Northern UFO News - No 39

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 39
Date: August 1977
Publisher: NORTHERN UFO NETWORK (NUFON)
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of Northern UFO News, the 39th in its series, marks a significant point for the publication and its editor, who completes three years of editing. The editorial section, titled 'It can't be..It musn't be..It isn't.......It is', signals a profound shift in the editor's understanding of the UFO phenomenon. He suggests that the full extent of this shift, previously alluded to in other publications, will become apparent with the upcoming book, 'UFOs - A British Viewpoint', co-authored by himself and Peter Warrington. The editor posits that UFOs are not isolated events but are intrinsically linked to a broader spectrum of paranormal phenomena, akin to understanding an eclipse only in relation to the Sun and Moon. He notes a recent trend of 'odd' happenings and a 'catalytic process' pushing towards a new understanding, questioning whether this leads to truth or a dead end like the extraterrestrial hypothesis.

Contents and Key Articles

• Contents:
• P.2 How Far Should we go? (Ken Green)
• Analysis of 1967 (Geoff Falla)
• Reports from: Cheshire, Durham, Greater Manchester, South Humberside, Staffs, West Midlands, Warwicks, North & South Yorks, Powys, Ireland and Scotland.
• NUFON FLAP CONTROL - VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
• NEWS ROUND UP (Paul Whetnall)

Editorial: A Shift in Perspective

The editorial highlights the editor's personal journey over three years, during which his views on the UFO phenomenon have undergone a significant transformation. He notes that the signs of this new direction are evident in many issues and are not a result of personal bias. He references a talk given to the Lancashire Society for Psychic Research, where the idea that UFOs are part of a larger subject was met with a dismissive mood. The editor points to recent strange cases, psychics seeing UFOs, messages from contactees, and witnesses experiencing 'astral projection' or 'hallucinations' as evidence of this evolving phenomenon. He contrasts the 'primitive earthmen' scenario with more complex interpretations, citing Peter Rogerson's article 'Doves are just middle class pidgeons' and the changing nature of contactee stories, comparing George Adamski to more recent figures.

The editor observes a current 'craze' in ufology where people are tired of mere sighting reports. He notes that despite subtle pressures, he and Peter remain active, suggesting the phenomenon might be trying to divide ufologists. The message is to 'fight it' as 'the truth will out'.

How Far Should We Go? (Ken Green)

Ken Green addresses Mr. Delair's complaint in the July issue about UFO sightings being too readily explained. Green argues that while the majority of 'Lights in the Sky' (LITS) are identifiable and may not warrant extensive investigation, cases of higher strangeness should be treated with more caution. He emphasizes that a case should only be considered explained if the explanation is certain. Green suggests that the NUFON system is crucial for spotting coincidental cases and identifying significant LITS clusters that might warrant further investigation. He advocates for a superficial check of LITS reports, cautioning against reading too much into coincidences. He also proposes investigator training but believes it should not be used for simple LITS cases, which he considers a waste of talent. Solid information is key to building the 'ufological house'.

Analysis of 1967 Reports (Geoff Falla)

Geoff Falla presents an analysis of 128 UFO reports from 1975, with additional data for 1976. He focuses on the distribution of reports for 1967, an outstanding 'flap' year in the UK. The analysis shows a low level of reports at the beginning of the year, rising to a peak in October. He highlights significant dates in August, noting that reports from August 14 and 17 were concentrated in the NUFON area, and suggests mapping locations to identify alignments.

Sighting Reports

The issue includes a detailed list of UFO sighting reports:

• Report 6612 (April 28, 1966): Aberdeen, Scotland. A football-shaped, transparent object observed by many witnesses, considered enormous and not a weather balloon.
• Report 7122 (September 5, 1971): Cadishead, Greater Manchester. A teenage boy and his family saw a stationary object flashing orange with a red border.
• Report 7123 (August 31, 1971): Strensall, North Yorkshire. Three individuals witnessed orange streaks of light that rose, hovered, and fell.
• Report 7225 (June 29, 1972): Leamington Spa, West Midlands. A bright white light was observed flashing in a sequence (RED-BLUE-GREEN-WHITE-RED) by multiple witnesses, including police.
• Report 7226 (August 17, 1972): Thirsk, North Yorkshire. A couple reported seeing a formation of blood red lights, followed by a green, pumpkin-shaped object with a pulsating dome and a 'T' shaped door.
• Report 77/102 (May 27, 1977): Altrincham, Greater Manchester. A man and wife saw a long white cigar shape with a red light stationary between houses.
• Report 77/103 (May 27, 1977): Swinton, Greater Manchester. Tracy Holroyd saw a 'collapsing rectangle of golden light' descending slowly.
• Report 77/104 (May 30, 1977): Swinton, Greater Manchester. Carolyn Ward and her mother saw a cluster of golden lights resembling a ship.
• Report 7787 (June 5, 1977): Swinton, Greater Manchester. Catherine Chapman saw an orange/red ball of light with lights around the middle, which hovered and moved.
• Report 77/105 (June 3, 1977): Salford, Greater Manchester. A silver light moved parallel to the earth's surface, emitting sparks before exploding.
• Report 77/106 (June 12, 1977): Brecon, Powys. An object the size of a car, sausage-shaped with a gold lump, was observed moving with a darkish cloud.
• Report 77/108 (June 29, 1977): Sheffield, South Yorks. An object illuminated a cloud and hovered before accelerating away at terrific speed.
• Report 77/109 (July 1, 1977): Warrington, Cheshire. A brilliant white light was seen shining into a bedroom, hovering, and then shooting into a cloud.
• Report 77/110 (July 5, 1977): Marple, Cheshire. Children and an adult witnessed a light that hovered, changed color, and elongated.
• Report 77/111 (July 18, 1977): Hilderstone, Staffs. An orange light grew brighter, lit up the sky, and sank slowly, leaving a glow.

UFO HOVERS OVER LAKE (August 18, 1974)

This report details an incident at Betley Hall where Philip Bailey observed a strange, disc-shaped, charcoal grey object hovering over a lake. The object moved across the water's surface and then accelerated upwards, with pigeons attempting to 'buzz' it.

THE CAR THAT DISAPPEARED

This case, occurring during the August/September 1974 flap, involves a witness who reported a simple light in the sky. After this was disputed as a Russian Satellite, the witness was reportedly visited by men in a black jaguar car. Police involvement led to the car and its occupants vanishing before their eyes, a case deemed difficult to explain.

UFOIN NEWS

This section notes the vindication of the 'law' of ufology with a significant flap in May, following a period of low incidence. Several high-strangeness cases are highlighted, including a landing with traces near Elgin, Scotland, and an incident at Burringham involving a roaring noise. Investigations into physical effects and possible E/M effects from a Bridlington sighting are also mentioned. The section promotes combining NUN subscriptions with FSR.

NUFON PLANS FOR THE COMING FLAP

In anticipation of a major flap predicted for Autumn/Winter, NUFON is establishing 'Flap control' stations. Roy Dutton and John Cree will serve as control points, plotting incoming reports on a wall map to provide constant updates on activity and facilitate the search for corroborative reports. Members are urged to call in with any reports.

NEWS ROUND-UP (Paul Whetnall)

This section covers various organizational activities and news:

• NUFOIS now houses NUFON and UFOIN files, offering printing services and competitive rates.
• Bryan Hartley at FAPURG is managing overseas liaison, sending out NUN issues and editing 'Northern UFology'. He is also preparing a new overseas digest for NUFON.
• A nationwide conference was held in Ireland at Naas, with the IURC attending and planning a report.
• MUFORA will host open meetings/lectures on subjects including extraterrestrial life and atmospheric optical phenomena.
• Jenny Randles was featured in the Warrington Guardian.
• PULSE has released its second issue of PULSAR.
• UFORUM is undertaking research projects including leyography and astronomy, and has released its magazine 'Commentary'.
• UFORA Staffs are investigating strange cases, including one involving a cat possibly reincarnated from two deceased cats.
• FUFOR held its second meeting with some criticism of NUFON.
• The Center for UFO Studies has provided NUFON with a printout of animal interference cases.
• Gary Lanham is seeking a copy of 'They walk amongst us' by Kurt Glemser.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed reporting and investigation of UFO sightings, the analysis of historical UFO data (specifically the 1967 flap), and the anticipation of future UFO activity ('flaps'). A significant underlying theme is the evolving understanding of the UFO phenomenon, moving away from purely physical explanations towards a consideration of psychic and paranormal connections. The editorial stance, as expressed by the editor, is one of profound personal re-evaluation and a call to embrace a broader, more integrated view of the phenomenon, urging researchers to 'fight' for the truth despite potential pressures or skepticism.