Ouranos - No 28 - sept 1961

Magazine Overview

Title: Ouranos
Issue: No. 28
Volume: 10th Year
Date: September 1961
Publisher: Commission Internationale d'Enquêtes Scientifiques
Type: International Review for the Study of Unknown Spacecraft

Main Cover Story: "On a observé" (Observed)

The magazine's primary focus is on recent UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) observations, with a significant section dedicated to sightings in metropolitan France during 1961. Several detailed accounts are presented:

• August 18th, La Baule (L.A.): A luminous, haloed mass was observed at 3:02 AM, appearing from the South. It immobilized itself a few hundred meters above the casino, becoming dark but still visible due to the night's clarity. Witnesses reported an influx of heat during its stationary period. The object then ascended rapidly, becoming luminous again before disappearing. The La Baule climatological station recorded a significant temperature increase (1,380 microvolts) during the event, far exceeding typical July heat fluctuations.
• August 19th, Nantes (L.A.): A few minutes after midnight (night of August 18-19), a trail of orange sparks was seen, forming a hook shape and then disappearing. A similar phenomenon was observed around 0:20 AM.
• August 19th, Mont-Saint-Aignan (S.-Mar.): Between 10:10 PM and 10:20 PM, an object described as a star of 2nd or 3rd magnitude was observed. It moved with irregular speed, changing color from blue to progressively red, then yellow and orange, and finally emitting a flashing red light. It was observed for 7 to 10 seconds over an arc of approximately 25 degrees before disappearing behind clouds estimated at 1,000 meters altitude. The trajectory did not match that of the Echo-I satellite.
• April 5th, 1961, Montigny-lès-Metz (Moselle): Around 9:30 PM, a disc-shaped object, with an apparent diameter of a 5 Franc coin held at arm's length, emerged from the southern horizon. It described a curve towards the east, then ascended northwards and disappeared. These maneuvers took only a few seconds. The craft emitted a milky white light, brighter at the edges and center, and occulted stars as it moved, indicating its materiality. Its circular shape became more perfect as it ascended.

"Lettre de Hollande" (Letter from Holland)

This section, contributed by Teun van Ingen, addresses a UAP sighting from January 15th, 1961, in the Frisian province of the Netherlands. A large fiery ball, described as red with a purple glow, was observed moving slowly from 8:50 AM to 9:20 AM. Witnesses, including lighthouse keepers, estimated its altitude at 1,000 meters and its distance at 15 km. The object's slow movement led the Utrecht observatory to reject the meteor hypothesis. Initially, the observatory suggested Venus as an explanation, but witnesses strongly refuted this, stating they could distinguish Venus from the observed object.

Van Ingen expresses frustration with the Utrecht observatory's tendency to attribute such sightings to known astronomical bodies without thorough investigation, highlighting the witnesses' credibility and their familiarity with celestial objects.

He also includes a postscript mentioning an observation from South Africa on October 11th, 1960, of an object with a five-kilometer diameter, which bathed a village in green light and produced a loud noise.

Further French Sightings (Continued from page 15)

• August 20th, Nantes (L.A.): Around 0:20 AM, a circular object with a double green luminous trail was observed. This was not related to the Echo-I satellite.
• August 20th, Mont-Saint-Aignan (S.-Mar.): At 11:00 PM, an object the size of Venus, with a trajectory from Northeast to Southeast, changed color from blue to red, then yellow and orange, and finally emitted a flashing red light. It was observed for 7 to 10 seconds over 25 degrees before disappearing behind clouds at an estimated 1,000 meters altitude. The trajectory was compared to previous observations by M. A. Castou.
• August 22nd, Linard (Creuse): Between 10:15 PM and 10:21 PM, a star-like object of 2nd magnitude was observed near Arcturus, moving East to West at about 45 degrees above the horizon. Its speed was irregular, and it disappeared behind strato-cirrus clouds after a 6-minute observation over 120 degrees. The observer, M. A. Brunel, noted its luminosity would likely be less if it were a 1,000 km altitude artificial satellite.
• September 8th, Le Mas (St-Laurent-de-Muret, Lozère): At 7:57 PM, a reddish 'star' larger than Venus was seen East of Jupiter and Saturn, about 30 to 40 degrees above the horizon. The sky was clear, and the object appeared stationary for 1-2 minutes before moving slowly North, losing its brightness until it became invisible.

"Observation au radar d'une trajectoire de 377 km 500" (Radar Observation of a 377 km 500 Trajectory)

This section details a radar observation from February 1959, reported by a correspondent. An object of unknown origin was tracked moving at high speed over a long trajectory, from Southern Belgium to off the coast of the English Channel (377 km 500), with a course change near Doulens. The observation lasted 5 minutes and 40 seconds, with the object estimated to be at an altitude of 9 to 12,000 meters. The calculated speed was 4,000 km/h, with a margin of error of 2 to 3 km/h. The correspondent notes having previously observed objects with unusual behavior and high altitudes (up to 27 km).

"Le fragment métallique de Vins-sur-Caramy (Var)" (The Metallic Fragment from Vins-sur-Caramy (Var))

This article revisits the Vins-sur-Caramy incident from April 14th, 1957, where a conical craft was reportedly seen landing. It focuses on a small metallic fragment found on the road 48 hours later by Mme Marie-Laure DE NOAILLES. An analysis by a military laboratory revealed the fragment to be a small, bright metallic block weighing 7.838 g, with a density of 6.73. Its composition was primarily Iron (82%), Silicon (12.5%), Aluminium (4%), and Calcium (0.3%), with traces of Titanium. It was very hard, resistant to common acids, and not radioactive. The analysis concluded that the composition was unusual, particularly the high aluminum content. Experts from the Institut de Recherches Sidérurgiques and Société d'Electro-Chimie d'Ugine offered potential explanations, suggesting it might be a ferro-silicon alloy used in industrial processes, possibly related to corundum production, but noted the specific combination of elements was uncommon. The fragment appeared to be fused rather than fractured. The article concludes that the fragment's characteristics do not definitively prove an extraterrestrial origin, but the editors note that this does not diminish the unexplained nature of the landing itself.

"Pluie de filaments au passage d'un E.S.P.I. au-dessus d'Irun (Espagne)" (Rain of Filaments during the passage of a UAP over Irun (Spain))

Reported by Henry CHEVALIER, this incident occurred on October 14th, 1959, in Irun, Spain. An extremely luminous circular object, resembling a large star, moved silently and slowly across the sky. At the moment the object was directly overhead, significant quantities of filaments, described as 2-3 mm thick, transparent, slightly whitish, and viscous, fell onto the city. These filaments dissolved upon contact. The phenomenon lasted for 4 to 5 minutes. Hundreds of witnesses described the event similarly, and no conventional explanation was found. The conclusion drawn is that the object was an extraterrestrial craft.

"Nouvelles de l'Etranger... et d'ailleurs" (News from Abroad... and Elsewhere)

This section compiles various brief reports:

• Algeria: A 'ball of fire' was observed moving rapidly from East to West in Oran on January 29th, 1961.
• Reunion Island: On August 17th, 1961, at 7:30 PM, M. HOARAU and M. PITOU observed a large red luminous ball, turning yellow, followed by a trail of sparks, moving horizontally at high speed over Saint-Denis.
• Canada: On June 3rd, 1961, around 2:00 AM, an elliptical cloud with the color and luminosity of a full moon was observed in Montreal. It deformed for 65-75 seconds before resuming its shape, fading, and disappearing.
• Brazil: A disc-shaped UAP followed a commercial airplane for over an hour on June 4th, 1961, near Florianópolis. The UAP performed strange maneuvers around the aircraft.
• Greece: Four French individuals reported observing an unknown object that made a sharp 90-degree turn during an ascent on Mount Parnassus in August 1961.
• Sudan: An unknown object was observed by the entire crew of a Comet aircraft in May 1961, moving parallel to the plane at a maximum distance of 80 km. The report speculates a possible link to the crash of the Superstar Brazzaville-Paris shortly after.

"Quand les E. S. P. I. seront entrés dans l'Histoire..." (When UAPs Enter History...)

This is a fictional narrative presented as a dialogue between an astronaut and his son, Xlan. The astronaut criticizes a history teacher's dismissive view of ancient civilizations, suggesting they possessed advanced knowledge (anti-gravity, spatial energy, etc.) learned from extraterrestrials called 'Algoléens'. The story implies that true understanding comes from personal exploration beyond conventional academic knowledge.

"DANS LA PRESSE" (In the Press)

This section reviews recent articles and publications related to UAP and related topics:

• Libération: A series titled "Les enfants terribles du Cosmos" by Jean VIDAL is reviewed, covering extraterrestrials, science fiction, parapsychology, and cosmic art. It highlights interviews with UAP theorists and a feature on the C.I.E.S. OURANOS.
• Science et Vie (June 1961): An article by Aimé MICHEL discusses the 'phantom satellite' discovered in March 1961, suggesting an extraterrestrial origin due to its aberrant trajectory.
• Astrométéo: This bulletin from the Association de Recherches Françaises d'Astrométéorologie is noted for its studies on Cosmobiology and the historical and psychological impacts of meteorology.

"Photos d'objets inconnus" (Photos of Unknown Objects)

Two color slides are presented:

• One from M. R. LE FRANÇOIS shows a yellowish dotted line on a night sky, possibly a flashing light point taken with a 1/25th second exposure on September 8th or 9th, 1960.
• The other shows a series of pink spots along the upper edge of a view taken in the Berchtesgaden region in June 1957.

The magazine notes the difficulty in interpreting these images due to missing elements, particularly for the pink spots, which could be optical or photographic artifacts. The frequency of the flashing points (one every 1/325th of a second) would make them imperceptible to the naked eye.

"Communiqués de la C.I.E.S. 'Ouranos'"

This section thanks readers and correspondents for their contributions of press clippings and reports on UAP sightings. It also promotes a project for specialized information sheets on topics like astronautics, antigravity, satellites, and cosmic civilization, urging readers to subscribe to gauge interest and cover publication costs. A notice for the Committee of Study's meeting in Paris on October 28th, 1951, is also included.

Subscription and Financial Information

Details on subscriptions, available back issues, and donations to the magazine are provided. A list of recent donors and their contributions is included.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Ouranos are the detailed reporting and investigation of UAP sightings, with a strong emphasis on scientific analysis and witness credibility. The magazine consistently questions conventional explanations and leans towards the possibility of extraterrestrial origins for many phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, encouraging detailed observation and data collection while critically examining official explanations. There's a clear dedication to documenting these events and fostering a community of researchers and enthusiasts.