Flying Saucer Digest - No 167 - 2004

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 167
Date: FALL 2004

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest, published quarterly by R. Hilberg Publications, focuses on recent UFO sightings, the death of a prominent UFO researcher, and other unexplained phenomena.

The Saucer Scene

Dr. John Mack Dies in London, England Accident

The issue leads with the tragic death of Dr. John Mack, M.D., a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who had been researching the alien abduction phenomenon for several years. Dr. Mack was killed on September 27, 2004, in London, England, when he was struck by a drunk driver while walking to his lodgings after speaking at a symposium. He was in London to speak about T. E. Lawrence, for whom he had won a Pulitzer Prize for his 1977 biography, 'A Prince of Our Disorder.'

"Fireball" Plagues Hungerford, England

Reports detail a mystery fireball that had been appearing in the skies over Hungerford, England, and West Berkshire for at least two months. The object was described as changing direction, flaring on and off, and moving too fast to be a plane, leading some to believe it was a meteor or debris from outer space. Emergency services were deployed, including a police helicopter, to search for debris or an impact site, but none was found. Witnesses reported strange sound and light effects, pets behaving strangely, and the object disappearing into clouds. Julia O'Reilly described a 'fizzing and popping noise' and flashing lights, noting her cat became 'ballistic' beforehand. Other witnesses reported similar sightings, with some seeing the object shoot upwards into a cloud.

Around and About the Saucer World

Husband and Wife Spot Ohio UFO from Two Different Locations

On June 16, 2004, Deputy Sheriff Kevin Coleman of Lake County, Ohio, and his wife observed an unusual triangular-shaped aircraft from two separate vantage points. They discussed the experience the following afternoon. The wife reported seeing the object at a closer vantage point, describing it as a bizarre aircraft. Deputy Sheriff Coleman stated the high-flying object was unlike anything he was familiar with, appearing higher than a jet airliner and seeming self-luminous. He described it as having an angular shape and traveling eastward before slowing down, getting bigger, and then simply disappearing without accelerating. His wife's sighting involved a boomerang-shaped aircraft hovering about 100 feet from the ground, which she initially thought might be military aircraft related to 9/11. Coleman reported the sighting to NUFORC but did not feel it was an actionable situation for Homeland Security.

Acorn-Shaped Object in Washington County, Tenn.

A retired algebra professor reported seeing a large acorn-shaped object moving low in the sky over Buffalo Mountain on September 20, 2004. The object's shape was formed by lights arranged like a 'marquee,' flashing randomly in multiple colors. He also recalled a 1966 sighting of a gigantic black disk-shaped object that blocked out the stars.

Campers Spot Flying Triangle in Washington State

Cliff Mickelson reported that a group of witnesses saw a huge triangle of lights on the eastern edge of Washington State on September 12, 2004. The object moved with 'eerie exactitude,' and witnesses debated whether it was one object with three lights or three separate objects. Stars appeared to be occluded between the lights, and the object(s) were at a high altitude. The area is known for numerous UFO sightings.

Apollo 16 Photo Possibly Explained

A group of image analysts concluded that the 'Apollo 16 UFO' can be explained as a part of the NASA spacecraft, specifically the EVA (spacewalk) floodlight/boom. This conclusion was reached after stabilizing images, correcting for camera movement, and aligning frames to reveal a parallax effect and a 'linear feature' attached to the object.

"Flying Lemon" Stalls Car in New York

Two friends driving in upstate New York on July 22, 2004, experienced a strange humming sound that caused their car's headlights to dim and go out. After about ten minutes, the lights returned, and they were able to start the car. They then noticed a 'lemon-shaped light' in the sky that drifted for a minute before the noise stopped.

Other Content

Trace Case Investigator to Speak in Ohio

MUFON of Ohio announced that Ted Phillips, Director of the Center for Physical Trace Research, would be speaking in the Greater Cleveland area on November 6, 2004, on 'Physical Evidence Associated with UFO Sightings: 1460-2004.'

Publications and Subscriptions

The issue includes subscription information for Flying Saucer Digest ($10.00 for 4 issues) and mentions other publications like 'Weirdology,' 'IRAAP's The Messenger,' and 'The Star Beacon.' It also promotes a booklet titled '42 Years: A UFO Editor's Retrospective' for $8.00.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, unexplained aerial phenomena, and the investigation into these events. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on these phenomena with a degree of seriousness, including the tragic death of a respected researcher in the field. The inclusion of detailed witness accounts and the investigation into the Apollo 16 photo suggest a commitment to exploring and explaining these occurrences, even if the explanations are mundane.