OMNI

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: January 1979
Price: $2.00
Publisher: Omni Publications International Ltd.
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of OMNI magazine, dated January 1979, presents a diverse range of speculative and scientific topics, with a strong emphasis on the frontiers of science, technology, and the unexplained. The cover prominently features "EXCLUSIVE: FIRST PICTURES OF THE ATOM" and highlights articles on "ULTRA-INTELLIGENT MACHINES," "DAEDALUS: THE FIRST STARSHIP," and "HOW TO BUILD AN ANTI-GRAVITY MACHINE." It also includes contributions from notable figures such as Buckminster Fuller, Jerry Brown, and Rusty Schweickart discussing "OUR FUTURE IN SPACE," and Isaac Asimov on "LABOR'S LOVE LOST."

The Coyne Incident: UFO Update

The lead article, "The Coyne Incident: UFO Update" by James Oberg, delves into one of the most impressive UFO cases on record, involving an encounter by Captain Larry Coyne and his army helicopter crew near Mansfield, Ohio, on October 18, 1973. The incident, described as spectacular and unexplainable, involved a strange red light pacing the helicopter, followed by the UFO stopping overhead, bathing the crew in a green light, and speeding off. The crew reported instrument malfunctions and radio failure, and the helicopter was allegedly trapped in an antigravity vortex, rising thousands of meters before the pilot regained control.

Jennie Zeidman, an Ohio investigator, is cited as a leading authority on the pro-UFO side, preparing a major report for the International UFO Reporter. Philip J. Klass, an editor at Aviation Week and a prominent UFO skeptic, offers a "non-UFO explanation," suggesting the object was a bright fireball meteor, possibly from the Orionid shower. Klass's theory is challenged by several points: the duration of the sighting, the description of a structured object, and the reported "stop" of the UFO, which he argues could not be accomplished by a natural object. Despite Klass's attempts to explain away witness testimony and alleged inconsistencies, the case remains a significant point of discussion.

Klass's subsidiary observations, such as the radio failure being attributed to low altitude and the "mysterious rise" being a pilot's instinctive reaction, have been partially verified. However, the core of the debate lies in the interpretation of the visual and instrumental data. The article notes that while pilots are generally considered trained observers, UFO investigators have found that they can be prone to misidentifications, particularly of astronomical objects.

Ground witnesses surfaced years later, claiming to have seen the UFO circle the helicopter, but Klass and David Schroth of MUFON argue that this testimony contradicts the pilot's account regarding the object's position and direction of travel.

The Russian Jellyfish UFO Incident

Another significant section of the magazine addresses UFO reports from around the world, focusing on a peculiar incident in Russia. On September 20, 1977, residents of the industrial town of Petrozavodsk, near Leningrad, witnessed a giant, glowing "jellyfish"-like object with luminous tentacles hanging in the sky. TASS, the official Soviet news agency, initially labeled it an "unusual natural phenomenon." Western reports, however, quickly labeled it a UFO.

Skeptics, including analysts on the UFO Subcommittee of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, identified the object as the glowing exhaust plume of a rocket carrying the Cosmos-955 spy satellite, launched from the secret Plesetsk space center. This explanation was initially accepted by most leading UFO groups.

However, the case resurfaced when the National Enquirer reported that the "jellyfish UFO" had inflicted damage on the city, breaking windows and drilling holes in paving stones. This led some UFO groups to question the "secret rocket" explanation. A new version suggested the rocket had exploded over the city, showering it with fragments. Skeptics dismissed the damage reports as hysteria and rumors, noting that reporters had obtained their data from Moscow without visiting the site.

Later, a scientist named M. Dimitreyev offered an "official" Soviet explanation, claiming the UFO was "swampsky gas" – luminescent smog from nearby industrial areas. This explanation was met with cynicism by UFO experts, who compared it to the infamous "swamp gas" explanation for the Michigan UFOs in 1966.

The article concludes that the Russian jellyfish UFO incident, despite its questionable legitimacy due to its reporting by TASS and the National Enquirer, has become a part of UFO lore, fueled by ongoing public anxiety and government attempts to control information about such phenomena in the USSR.

Other Articles and Features

The issue also includes a brief mention of a lenticular cloud formation photographed in Brazil in 1967. The magazine also features an advertisement for Wild Turkey Bourbon, including a historical anecdote about Benjamin Franklin proposing the Wild Turkey as a symbol of the country. The artwork for the Wild Turkey advertisement is by Ken Davies.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

OMNI magazine in this issue positions itself as a publication at the forefront of exploring scientific advancements, future possibilities, and unexplained phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting both mainstream scientific views and more speculative or fringe theories, particularly concerning UFOs and advanced technology. There is a clear interest in pushing the boundaries of knowledge, whether it's visualizing the atom, contemplating interstellar travel, or investigating controversial sightings like the Coyne Incident and the Russian jellyfish UFO. The magazine aims to inform and engage readers with cutting-edge ideas and intriguing mysteries, encouraging critical thinking while acknowledging the limits of current understanding.