Northern UFO News - No 98

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 98
Date: November 1982
Publisher: Northern UFO Network (NUFON)
Country: United Kingdom
Price: £2.80 (with Case Histories £4.20 for 1983 subscription)

This issue of NORTHERN UFO NEWS features a critical review of the BBC-2 HORIZON documentary 'The Case of the UFOs,' an in-depth discussion of Paul Devereux's book 'EARTHLIGHTS,' and a compilation of UFO investigation reports.

Editorial: "Glimmers of light on the HORIZON"

Editor Jenny Randles reviews the BBC-2 HORIZON documentary 'The Case of the UFOs,' broadcast on October 18, 1982. While acknowledging the producer John Groom's effort, Randles expresses disappointment and dissatisfaction. She agrees with the documentary's deconstruction of the 'UFOs are spaceships' myth, but argues that it was overly dismissive of the broader subject, portraying ufology as a modern social fantasy and failing to represent serious researchers. Randles criticizes the program's heavy reliance on skeptics like James Oberg and Philip Klass, and its omission of significant government-sponsored investigations like GEPAN. She feels the documentary focused too much on explainable phenomena and the 'dross' of the subject, neglecting more substantial cases and the potential for genuine anomalies. Despite its flaws, Randles concedes the documentary was well-produced and likely effective in educating the public, perhaps too effective, as she notes a decrease in UFO reports.

Randles also mentions an ITV offering, 'THE FINAL FRONTIER,' which tackles UFOs on November 3rd.

Book Review: EARTHLIGHTS by Paul Devereux

This section extensively reviews Paul Devereux's book 'EARTHLIGHTS,' which Jenny Randles describes as a major work for experienced researchers. Devereux, an earth mysteries researcher, proposes a theory linking UFO phenomena to earth energy and psychokinesis, suggesting ancient peoples may have recognized UFOs as energy sources and built megalithic sites to channel this power. Randles finds Devereux's arguments persuasive, particularly his personal 1967 UFO experience, but notes that his approach sometimes strains to fit his theory, particularly in connecting fault lines and stone circles. She also critiques Devereux's interpretation of her and Peter Warrington's work in 'UFOs: A British Viewpoint,' arguing he misrepresents their position on objective phenomena and UAPs (Unidentified Atmospheric Phenomena). Despite these criticisms, Randles praises Devereux for effectively demonstrating the origins of UFOs (or UAPs) and merging this with psychokinetic theory, calling the book a landmark in UFO literature.

Randles highlights Devereux's theory that 'solid lightbeams' are not from UFOs to Earth but streams of ions feeding energy from the Earth to atmospheric plasmas. She discusses his use of statistical data, questioning the reliability of some BUFORA reports. Ultimately, she concludes that Devereux is largely correct about 'earthlights' and that his work provides a testable theory that science should investigate.

Postscript: The Earth has the final word!

Randles recounts a personal experience near the Berwyn mountains in Wales, where she witnessed a tall spire of white mist that appeared to alter shape, reinforcing her beliefs about the power of mountains and UFO phenomena. This event occurred shortly after reading Devereux's book and discussing mountain power with him.

Investigations

This section details numerous UFO sighting reports, categorized by date and location:

• 1979: Nov 23 (Speke, Merseyside): A green solid ball, bus-sized, with a vapourous trail, seen at rooftop height.
• 1982: Aug 21/22 (Northampton): Groups of yellow/white lights seen by children, identified as Perseid meteors.
• 1982: Aug 22 (Bradford): Two yellow/white lights that grew larger and pulsed, also attributed to meteors.
• 1982: Aug 24 (Scotland): Round/oval greenish-white objects seen heading SW, identified as Perseid fireballs.
• 1982: Aug 26/28 (Scunthorpe): A tennis ball-sized object observed after seeing two identical suns on the horizon.
• 1982: Oct 14 (East Scotland): A 'blazing aircraft' or rocket shape with a spark trail, possibly satellite re-entry or a fireball.
• 1982: Oct 17 (Rawreth, Essex): A green intense light descending rapidly with a red pulsating mass, identified as a fireball.
• 1982: Oct 15 (Ilkley, W Yorks): A brilliant white light described as 'like a very large star' that appeared to play tag with witnesses.
• 1954: Mid Nov (Carlisle): An object like two interlinked silvery chains, hovering and spinning, seen during a military parade.
• 1980: May 03 (Fort William): An orange object with a flashing white light on top, seen to rotate and displaying a triangular underside.
• 1980: Nov (Fort William): A bright white light, like Venus, observed climbing and hovering, described as a ball surrounded by pulsating white lights, possibly ball lightning.
• 1982: Mar 19 (Barton-U-Needwood): A cigar-shaped object with blue lights, possibly a meteor.
• 1982: April (Cumbernauld): A flashing mass of orange light, visible as a stationary ball radiating bursts of orange, later seen as a sparkling yellow light, moving at speed. The object has a dome shape with structured panels.

Medium Definition Cases

This section continues with more detailed case reports:

• 1954: Mid Nov (Carlisle): A witness describes seeing a hovering and spinning object like two interlinked silvery chains during an Army passing out parade. Several other soldiers also saw it.
• 1980: May 03 (Fort William): A hairdressing salon owner and her husband saw an orange object with a flashing white light on top, which rotated and had a triangular underside. It emerged from three triangular sections.
• 1980: Nov (Fort William): A woman saw a bright white light that climbed in jerks and hovered, then moved off fast. Through binoculars, it appeared as a ball surrounded by pulsating white lights, possibly ball lightning.
• 1982: Mar 19 (Barton-U-Needwood): A report of a cigar-shaped object with blue lights, possibly a meteor, though inconsistencies exist.
• 1982: April (Cumbernauld): An independent report comparing to the Fort William case, describing a UFO that appears repeatedly. The object was initially a flashing mass of orange light, then a stationary ball radiating orange bursts, and finally a sparkling yellow light. It has a dome shape and structured panels. The witness is determined to photograph it.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical evaluation of UFO media coverage, particularly the BBC's HORIZON documentary, and the exploration of alternative theories such as earth energy and psychokinesis, as presented in Paul Devereux's book. The editorial stance, as represented by Jenny Randles, is one of critical engagement with the UFO subject. While acknowledging the need to debunk hoaxes and explain away misidentifications, the publication clearly advocates for the existence of genuine UFO phenomena that warrant serious investigation, distinguishing itself from purely skeptical viewpoints. The extensive 'Investigations' section underscores a commitment to documenting and analyzing reported sightings, suggesting a belief in the importance of collecting and scrutinizing such data.