Nordlands Framtid

Magazine Overview

Title: Nordlands Framtid
Issue Date: February 19, 1983
Document Type: Magazine Issue

UFO Wave Over Northern Norway

The issue of Nordlands Framtid dated February 19, 1983, extensively covers a recent wave of UFO sightings in Northern Norway. Leif Norman Solhaug, the 19-year-old leader of UFO Norway's department for Northern Norway, is featured prominently. He explains that his interest in UFOs began after reading an article in the newspaper, and he now dedicates his time to studying reports of mysterious lights and objects in the sky over the northern regions.

Solhaug states that while some reported sightings can be explained by natural phenomena, many interesting cases warrant further investigation. He mentions that UFO Norway has approximately six hundred members nationwide, with forty registered in Northern Norway, and encourages more people to join. The organization aims to foster a community interested in UFO phenomena and to share findings.

Several specific sightings are detailed:

• January 10: An observation over Solbergfjorden by five to six people, describing a cigar-shaped object that later took the form of letters and a rounding. It later appeared as a skewed cross with red and green lights.
• January 16: An observation from Bodø Airport of a cigar-shaped object with a condensation trail, seen by seven people, some with meteorological backgrounds.
• January 13: A sighting near Stokmarknes of an object resembling a moon with half its disc over a mountaintop. It appeared and disappeared twice.
• Alta Area: A family on a Christmas trip reported seeing a light over the mountains in Birtavarre. The light intensified, causing their car's headlights to go out for several minutes.

Solhaug emphasizes that these are just a few of the most interesting cases from January and that the organization is interested in all reports, regardless of whether the observer is a member.

Scientific Perspectives on UFOs

The issue also includes an article from Arbeiderbladet (February 22, 1983) titled "'UFO's' are in the air." This article discusses the history of UFO sightings, noting that about 80 percent of reported cases can be explained by conventional means like balloons or atmospheric optical phenomena. However, approximately 20 percent remain unexplained.

Two Soviet scientists, Andrei Monin and Georgij Baremblatt, are credited with explaining how mysterious objects seen in the atmosphere could be formed. They propose that internal waves in the layered environment of the ocean and atmosphere can create "patches" of mixed air or water. These patches can become uniform internally but distinct from their surroundings. Jelena Tikhomrova, a collaborator at the Soviet Academy of Sciences' data center, further elaborated on this, finding that these patches tend to become round and develop a shape resembling a hat brim before expanding slowly. This process is described as being a hundred times slower than the dissipation of condensation trails from high-altitude jets.

Other Sightings and Related Articles

Several other newspapers contribute reports on UFO sightings:

• Harstad Tidende (February 1983): Reports on the same UFO wave in Northern Norway, reiterating the sightings in Solbergfjorden, Bodø, Stokmarknes, and Alta. It also mentions reports of blinking lights over Kråkneset near Talvik and unexplained phenomena in Borge, Lofoten, one of which was initially thought to be a submarine but was later identified as a boat with searchlights.

• Porsgrunns Dagblad (February 17, 1983): An article titled "Satellites with luminous tails over Vessia?" details a sighting by Åse Andersen, who observed what she described as three satellites with luminous tails through binoculars. She described one object as resembling an airship with a large luminous tail.

• Farsunds Avis (February 14, 1983): Reports a UFO sighting over Prestøy where a flying object appeared as a black streak for about 10 minutes before disappearing. The local military battery commander confirmed no relevant activity at the time.

• Porsgrunns Dagblad (February 21, 1983): An article titled "Strongly luminous UFO object seen on Raufoss Saturday" describes a sighting where a luminous object split into three parts and fell. The observer was certain it was not a plane or a fireball.

• Porsgrunns Dagblad (February 18, 1983): An article titled "'Satellites' were there... UFO over Flakvarp" features observations from Stridsklev. Knut Winnes initially thought he saw a plane, but later descriptions suggest a rotating, luminous object resembling a badminton ball or a cigar. Åse Andersen also reported seeing similar phenomena.

• Porsgrunns Dagblad (February 21, 1983): An article titled "No natural explanation for UFO observations" details a sighting by Odd Svendsen near Larvik and Stavern. He observed a silver-blank object, described as being like a parachute but too large, moving slowly before suddenly disappearing. He contacted the Air Force, the local sheriff, and the police, who expressed interest but could not provide an explanation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout these articles is the presence of unexplained aerial phenomena, commonly referred to as UFOs. The articles present various eyewitness accounts, ranging from detailed descriptions of objects' shapes, colors, and movements to more general observations of lights in the sky. While some articles touch upon scientific explanations, such as atmospheric effects or misidentification of conventional aircraft, the overall tone suggests an open-mindedness towards the possibility of genuinely unknown phenomena. UFO Norway is presented as a credible organization dedicated to investigating these reports. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on these events and encouraging public observation and reporting, while also acknowledging the need for further investigation and potential explanations.