Ouranos - No 30 - 2e trim 1964

Magazine Overview

Title: OURANOS
Issue: Nº 30
Volume: 13º Année
Publication Type: Mensuelle (Monthly)
Publisher: Commission Internationale d'Enquêtes Scientifiques
Country: France
Language: French
Cover Headline: MYSTERES ET ENSEIGNEMENTS DES DERNIERS RAPPORTS ET STATISTIQUES OFFICIELS AMERICAINS (Mysteries and Teachings from the Latest Reports and Official American Statistics)

This issue of 'Ouranos', a French international review dedicated to the study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), critically examines the official reports and statistics published by the United States Air Force (USAF) concerning aerial phenomena.

Analysis of US Official Reports and Statistics

The article begins by noting the recurring annual reports from American "experts" that dismiss UFOs as non-existent or explainable. The author, Marc Thirouin, expresses skepticism, suggesting that the public should be more concerned about unidentified objects flying overhead whose origins and intentions are unknown. He argues that if cases are not explained by natural or human causes, they remain "unidentified objects" (UFOs).

The "Blue Book" Commission's Methodology

The article details the methodology employed by the USAF's "Commission Soucoupe" (later known as Project Blue Book). It highlights how the commission classifies phenomena as "unexplained" only if they are well-observed, have proven elements, contain sufficient information for a conclusion, and that conclusion allows no explanation. However, the article criticizes this by stating that if a phenomenon *could* be explained by a known cause (e.g., a weather balloon), it is considered explained, even if no such instrument was detected. This approach is likened to a math exam where complex questions are posed to a student, leading to a failing grade and the conclusion that the student didn't learn the course.

Important statistics are presented, noting that over 8,000 cases were examined by the "Commission Soucoupe" from 1947 to 1963. The article points out that the USAF's "Fact Sheet" program, intended to provide information to the public, did not publish data for 1962, claiming the information did not warrant publication, despite statistics showing a high proportion of unidentified objects that year.

Statistical Trends and Correlations

Detailed statistics from 1956 to 1963 are provided, categorizing observations into astronomical phenomena (aviations, balloons, insufficient data) and "other cases" (mystifications, psychological causes, missiles, reflections, natural phenomena, etc.), including "non-identified" objects. A key observation is that while the total number of observations fluctuated, the percentage of "non-identified" objects remained relatively stable or even decreased over the years, particularly from 1956 onwards.

This trend leads to a paradoxical conclusion: the article suggests that the frequency of observation errors might be fluctuating, rather than the passage of UFOs. It notes that the "non-identified" percentage follows an inverse curve to the total number of observations.

The Mars Cycle Connection

A significant finding presented is the correlation between the maximum number of UFO observations and the orbital cycle of the planet Mars, specifically its perigee (closest approach to Earth). The article lists several instances where observation peaks occurred shortly after Mars's perigee, particularly the perihelic perigee in September 1956. This cyclical relationship, observed over many years, is presented as evidence that the phenomena are not random but potentially linked to astronomical events.

Criticism of Official Stance and Potential Explanations

The article strongly criticizes the USAF's consistent denial of UFO existence, suggesting it is a deliberate obfuscation. It questions the reasons behind this stance, proposing possibilities such as: fear of public panic, political tactics, or an unwillingness to confront phenomena that challenge established scientific paradigms and human authority. The author, Marc Thirouin, personally believes the explanation lies in a human fear of the marvelous and anything that surpasses current human capabilities and understanding.

Key Incidents and Data

• 1957 Report: Stated no physical or material proof of UFO existence was found by the Air Force after six years of investigation.
• 1963 Report: Concluded that no evidence indicated unidentified objects were technological advancements beyond current scientific knowledge, nor did any evidence suggest they were extraterrestrial vehicles.
• Cpt Ruppelt's Observation (1952): A "fireball" narrowly missed a C-54 aircraft and then performed a 90-degree rotation over Goose aerodrome, prompting a discussion about the improbability of two meteors behaving identically in such a short interval.
• Statistical Data (1947-1963): 8,128 total cases analyzed by the "Commission Soucoupe." The article estimates this represents a much larger number of actual observations (around 224,500).
• Percentage of Unidentified Objects: Decreased significantly from 26.94% (1947-1952) to as low as 1.60% (1957) and 1.93% (1958) in later years, with a slight increase to 3.93% in 1963.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the critical examination of official explanations for UFO phenomena, particularly those provided by the US government. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards official denials and a belief that many unexplained aerial phenomena are genuine and warrant serious investigation. The magazine promotes the idea that UFOs are real and that official bodies are either deliberately concealing information or are fundamentally flawed in their investigative approach. The connection to astronomical cycles, like that of Mars, is presented as a significant factor that official reports overlook or deliberately ignore. The underlying message is that the "mystery" of UFOs lies not in the cosmos, but within the institutions tasked with studying them.

This issue of "Ouranos" is a compilation of reports on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), primarily focusing on sightings that occurred in France during 1962 and 1963, with some older historical cases also included. The magazine is published by C.I.E.S. OURANOS and is dated 1964, with issue number 31 and volume 29.

Detailed Sightings and Reports

The core of the magazine consists of a chronological listing of reported sightings, often with detailed descriptions of the objects, their behavior, duration, and witness accounts. These reports span various regions of France:

• April 24-25, 1962: In Bramans, near Modane (Savoie), customs officers observed a yellowish luminous point for 8 minutes.
• June 5, 1962: In Vias, near Béziers (Hérault), a large white, very luminous ball descended from a cloud and was followed by two luminous points emerging from the cloud. The phenomenon lasted 20 minutes.
• July 17, 1962: In Dignes (Htes Alpes), a luminous disk was observed for 15 minutes before disappearing rapidly to the North.
• August 6-7, 1962: In Manosque (B.Alpes), a luminous cigar shape was seen moving from East to West.
• September 20, 1962: In Orvault, near Nantes (L.A.), a round, fiery red object, the size of a football, passed at 100m altitude for 2-3 seconds, leaving a short trail.
• November 19, 1962: In Fréjus (Var), two fireballs the size of footballs were observed. A previous sighting of a fireball falling into the sea was also mentioned.
• December 7, 1962: In St-Nazaire (L.A.), a luminous object was observed, possibly a high-altitude jet aircraft.
• December 31, 1962: In La Bajole, near Limoux, and La Digne-d'Aval, near Carcassonne (Aude), a luminous object with circular and saccadic evolutions was observed for about a minute before extinguishing.
• Late December 1962 or Early January 1963: In St-Pierre-de-Vassols, near Modène (Vaucluse), three reddish luminous balls passed one after another, then accelerated and disappeared.
• January 14, 1963: In Arcachon (Gir.), a long luminous bar moved across the sky, lighting up and extinguishing for 10 minutes. It was not observed by nearby air bases.
• April 30, 1963: In Trappes (S-&-O), a fixed red ball with sharp edges, the size of a lentil held at arm's length, was observed for 2 minutes.
• March 30, 1963: In Brest (Finistère), an object described as a brilliant, slowly moving object, possibly an artificial satellite, was observed through a telescope.
• March 31, 1963: 13 km from Angers (M-&-L), an object appearing to be composed of three distinct parts was observed for 3-4 minutes.
• June 5, 1963: In Béziers (Hérault), a very brilliant reddish object with an apparent magnitude of -1 disappeared after being visible for 25 seconds.
• July 8, 1963: In Nice (A.M.), a witness reported seeing an "étoile" (star) that moved, disappeared behind a tree, and then two other "stars" fled at prodigious speed.
• July 8, 1963: In Juan-les-Pins (A.M.), two objects with pointed extremities and greenish reflections moved at a speed comparable to Caravelles preparing to land at Nice airport. Their trajectories were parallel, but one object made a 90-degree deviation.
• July 16, 1963: In Le Vigan (Gard), a red brick fire ball was reported.
• August 18 or 25, 1963: In Nantes (L.A.), a luminous object traversed the sky at high speed from North to South.
• August 22, 1963: In Aire-sur-Adour (Landes), two luminous points, one yellowish and the other orange, moved in parallel. One suddenly turned at a right angle and they progressively disappeared.
• September 7, 1963: In Ivry (Seine), the metal roof of a hangar was mysteriously damaged over an 18m² area. Investigations ruled out internal explosions or meteorite impacts.
• September 17, 1963: In Perpignan (P.O.), ten circular, multicolored luminous objects were observed, immobile at the zenith, then disappearing and reappearing. They then formed a V shape and disappeared at considerable speed towards the Canigou.
• November 2, 1963: In Mehun-sur-Yèvre (Cher), a brilliant point, like a star of medium magnitude, moved slowly and appeared to deviate slightly from its trajectory.
• Early November 1963: Near Nogent-le-Rotrou (E-&-L), a scintillating ball of blinding light that grew in intensity for 5 seconds before disappearing "in a cross" was observed.
• November 21, 1963: In Bordeaux (Gir.), an elongated object, comparable in length to the Moon's diameter, with a white luminosity and a long "tail", passed across the sky at a speed about 10 times faster than a jet plane.
• November 1963 (date unspecified): On Ile Madame (Char. Mar.), an object brilliant like a star moved from South to North for 3 minutes at high altitude, appearing to change its trajectory.
• December 7, 1963: In Barcelonnette (B.Alpes), the valley was illuminated for a few seconds by the passage of a very luminous ball.

Historical Observations

The magazine also revisits older observations:

• August 1, 1871: In Marseille (B.d.Rh.), astronomer Coggia observed a "bolide" for 20 minutes, exhibiting aberrant trajectory, stationarity, and direction changes. This case is presented as a classic example of prolonged visibility.
• November 11, 1883: A letter references an article in "La Nature" about a bolide observed by M. Coggia, highlighting its exceptional duration of visibility (20 minutes) and unusual characteristics.

International Reports

Brief mentions are made of reports from other regions, including:

• Argentina: An incident at Ezeiza Aerodrome on December 22, 1962, involving a large, luminous disk observed by pilots and air traffic control. The object ascended rapidly and was described as more intense than a weather balloon and faster than any known aircraft.

Special Sections and Communications

• Photodoc Service: An announcement for a periodic diffusion service providing photocopies of original documents concerning unknown spacecraft.
• Reviews: Several books are reviewed, including "Mission T" by Jimmy Guieu, "Le Carnaval des Vautours" by Claude Rank, "Votez Bérurier" by Commissaire San-Antonio, "Les Garçons et les Filles" by Patricia Callagher, "Les Cahiers de cours de Moïse" by Jean Sendy, "Les Apparitions de 'Martiens'" by Michel Carrouges, and "Histoire inconnue des Hommes depuis 100.000 ans" by Robert Charroux.
• Communications from C.I.E.S.: Updates on the organization's activities, including a delay in publication due to relocation, the upcoming release of "Ouranos" No. 31, and a call for address changes and inquiries.
• Correspondence: A letter from M. A. Castou regarding an unusual "moving star" observed in June of the previous year, and a response to M. J.Y. Longin explaining colored circles around the moon as a diffraction phenomenon.
• Eratum: A correction for a previous issue's page 29.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the meticulous documentation and reporting of UAP sightings, emphasizing witness testimonies and observable characteristics. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into these phenomena, acknowledging the difficulty in explaining them with conventional hypotheses (like balloons or aircraft) and suggesting the possibility of unknown aerial objects. The magazine encourages readers to submit their own observations and actively participates in the study of UAP through its "Ouranos" publication and the C.I.E.S. organization.