Northern UFO News - No 55

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 55
Date: December 1978
Publisher: NORTHERN UFO NETWORK (NUFON)
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of NORTHERN UFO NEWS, dated December 1978, is a newsletter from the Northern UFO Network (NUFON), based in Irlam, Lancashire. It is edited by Jenny Randles and Paul Whetnall.

Editorial: 'Of flashy moths.... and other things'

The editorial, penned by the editors Jenny Randles and Paul Whetnall, addresses a recent paper by US scientists Philip Callahan and RW Mankin, published in NEW SCIENTIST, which suggests that some UFO sightings might be caused by insect swarms, specifically budworm moths. The scientists found a correlation between UFO sightings and moth infestations and demonstrated that visible light can be generated by insects in an electric field. The editorial acknowledges the validity of this proposition, especially for sightings involving amorphous glowing phenomena. It stresses that while proving UFOs are advanced technological machines would be tremendous, it's important not to dismiss mundane explanations, as this often causes ufologists to shy away from down-to-earth hypotheses. The editors criticize the tendency within the UFO community to defend or attack fanciful hypotheses rather than examining extrapolations of present phenomena. They argue that the 'scientific UFO' is less appealing than the 'science fiction UFO', leading to opposing camps. The editorial concludes by urging the community to bring to light all phenomena associated with UFO records, including atmospheric effects and weather phenomena, stating that pursuing the 'holy grail' of exotic UFOs at the expense of solid data is not science or ufology.

The editors extend Christmas and New Year wishes for 1979 to all ufologists.

News Round-Up

David Rees provides a roundup of UFO news from late 1978. This section mentions:

• The Redditch UFO Study & Investigation Group is organizing based on the USAAF 'Technical Information Sheet'.
• The ex-investigation and research team from the British Flying Saucer Bureau in Bristol has formed a new group called UFO INTERNATIONAL, planning a magazine called 'Quest'.
• NUFON is featured in an article in '19', a women's fashion magazine, including a free comb.
• An article in the December issue of PHOTOGRAPHY magazine, titled "Has anyone photographed a UFO?", discusses the subject and quotes Jenny Randles, Peter Warrington, Barry King, and Stephen Cleaver of FUFOR.
• FUFOR is working on new skywatch equipment for more accurate detection and recording.
• John Watson of CHRYSIS has been asked to provide lectures for the YMCA at Sunderland.
• Malcolm Jay has designed a new pocket-sized UFO detector.
• Researcher Derek James has had to cut back his work due to ill health.
• The publication of FUFOR's first magazine, 'UFO INSIGHT', is announced, featuring articles by various contributors.
• CUFORO is publishing a newsletter similar to UAPROL data sheets.
• CHRYSIS 78 number 2 is out, with critical pieces on Ray Stanford's book and UFOs by an astronomer.
• BUFORA JOURNAL (Nov/Dec) includes an article on Brinsley Le Poer Trench and a rundown of BUFORA's year.
• MUFOB issue 12 (Autumn 78) contains an analysis of car stop statistics and part two of Nigel Watson's investigation of a junior contactee.
• The next issue of NORTHERN UFOLOGY will focus on "UFOs as extraterrestrial spaceships?", and readers are invited to submit their views by Christmas.
• The sightings section has been revamped.
• A reminder that subscriptions run out and a renewal fee of £3 is required for 1979 issues.
• Jenny Randles clarifies that an article published under her name, "HUMANOIDS INVADE EN GLAND", was altered by an American publication, with fake photographs included without her consent.

The Lefreniere-Persinger Hypothesis

Ken Philips explains the project to test the Lefreniere-Persinger Hypothesis, which suggests anomalous phenomena are geographically linked. The testing involves several phases:

• Phase One: Plotting witness locations on a large map and devising a grid system of optimum unit area to identify clusters of events.
• Phase Two: Checking available records for paranormal phenomena, weather, and poltergeist activity in cluster areas to see if they correlate with UFOs.
• Phase Three: Examining astronomical, meteorological, and seismological records for major disturbances around the time of events in cluster areas.
• Phase Four: Studying the geological structure of cluster areas for faults, crystal deposits, or water channels.
• Phase Five: Repeating phases two to four for a control area with low UFO activity to ensure the pattern is specific to the cluster areas.

The hypothesis is considered successfully tested if the control sample does not show the same pattern. The project requires no special skills, only detective work, and can be done using existing NUFON data.

Low Definition Activity

This section details 12 cases of UFO sightings with limited information:

• Summer 1967: Stationary silver dot observed at noon.
• 23 Feb 1977: White star hovered and shot away at great speed.
• 23 Jul 1977: Zig-zagging white lights seen for 10 minutes.
• 2 Jan 1978: Red lights that seemed to do 90° turns, flashing like aircraft lights.
• 1 Apr 1978: Four yellow lights, set on a square pattern, rotating.
• 21 Jul 1978: Witness saw searchlight on clouds from within, heard a flapping noise.
• 31 Jul 1978: Pos Helicopter?
• Aug 1978: Twin white lights swinging back and forth on zigzag right angle courses.
• 2 Sep 1978: White lights swinging back and forth on zigzag right angle courses.
• 5 Sep 1978: Lights moved back and forth.
• 5 Nov 1978: Bright red spotlight hovered for 2 minutes, became white and faded out.

Of these 12 cases, 8 are unidentified and 4 have insufficient data.

Medium Definition Activity

This section details 12 cases of UFO sightings with more descriptive information:

• Late 1950's: A large silver disc with a dome and portholes was seen hovering low over fields, then accelerated away silently.
• Unknown 1968: An orange cigar-shaped object with a slight dome accelerated rapidly to be overhead, then shot away east.
• Oct-Dec 1969: An object described as an upturned bunsen-burner flame, blue/violet, climbed and dematerialised.
• June 1977: Three boys reported an oval object glowing white with a green light underneath and a blue one atop, with lights on the middle, hovering before moving off.
• 17 Aug 1978: Two bright 'stars' appeared as a dome atop with windows, emitting dull houselight, moving slower than an aircraft with a slight waver, accompanied by a buzz/hum.
• 22 Sep 1978: A triangular-shaped object with a mass of lights, described as droning and roaring, was seen by multiple witnesses.
• 5 Oct 1978: A strange, exceptionally bright oval object with a dome hovered over the town before accelerating away at unbelievable speed.
• 6 & 8 Oct 1978: A large red sausage-shaped object was observed, followed by an orange light that approached as two saucers joined together.
• 13 Oct 1978: A round dark shape with red lights and green lights, seeming to rotate, moved slowly and climbed.
• 28 Oct 1978: An unusual light hovered, pulsated, then appeared as a round disc with a slight dome and red lights, moving slowly and making a faint humming sound.
• 8 Nov 1978: A diamond-shaped object with lights in a cross formation moved slowly west and disappeared suddenly.
• 16 Nov 1978: A light hovered, appeared oval and golden with a red light at the rear, contracted to a pinpoint and vanished, later seen again higher and moving fast.

Of these 12 cases, 8 are unidentified and 4 have insufficient data.

Close Encounter of the First Kind Activity

This section details 6 cases:

• May 1957: A silver disc with opaque windows and a red/green glow was seen hovering, then took off very fast.
• May 29 1977: A bright ball of fire appeared, followed by yellow 'stars' that merged, descending and seeming to land, with the witness feeling hypnotically pulled.
• 2 Feb 1978: A stationary pea-sized silver object accelerated to hover directly overhead, appearing as a dome with windows, then accelerated away.
• 29 Oct 1978: A car radio experienced interference, and an object like a bell with tiered windows, white in color, was seen hovering, then tilted and moved away.
• 1 Nov 1978: A roar like a low jet was heard, followed by a row of four white lights moving north, later corroborated by reports of a large object terrifying boys.
• 8 Oct 1978: A family reported a large silvery dome with three 'bumps' underneath, flashing white lights, and a faint hum, moving west. Another report links this with a lighted object descending towards the road and a figure in a reflective suit.

Of these 6 cases, 4 are unidentified and 2 have insufficient data.

Summary of Close Encounter Activity

This issue contains 29 cases in total: 11 low definition, 12 medium definition, 5 CE1, and 1 CE3A. Of these, 6 cases have probable identifications (3 aircraft types, 1 balloon, 1 meteor, 1 star), 9 have insufficient data (probably identifiable), and 14 are unidentified (48%). The cases are from various regions in the UK, including Cheshire, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, Anglesey, Northumbria, Merseyside, Salop, and Durham. The period of October 5-10 generated 6 reports, with October 8 being particularly notable.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the reporting and investigation of UFO sightings. The editorial stance, as articulated by Jenny Randles and Paul Whetnall, emphasizes a balanced approach, advocating for the consideration of mundane explanations alongside more exotic hypotheses. There is a clear call for rigorous, scientific investigation and data analysis, moving away from purely speculative or sensationalist approaches to ufology. The issue highlights the importance of collecting and meticulously documenting witness testimony and physical evidence, as demonstrated by the detailed case reports and the explanation of the Lefreniere-Persinger Hypothesis testing methodology. The publication aims to serve as a co-ordination centre for researchers, promoting a more systematic and credible study of UFO phenomena.