers to call the ZDF and police, prompting a clarification and a promise from ZDF to avoid such misleading 'prank texts' in the future.

Future Car: A vehicle called 'Discojet' is featured, described as a 700 km/h 'sky-streaker' that resembles a mini-UFO, with the potential to be common in a few years.

SUFOI 25th Anniversary and CENAP Documentation

Page 8 and 9 highlight the 25th anniversary of SUFOI (Skandinavisk UFO Information) on December 17, 1982. CENAP is releasing its second documentation about SUFOI, covering its history and activities. Pavl Heldt, a member of SUFOI, explains that they aim to gather as much information as possible about UFO phenomena. He notes that while they believe UFOs exist, they are not necessarily extraterrestrial. The report mentions that the UFO movement began in June 1947 after Kenneth Arnold's sighting. A US government program investigating UFOs was terminated in 1969 without conclusive evidence. Heldt states that 90% of Americans believe in UFOs and want the investigation to continue. He also mentions the challenges of gaining members and explaining phenomena, noting that CENAP has around 3000 subscribers nationwide, including universities and libraries.

The second CENAP-Documentation about SUFOI is available in DinA4 format (59 pages) by sending 12 DM to H. Köhler. Inhaltsverzeichnisse (table of contents) for CENAP-Report back issues from 1976-1982 can also be requested from this address. Starting with the 1983 issues, the table of contents will be included in the subscription.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, photographic evidence, and the ongoing research into these phenomena by organizations like CENAP and SUFOI. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and documentation of UFO reports, aiming to gather evidence for their existence, while also acknowledging the skepticism and the need for rigorous analysis. The issue also touches upon the public's fascination with UFOs and the potential for misinterpretation or hoaxes.

This issue of CENAP-OGH AKTUELL, dated around December 1980, focuses on UFO phenomena, with a prominent cover story about a sighting on the German Autobahn A67. The magazine investigates various cases, often concluding with rational explanations and emphasizing the potential for misidentification.

UFO über der A 67?

The main article details a sighting on the Bundesautobahn 67 between Gernsheim and Einhausen in early December 1980. The investigation was conducted by J. Ickinger, R. Gehardt, and D. Hager. The report describes the sighting by Siegfried Kegel, owner of a pet shop in Heilbronn-Böckingen, and his friend Friedrich Herling, a former pilot. They were driving towards Mannheim when Kegel noticed a bright, whitish light to his right, at an estimated altitude of 50°-75°. The object was observed for about 20 minutes and was described as triangular in shape, with a size of approximately 2 meters. The object displayed various lights, including a steady white light on top, similar to a car headlight, and a pulsating band of multi-colored lights (green, red, blue) on the front, comparable to aircraft position lights. No distinct solid form was perceived.

In April 1982, CENAP-OGH employee Dieter Hager informed the board about this sighting. A personal interview with Mr. Kegel was conducted in Heilbronn-Böckingen. Kegel suggested the object could have been a signal light or something extraterrestrial. To investigate further, CENAP-OGH staff (Ickinger, Gehardt, and Hager) drove the reported route on May 15, 1982. During a night drive, they observed various colored lights that they believe could be responsible for the sighting. Their theory is that Kegel saw a bright light on a mast, tower, or similar structure, and the intermittent disappearance of the object was due to observing multiple signal lights. They noted seeing a tower light (white/red) that remained visible for 8 minutes. The lack of a perceived solid form also supports the signal light explanation. Kegel's drawing was described as a representation of his feeling rather than a concrete visual memory; he recalled seeing only points of light.

The report concludes that the pulsating lights strongly suggest signal lights, and the witnesses were likely misled by a series of them. The article includes a drawing by witness Kegel, depicting a bright white light surrounded by starbursts and multi-colored lights.

Other Cases and Explanations

UFO über München?

This section discusses numerous reports of a mysterious reddish, luminous object seen over Munich on New Year's Eve 1982/1983. While initially puzzling, the "UFO" was identified as promotional hot air balloons launched by various companies. The article mentions that the Bochum Observatory initially investigated it as a potential satellite but later acknowledged the balloon explanation. Frau Gudrun Kine from Böblingen also reported a similar sighting on New Year's Day, which was also attributed to a hot air balloon, noting that such balloons typically fly at much lower altitudes than reported.

UFO war ein Ballon

This article specifically details the Munich sightings, explaining that mini-hot air balloons, some as promotional gifts, were released. One such balloon was launched from Leopoldstraße, and another was a homemade red balloon by two boys. The company 'Infratest' had previously launched seven balloons in May of the previous year, causing similar UFO reports. The article concludes that the phenomenon was a 'successful prank' and not extraterrestrial.

Gefährlicher Jux mit Laserstrahl

This report from the Berner Zeitung (January 12, 1983) describes an incident in Switzerland where a motorist was terrified by a red light projected onto his car. The "UFO" was later revealed to be a prank using a small laser pointer. The perpetrators, who drove behind the victim, could project a red dot onto any surface, making it appear as if it had a life of its own. The article notes that this prank is potentially dangerous and could be considered a criminal offense.

Das Geheimnis von Dorla

This section revisits the Dorla case, stating that no UFO case was found. Ground traces in a field were explained as being caused by agricultural vehicles, and soil samples showed no unusual findings. The 'concrete bones' of a garage were examined, showing no UFO-typical burn marks but rather sickle-shaped arcs. The article discusses the difficulty in perceiving these traces without specific conditions and notes the absence of magnetic field anomalies. It questions how the garage traces were made but concludes that UFOs were not involved. The Dorla case is classified as a UFO-hysteria and a localized flap.

Hokus Pokus am Morgen, sonst keine Sorgen?

This section, accompanied by a collage of newspaper clippings, critiques the sensationalist reporting of UFOs, particularly by 'BILD' newspaper. It criticizes the tendency to sensationalize sightings and activate fringe groups, including those with fascist ideologies. The article mentions a UFOlogist, Ilse v. Jakobi, who allegedly distributes NPD propaganda material along with UFO information. It highlights the alleged connection between the police and 'BILD' in reporting UFOs and questions the motives behind such reporting, suggesting it's a way to identify and organize UFO enthusiasts, some of whom may hold extremist views. The article also touches upon the 'Hitler's saucer' conspiracy theories and racist interpretations of extraterrestrial contact.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of UFO sightings and the tendency for misidentification. CENAP-OGH's stance appears to be one of rational investigation, aiming to debunk sensational claims by providing plausible, terrestrial explanations for phenomena reported as UFOs. The magazine emphasizes how easily ordinary objects and events, such as signal lights, balloons, or even laser pranks, can be perceived as extraordinary by inexperienced observers, especially under conditions of darkness or unusual perspectives. There is a clear skepticism towards claims of extraterrestrial visitation, and a focus on the psychological and sociological aspects of UFO belief, including the role of media in perpetuating such beliefs. The issue also touches upon the darker side of the UFO community, hinting at connections with extremist ideologies.