LDLN - No 160

Magazine Overview

Title: LUMIÈRES DANS LA NUIT
Issue: N° 160
Volume: 19e ANNÉE
Date: DÉCEMBRE 1976
Publisher: LUMIÈRES DANS LA NUIT (GROUPEMENT INTERNATIONAL DE RECHERCHES)
Country: France
Language: French
Price: 4F

This issue of "Lumières dans la Nuit" (Lights in the Night), dated December 1976, is dedicated to "Mysterious Celestial Objects and Related Problems." The magazine presents a collection of investigations, eyewitness accounts, and analyses concerning UFO phenomena, reflecting the growing interest in the subject during the 1970s.

Editorial Stance and Content Overview

The editorial team emphasizes that the publication of any document does not necessarily imply endorsement of its content. The primary goal remains the pursuit of truth. The magazine features a wide range of articles, from literary reviews to detailed case studies and scientific analyses.

Articles and Investigations

Notes et Réflexions à propos d'une mode littéraire (Notes and Reflections on a Literary Trend) by Michel PICARD and Francis CONSOLIN:
This article critiques the proliferation of UFO literature, viewing it as a commercial exploitation of a public fascination with the irrational. It distinguishes between serious, scientifically-backed works and those that are speculative or repetitive. The authors praise the Belgian works by Jacques SCORNAUX and the SOBEPS group, as well as J.C. BOURRET's "Le Nouveau Défi des OVNI," which they note has led to the official recognition of the Gendarmerie's interest in UFOs.

Case Studies and Investigations:

• Miguel Fernandez Case (Spain): A detailed account of an encounter with a UFO near Benacazon, Spain, in February 1976, where the witness described a telephonic-booth-shaped craft and tall, human-like occupants.
• Negurيجane (Bilbao, Spain) - 5/2/76: Nine individuals, including an American nuclear engineer, observed two luminous, disc-shaped objects for an hour.
• Maneru (Navarre, Spain) - 2/76: A dozen children and their teacher witnessed a silent, disc-shaped object with wheels land in a field, from which a tall, dark-clad being emerged.
• Monzón (Huesca, Spain) - 24/4/76: A doctor and his wife saw a vehicle without wheels on the road, emitting a yellow light.
• Las Palmas (Canaries) - 27/6/76: A perfect sphere, the size of a three-story house, was observed by a doctor and others, piloted by tall, red-clad beings.
• Pyresa (Santander) - 17/7/76: A young woman and her friend encountered a tall, shining figure.
• OVNI près du lac de Kivu (Zaïre) (UFO near Lake Kivu, Zaire) by Christiane PIENS:
• An investigation into an observation made in late 1947 or early 1948 by Mr. and Mrs. Van Bockesteal, who described a cigar-shaped, then discoidal object with concentric rings of light.
• OVNI sol Madagascar (UFO on the ground, Madagascar) by H. JULIEN:
• An account from Mr. Wolf, a former legionnaire, who witnessed a bright, egg-shaped craft land in a clearing in Madagascar in May 1967. The event caused a temporal distortion, with two hours and forty-five minutes passing unnoticed.
• Observation d'un gendarme à l'île de la Réunion (Gendarme's Observation on Reunion Island) by Lieutenant-Colonel LOBET:
• A gendarme reported his car engine stopping inexplicably, followed by a strange fog-like phenomenon rising from a nearby square.
• Enquête à Lavilledieu-du-Temple (Tarn et Garonne) (Investigation in Lavilledieu-du-Temple) by Guy ROHAN:
• An investigation into an event in late July or early August 1975, where a field showed signs of a possible landing, including burned vines and an unusual circular pattern.
• Enquête à Lagardelle (Haute-Garonne) sur la D 12 (Investigation in Lagardelle) by M. Roger GAYRAL:
• A witness reported an oval object on three legs that ascended vertically with a loud suction sound.
• Enquête dans les Landes (Investigation in the Landes) by M. COUDROY Patrice and Christiane GUEUDELOT:
• Two separate reports from Aire sur l'Adour: one from July 1976 describing a triangular object descending over a cornfield, and another from April 1976 involving strange knocking sounds on a car.
• Enquête dans le Loiret (Investigation in the Loiret) by M. JEANTHEAU:
• Two observations by Mr. and Mrs. Biardeau in September and October 1973 of an orange sphere moving near their car.
• Observation de M. Grebant à Quend-Plage (Somme) (Observation by M. Grebant at Quend-Plage) by M. PERRIER:
• A detailed account of a fisherman witnessing luminous beams from the sea, a bright flash, and his flashlight failing.
• DANS LES ARDENNES (In the Ardennes) by M. SPINGLER:
• An investigation into an observation in May 1976 of about fifty small, green, frog-like beings standing in a field.
• DANS LES VOSGES (In the Vosges) by Groupement Ufologique Nanceien:
• An observation in March 1976 of two large, flashing orange-red spheres that later turned white.
• OVNI VU AU SOL OU A PROXIMITE (UFO on the Ground or Nearby):
• Reports from Spain detailing military observations of a cone-shaped object and a subsequent investigation into a reported landing.
• DANS L'ALLIER (In Allier):
• An account from 1958 or 1959 of two young girls observing a red-orange sphere descending over a cornfield.

A PROPOS DE RECHERCHES D'ARCHIVES (About Archival Research) by B. DUPOU:
This section provides guidance on how to conduct archival research for UFO sightings, emphasizing the importance of regional newspapers and the period between 1945 and 1960.

COURRIER RESUFO (Resufo Mailbag):
This section addresses a previous publication regarding photographic evidence of UFOs, offering an explanation involving electronic flashes from an aircraft.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation and the pursuit of truth in the field of ufology. There is a clear distinction made between serious, evidence-based research and sensationalized or purely speculative accounts. The publication aims to document and analyze UFO phenomena, encouraging readers to contribute their own observations. The recurring theme is the persistent presence of unexplained aerial phenomena and the ongoing efforts to understand them, often highlighting the challenges posed by official secrecy and public skepticism. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, encouraging critical thinking and detailed reporting.

This issue of LDLN magazine, dated July 1976, features a prominent article titled "L'ETUDE SPECTROGRAPHIQUE DU PHENOMENE OVNI" (The Spectrographic Study of the UFO Phenomenon) by Pierre VIEROUDY. The magazine's overall focus is on advancing the scientific understanding of UFOs through practical research and objective analysis.

Article: L'ETUDE SPECTROGRAPHIQUE DU PHENOMENE OVNI by Pierre VIEROUDY

Introduction

Vieroudy highlights the lack of objective scientific data as a major obstacle to official recognition of UFOs. He points to detection efforts as the most serious attempts so far. The luminous nature of UFOs is emphasized as a key characteristic, as light contains extensive information about its source. He references historical scientific advancements, such as Fraunhofer and Kirchoff's work in spectrography, which revolutionized astronomy by allowing the analysis of light from celestial bodies.

Generalities on Spectrography

The article explains that white light can be decomposed by a prism into monochromatic radiations. The resulting spectrum provides information about the emission source, including temperature, chemical composition, density, pressure, velocity, and magnetic fields. While prisms are still used, diffraction gratings are often preferred for their greater dispersion and superior resolution. The prism-objective developed by Fehrenback is mentioned as a specialized tool but not suitable for this specific research due to long exposure requirements. Rowland's development of diffraction gratings around 1880 is noted.

Practical Realization

For practical application, Vieroudy stresses the need for a high-quality objective lens, as a mediocre one will produce a poorly focused spectrum. Slow exposure speeds (2 seconds to 1/30) are recommended for stationary phenomena. He notes that while prisms are used, diffraction gratings offer much greater dispersion and resolution. Fraunhofer studied diffraction gratings, but Rowland developed the technique around 1880. A grating consists of parallel lines on a glass plate that diffract light into different directions based on wavelength, providing much greater dispersion than a prism. However, a significant drawback of gratings is that about 90% of the light is concentrated in the central 'white' image, with only 1-2% in each spectrum. Blazed gratings, designed to concentrate light into specific spectra, have been developed to overcome this, but they are expensive and technically difficult to produce.

Conception of a Spectrograph Adapted to UFO Study

UFO observations often involve mobile, luminous objects, requiring a lightweight and portable spectrograph with short exposure times. Blazed gratings are essential for gathering sufficient light. French commercial gratings have 300 to 1200 lines per millimeter; beyond 1200, the blaze angle becomes too steep, reducing light transmission. A 600 lines/mm grating with a 50-55mm objective or a 300 lines/mm grating with a 135mm telephoto lens are suggested. A 24x36 reflex camera is recommended for framing. The article notes that professional cameras (4.5x6, 6x6, 6x7) are less suitable due to their weight and the focal length of their objectives.

Use

Color film is not recommended due to low sensitivity; black and white TRI-X film from Kodak is preferred for its sensitivity and grain. Objectives should be pre-set to infinity. Exposure times should be determined empirically through tests with stars, planets, or public lighting. Detailed notes on observations and any recorded spectra are crucial. The author encourages contact with the LDLN editorial team for those who obtain results, to connect them with interested scientists.

Conclusion

Vieroudy acknowledges the potential high cost of the equipment but frames the research within a two-year experimental effort suggesting an interrelation between the human mind and UFO phenomena. He believes that if properly exploited, this could lead to phenomena manifesting for the experimenter and being studied objectively. He hints at future work on this aspect and mentions that two series of UFO spectra may have been obtained, requiring confirmation.

Article: Lettre Ouverte à M. Scornaux, à propos de son étude: "Ubatuba (Brésil): authentiques fragments d'OVNI?" by F. Lagarde

Lagarde expresses skepticism regarding the Ubatuba case, particularly due to the anonymity of witnesses and the inability to produce original photographic evidence. He argues that such cases, where the witness hides behind anonymity, should not be given excessive importance. He questions the explanation for the presence of magnesium in the fragments, suggesting the argument about rapid cooling by water is not supported by the provided text. Lagarde believes the fragments might have been collected on land rather than in the sea, undermining the cooling argument. He criticizes the approach of analyzing fragments without first establishing their provenance, calling it putting the cart before the horse. He also points out the lack of corroboration from the fisherman mentioned and suggests the possibility of a hoax.

Lagarde concludes that the information presented does not provide decisive arguments for the technological nature of UFOs, regretting that a simpler explanation, like inter-planetary craft, is not supported by the evidence.

Response from M. Scornaux (Excerpts)

Scornaux defends his position, stating that the anonymity of witnesses, in his view, is a strong presumption of their sincerity, as hoaxers typically seek recognition. He argues that the fragments were found "near" the beach, implying they could have fallen into shallow water, making collection possible. He cites Fontes' description of a fragment measuring 1.2 x 0.7 x 0.7 cm, stating it was not too small to be invisible underwater. Regarding quantity, he notes that the total mass of samples was likely a few grams. While acknowledging that the magnesium could be terrestrial, he finds it improbable that Brazilians could have obtained magnesium with such an abnormal strontium content, which was rare and confined to specific US laboratories. Scornaux agrees that a single isolated fact is not proof but argues that the Ubatuba case is an "indice" (clue) and a "présomption" (presumption) of UFO materiality, especially when considered alongside similar future findings. He declares himself a resolute proponent of the extraterrestrial hypothesis, believing it best fits scientific methodology.

Article: Nouvelles Récentes (Presse) condensé de I. Tahon

This section provides a brief summary of recent UFO sightings reported in French and Portuguese newspapers:

• October 1, 1976, Laroque Timbaut (Lot et Garonne): A very luminous red sphere was observed on the road, which transformed and disappeared.
• October 9, 1976, Aveiro (Portugal): A cylindrical orange object leaving a smoke trail was seen at an altitude of 3.4 km.
• October 15, 1976, Mulhouse (Haut Rhin): A luminous point, described as the size of Polaris but bright orange, moved rapidly at high altitude.
• October 15, 1976, Peymeinade (Alpes Maritimes): A white sphere with a red point, emitting projections, was observed at an altitude of 100m, then disappeared.
• October 24, 1976, Hobling (Moselle): An elongated object, 15m long, at an altitude of 100m, emitted red, green, and yellow lights.

Article: O.V.N.I. APPEL DES SPECIALISTES (réunis à Poitiers) A TOUS LES PHOTOGRAPHES

This article reports on a UFO conference in Poitiers where specialists called for public participation in UFO research, particularly through photography. Claude POHER, head of the scientific department at the Centre national d'études spatiales, suggested commercializing a filter that photographers could attach to their lenses to capture UFO spectra. Such photos would enable specialists to identify unknown characteristics of UFOs, including chemical composition, temperature, pressure, and speed. An industrialist has reportedly developed a prototype filter, and the goal is to sell 10,000 units at a low price.

Nos Livres Sélectionnés

This section lists several books available for purchase through the Librairie des Archers, related to UFOs and extraterrestrial phenomena. Titles include works by Charles Garreau, J. Vallée, Henry Durrant, Jacques Lob, Robert Gigi, J. Allen Hynek, Jean-Claude Bourret, J. Scornaux, Ch. Piens, Ion Hobana, J. Weverbergh, and Donal E. Keyhoe.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes a scientific and objective approach to ufology. It emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence, rigorous analysis, and the development of specialized equipment (like spectrographs) for studying UFO phenomena. There's a clear distinction made between anecdotal evidence and scientifically verifiable data. The editorial stance is critical of sensationalism and hoaxes, advocating for a methodical, research-driven investigation. The magazine also highlights the role of amateur researchers and the public in contributing to scientific understanding, as seen in the call for photographers to capture UFO spectra. The recurring theme is the pursuit of knowledge through scientific inquiry, even when faced with challenging and often elusive phenomena.