Georgia Sky Watch - 1998 11 - no 11

Magazine Overview

The November 1998 issue of Georgia Sky Watch, number 11, is published by MUFON of Georgia and serves as a news and research bulletin. The issue focuses on recent developments within the organization, ongoing investigations, and upcoming events.

State Director's Message

Tom Sheets, State Director, opens the issue by highlighting positive developments since 1996-1997, including an increase in online members and Field Investigators (FIs) on-line, which is crucial for staying updated on the latest developments. He encourages members to get on-line and offers assistance to those considering it, mentioning a member who offers computer sales and consultations. Sheets also details the MUFONGA on-line update, sent via e-mail every one to two weeks, which includes brief descriptions of cases, Georgia sighting reports, and general information. Being on-line also provides access to the weekly international bulletin from George Filer (Filer's Files). He urges those without e-mail to contact him at [email protected].

A bi-monthly informal dinner forum has been implemented, open to MUFONGA, ISUR, and other legitimate UFO research groups. The first trial run was held at Shoney's on Piedmont Rd., Atlanta, on August 31, 1998, with seventeen members attending. The dinners are planned to occur every two months. The first regularly scheduled meeting is tentatively set for Saturday, January 9, 1999, at 5 PM at Shoney's on Piedmont Rd., Atlanta, near the intersection of Piedmont and Lindbergh, adjacent to the Marta Station.

Sheets also announces that several Field Investigator Trainees (FITs) who have attended investigator classes and undergone on-the-job training (OJT) have successfully undertaken their first cases. These include Mary Dee Janssen (Rome), Carl and Helen Thim (Fayetteville), David Brown (Norcross), Jack and Jo Dowless (Calhoun), Olivia Newton (Lilburn), Ralph Howard (Chamblee), and Jim Steen (null).

He mentions that Officer Mike Hitt of Roswell is now the state historian and archivist, William Lester of Jonesboro is in the special projects research group, and Roberta Puhalski is the senior special projects coordinator. Sheets thanks these individuals for their service.

Sheets expresses a desire for UFO reports to be evenly spread across the state, noting the difficulty this uneven distribution creates. He encourages FIs willing to travel to assist in investigations. He plans to discuss how FIs and Special Services Directors (SSDs) can help alleviate this issue at the November meeting, focusing on the MUFONGA mission and local publicity. He also asks anyone developing information or a case to advise him for credit in his updates and Filer's Files, and for prompt notification to arrange assistance.

MUFONGA Meetings and Events

The 1998 Fall General Meeting was scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 1998, at the Holiday Inn Express on the Square in Fayetteville, Georgia. The schedule included an orientation at 2:00 PM, a Field Investigator's Class at 2:30 PM, and the public portion of the meeting opening at 4:00 PM. Mike Hitt, the group's historian, was set to give a presentation on the history of UFOs in Georgia, drawing from extensive research including newspaper articles and reports dating back to the turn of the century. He was expected to share details of spectacular events and unusual cases from Georgia's UFO history.

Another presenter for the November 29th meeting was William Lester, a professional educator and MUFONGA Section Director, who was scheduled to lecture on phenomena sometimes associated with UFOs. His presentation was described as enlightening, drawing from his academic background and unique insights into UFO investigation puzzles across the U.S. The meeting was to conclude with a Q&A forum. The FI class was emphasized as essential for investigator development, and subsequent presentations were intended to provide new members with a foundation on UFO activity in Georgia.

Tom Sheets, MUFON State Director for Georgia, provided his contact information: E-mail: [email protected], Home phone: (770) 460-8447, Pager: (770) 917-4419.

Calendar of Events

• Nov 16-17: Leonids meteor skywatch in Chatsworth, GA (See Page 5 for directions).
• Nov 29: General Commencement (2:00 PM), Field Investigator Training (2:30 PM), Meeting (4:00 PM) in Fayetteville, GA (See Page 2 for directions).
• Jan 9, 1999: Informal dinner at Shoney's, Piedmont Rd., Atlanta.

Georgia UFO Cases Online

Georgia UFO cases are located at http://www.isur.com. Links to many MUFON sites run by individual states are also available, as well as MUFON's main page at http://www.mufon.com.

Silver UFO Over Stone Mountain

This report, from Filer's Files No. 1998-44, details a sighting by a female witness on the Stone Mountain Freeway, Georgia, on August 21, 1998. Driving east on Hwy 78 around noon, she saw an unusual object overhead near Bethney Church Road. Leaning forward, she observed a dull silver gray craft shaped like a pharmaceutical capsule. The UFO was traveling south at a speed faster than a passenger jet. The witness estimated its size to be about the length of a dime held at arm's length and its altitude to be several thousand feet. She noted a clear outline with no protuberances, wings, or markings. The witness, a retired school teacher with a Master's degree in Education, completed a sketch of the object and the sighting area.

Crop Circles: Part 1 of 2

By Roberta Puhalski, Senior Research Coordinator for MUFON of Georgia.

Puhalski discusses the history and investigation of crop circles. Initially called 'cereology,' the study began in the mid-1970s with simple circular formations, primarily in corn fields. By the late 1970s and 1980s, the formations increased in number and complexity, evolving into intricate geometric patterns and pictograms. Crop circles are now found in various mediums beyond grain fields, including barley, wheat, rice paddies, sand, snow, and ice.

The phenomenon first gained widespread attention in the grain fields of southern England. Two Englishmen, Douglas Bower and David Chorley, claimed to have hoaxed over 200 circles using wood planks and string, a feat they demonstrated publicly. However, Puhalski asserts that their efforts do not account for the thousands of crop circle formations reported worldwide. She notes that these hoaxers have inspired others, making the job of serious investigators more difficult by requiring them to first check for obvious signs of hoaxing.

The article explains that the scientific discipline's result led to the emergence of organizations like the Circles Effect Research Unit (headed by physicist Terence Meaden) and the BLT Research Team (headed by biophysicist William C. Levengood). Puhalski emphasizes that while hoaxers may deceive in the field, microscopic examination of plant samples is crucial for authenticity. Both plant samples from the formation and control samples are collected and examined under a microscope to identify abnormalities, a process described as separating 'the men from the boys.'

Puhalski shares her familiarity with the BLT Research Team (Burke, Levengood, Talbot), organized in 1992. Prior to this, Levengood had been examining wheat and barley plants from crop circles and noted abnormalities. The team's initial efforts focused on developing a concise field sampling protocol and establishing field teams. Puhalski's own involvement began in late 1993 due to the Columbia, New York Crop Circle formation, leading to her article in 'UFOs Unexplained Universe.' She mentions Ron Taylor (founder of Central New York Questers) and Jim Cormia (former New York State Section Director) in relation to the investigation and sample collection for that event.

The material presented is based on Nancy Talbot's paper, "CROP FORMATIONS: A BIOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATION" (Spring 1997). The second part of the article is promised for the next issue.

Establishing a UFO Network

By Tom Sheets.

Sheets encourages individuals to engage their local communities in understanding the UFO phenomenon. He suggests leveraging small, community-oriented newspapers, often staffed by aspiring reporters and editors who may be eager for serious story material. Sheets recounts his experience as Chief Investigator for MUFONGA, where he utilized the Fayette Neighbor newspaper and others to publish articles and conduct interviews about the MUFON mission. He highlights the 'Club Beat' column in the Fayette Neighbor, which provides free advertisement for MUFONGA by describing their activities and contact information, reaching an estimated 40,000 citizens.

He advises Field Investigators (FIs) to identify receptive reporters in their areas and to write positive articles about MUFONGA and the UFO phenomena, potentially leading to free 'club' type repeating articles. He stresses the importance of adhering to the MUFON Field Investigator's Manual and operating on the same frequency. Sheets also warns FIs to be wary of 'crotchety close-minded senior editors' who might produce biased reporting and suggests asking reporters about their group's opinions and attitudes.

Sheets announces his intention to make a concerted effort in 1999 to assist personnel in South Georgia in setting up a similar community outreach program. He notes that MUFON's mission and cadre are already well-known in North and Central Georgia and aims to ensure South Georgia is not neglected.

Skywatch -- Chatsworth, Ga.

Dated November 17, 1998, this section discusses the upcoming Leonid meteor shower, expected to be particularly strong due to the 33-year cycle of Comet Tempel-Tuttle. NASA anticipates potential satellite damage and is adjusting satellite positions. The article suggests Ft. Mountain in Chatsworth, GA, as an excellent viewing location. Initial discussions involved the state park, but personnel indicated that trees might interfere with viewing. A forestry overlook a few miles east of the park, on a bald knob at the summit, is recommended as a superior location at 2000 ft. elevation, clear of trees, with a natural amphitheater-like structure.

This skywatch event is intended as a private gathering for MUFONGA, ISUR, other legitimate UFO researchers, public safety personnel, and known supporters of the UFO investigative community, not a public event. Directions to the overlook are provided, involving driving on State Hwy 411 and then east on Hwy 52 onto Ft. Mountain.

"Shiny White" UFO Over Alabama

From Filer's Files No. 1998-44, this report by John Thompson, Former State Director and Field Investigator, discusses daylight UFO sightings that might be mistaken for satellites. He contacted astronomers who confirmed satellites are not visible in daylight, though certain Iridium satellites can be seen under specific conditions. However, a sighting on September 25, 1998, by a 38-year-old University of Alabama graduate in Lee County, Alabama, described a different phenomenon.

The witness observed a high-flying UFO between 1:30 and 1:40 PM EDT, flying directly overhead three miles west of Auburn. The object was described as "shiny white" and oval or cylinder-shaped, moving at extreme speed. Its altitude was estimated at over 14 miles high, possibly 30-70 miles high. The witness described the UFO moving from directly overhead to the 2 o'clock position in a couple of seconds. The apparent size was 1/8 of an inch, suggesting a real size of approximately 400 feet long at 14 miles, or potentially 2000 feet long at 70 miles high. No sound or electrical interference was noted. The object was seen against a dark sky at extreme elevation. Calls to the FAA in Columbus and Auburn's Airport yielded no unusual reports. The witness's "central radar" would have detected transponder-equipped objects up to 60,000 feet, but this UFO was above that altitude. The witness, a well-educated individual with an excellent reputation, saw a solid craft of enormous size moving at extraordinary speed. The report notes that Iridium satellites, with their highly polished surfaces, can cause flares, but data indicates no Iridium satellite would have been visible under these conditions.

Bright Spear-like UFO in Columbus, GA

This report details a sighting developed by Jim Steen, a MUFON investigator, on October 24, 1998. A businessman and his wife driving northwest toward Columbus on Route 520 saw a bright, thin spear-like light transit from horizon to horizon at 10:00 PM. It appeared similar to a seven-foot fluorescent light tube moving at incredible speed across the sky.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Georgia Sky Watch revolve around the growth and organization of MUFONGA, emphasizing communication through e-mail updates and informal gatherings. The newsletter serves as a platform for sharing investigative findings, particularly concerning crop circles and UFO sightings. There's a strong focus on investigator training and community outreach, encouraging members to actively participate and contribute to the field. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation, distinguishing genuine phenomena from hoaxes, and promoting a proactive approach to UFO research within Georgia and beyond. The publication also highlights specific sighting reports and upcoming events, aiming to keep its readership informed and engaged.