Catalogue retro 1988-89

Magazine Overview

This document is a digital version, released in 2006, of the "CATALOGUE RÉGIONAL D'OBSERVATIONS" (Regional Catalog of Observations) compiled by the CNEGU (Comité Nord-Est des Groupes Ufologiques) for the years 1988-1989. The cover features a map of France highlighting different regions with numerical codes, and a stylized illustration of a luminous, elongated object. The primary purpose of the catalog is to document UFO/UAP sightings reported within specific regions of France during the specified period.

Editorial Notes and Introduction

A preliminary note by Christine ZWYGART, dated October 1, 1992, from Chaumont, clarifies that the catalog should be considered incomplete, as all 1988 observations had not yet been communicated at the time of its compilation. ZWYGART also mentions that the symbology (indices) is not fully depicted due to potential inaccuracies given the missing details in some reported cases. The catalog is presented as a work in progress, open to updates, and encourages individuals to submit further details about observations from 1988. A reminder is provided for the meaning of the sigles used: IQ (Indice de Qualité de l'information - Information Quality Index), IE (Indice d'Etrangeté - Strangeness Index), and IPI (Indice de Probabilité d'Identification - Identification Probability Index). The cover art is credited to Raoul ROBE.

Catalog Entries (1988-1989)

The catalog then proceeds to list individual observation reports, each with a reference code, date, time (TU - Temps Universel), location (department code and town), witness details, a description of the phenomenon, and sources. The reports include:

• April 12, 1988, ~22:10 TU (20:10): In FAMECK (57), Jean-Luc AUGER observed a star-like object moving in a zigzag pattern, ascending rapidly and disappearing. The observation lasted 10 to 15 seconds.
• April 25, 1988, ~05:15 TU (03:15): In CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES (08), a young woman saw a white, brilliant, ovoid shape with red lights that seemed to rotate. The object moved in jerks along a broken trajectory, ascended very quickly, and disappeared. The observation lasted about fifteen seconds and was silent.
• August 12, 1988 (approximate date): In THIONVILLE (54), several witnesses, including gendarmes, observed two white-greenish luminous halos evolving over clouds. The phenomenon was suspected to be lasers.
• November 4, 1988, 17:05-17:30 TU (16:05-16:30): Five people traveling on the highway between STRASBOURG (67) and ENTZHEIM airport observed two parallel luminous traits, high in the sky, moving towards MOLSHEIM. These traits, initially thin, became thicker and took the shape of flat ellipses, approaching and separating. The phenomenon became smaller and paler before disappearing.
• December 21, 1988, 19:20-19:40 TU (18:20-18:40): In OBERSCHAEFFOLSHEIM (67), near STRASBOURG, M. Thierry PANIEL witnessed a luminous ovoid object that stopped for over a minute, then moved, becoming brighter. It disappeared when an airplane passed. The observation lasted about ten minutes and was silent.
• May 28, 1989, ~04:00 TU: Four people camping near Perthes, in Haute-Marne, witnessed two red-orange luminous circles that approached, merged into a single elongated phenomenon, and then moved rapidly towards the horizon before returning and stationing themselves. This maneuver was repeated several times without noise. Following this observation, problems were reported with a generator powering lamps. The proximity of BA 113 Saint-Dizier was noted as a possible explanation (confusion with aircraft).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the documentation and analysis of unexplained aerial phenomena observed in various regions of France. The editorial stance, as indicated by the compiler Christine ZWYGART, is one of diligent record-keeping, acknowledging the inherent incompleteness of such catalogs due to reporting delays and missing details. The emphasis is on collecting and presenting the available data, while also providing tools (indices) for initial assessment of the reports. The catalog serves as a historical record and a resource for further investigation into UAP phenomena in France during the late 1980s.