OVNI - 1996 02 - February

Magazine Overview

This issue of OVNI, the Newsletter of the Phenomenon Research Association, is dated February 1996. It features a cover with various symbolic illustrations related to UFOs and ancient mysteries, including a flying saucer, pyramid, Sphinx, and geoglyph. The price is listed as £1 plus postage, and 'Members Free'.

Flying Triangle Captured (on video)

The lead article details a UFO incident near Morecambe, United Kingdom, on Friday, February 2nd, 1996. Members of the Morecambe UFO group were alerted to a large object in the sky over Torrisholme, an ancient earth burial barrow. Witnesses described a huge 'Flying Triangle,' estimated to be 'as big as three Hercules aircraft,' hovering over the barrow. The group managed to capture video footage of the object as it moved towards the Heysham Nuclear Power Station before disappearing from view. The article notes that the Morecambe group obtained impressive video footage, which was to be shown at their conference on February 18th. The report speculates on the aliens' potential concern over nuclear fission and humanity's warlike nature, suggesting that aliens are controlling human advancement due to aggression. It also mentions that the editor's comments about aliens and atomic power are based on 'automatic writing' from a contactee case investigated years prior, and draws parallels to French and Chinese nuclear testing and potential military actions.

Hot News from the USA: A Response to Nova's Program on the UFO Abduction Phenomenon

This section features a press release from the Intruders Foundation, sent by Peter Robbins, an associate of Budd Hopkins. It addresses a Nova TV program titled 'Kidnapped by Aliens?' which Hopkins claims systematically and outrageously distorted the UFO abduction phenomenon and his work. Hopkins criticizes the program for abandoning objectivity and scientific investigation, characterizing it as a polemic. He specifically targets astronomer Carl Sagan, who stated that abduction accounts are delusions or hallucinations, arguing that Sagan presented no evidence to support this claim. Hopkins contrasts Sagan's opinion with a 1983 study by Dr. Elizabeth Slater, which he claims shows Sagan's opinion is unsupportable. He questions whether Nova made any effort to find evidence supporting Sagan's 'diagnosis' or asked abductees to undergo psychological tests. John, a former counselor and abductee featured on the program, offered to undergo any tests, but Nova reportedly ignored his offer.

The article further criticizes Nova's presentation of a family case, where a young mother described her abduction experiences, including encounters with 'little men' with large heads and dark eyes, and painful physical procedures. Her memories were reportedly real and not induced by hypnosis. Her husband also described witnessing their son being floated out of the house by aliens. Hopkins claims that this eyewitness testimony and dramatic film footage were suppressed by Nova through 'creative editing.' He states that he was portrayed as ascribing abduction memories to a child based on a single ambiguous reaction, despite the mother's detailed accounts and her son's questions about the events. Hopkins recounts that Nova producer Denise DiIanni initially stated she would only deal with people willing to show their faces on national TV, and that only a small percentage of abductees (about 15 out of over 500) agreed to appear, with most being highly credentialed individuals who had the most to lose. Nova reportedly declined to interview credible people even if they were filmed in silhouette. Hopkins also criticizes Nova's experts, including physicist Paul Horowitz, who allegedly stated that UFOs don't exist and have never landed. Hopkins chose to emphasize abduction accounts not involving hypnosis, but claims Nova implied hypnosis was the generating cause of these accounts and ignored contradictory data. He also mentions showing photographs of physical marks and scars from abductions, which were not featured in the program.

Encounters Magazine

This section addresses 'Encounters Magazine,' with the editor of OVNI apologizing for featuring a photograph of a supposed 'Aurora' refuelling from an aircraft tanker, which the editor of 'Encounters Magazine' admitted was a computer-manufactured fake. The OVNI editor states that their thoughts on this publication are shared by other prominent researchers. A letter from Graham William Birdsall, Editor of UFO Magazine, is included. Birdsall describes 'Encounters Magazine' as overwhelmingly negative in grass-roots opinion and put together by 'folk totally inexperienced in the field.' He dismisses a story in 'Encounters Magazine' attached to the bogus 'flying triangle' photograph as ridiculous.

The Evening Sky

This regular column by Barry Parkinson provides astronomical observations for February 1996. It highlights a spectacular conjunction of Venus and Saturn on February 2nd, visible in the southwestern sky. It also mentions a crescent Moon joining Venus on the 21st and Jupiter appearing with the Moon on the morning of the 15th. The column notes the Hubble Space Telescope's recording of major volcanic eruptions on Jupiter's moon Io. It discusses compelling evidence for a super-massive Black Hole at the center of a distant galaxy (NGC 4261), estimated to be 1.2 billion times the mass of the Sun, and another massive Black Hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The history of the solar system is touched upon, with meteorites from Antarctica suggesting origins from the Moon and Mars. The column also notes the Pioneer 11 spacecraft has ceased functioning after traveling 5 billion miles from Earth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include UFO sightings and encounters, with a specific focus on a 'Flying Triangle' incident captured on video. A significant portion is dedicated to a critical analysis of media portrayal of UFO phenomena, particularly the Nova TV program, highlighting concerns about sensationalism, bias, and the suppression of evidence. The issue also touches upon the potential implications of alien intelligence regarding human conflict and technological advancement. Astronomical observations and news provide a contrast to the UFO-related content. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards mainstream media's handling of UFO topics and a defense of UFO research against what is perceived as biased or unscientific reporting. There is also an underlying concern about humanity's warlike nature and its potential consequences.

This issue of the magazine, dated January 1996, focuses on UFO and unexplained phenomena, with a prominent personal account from Peter Gregory titled "LINCOLNSHIRE'S PSYCHIC ENCOUNTER?". The magazine is published by the Phenomenon Research Association and appears to be part of a series, with this being issue number 10 of volume 2.

THE PURPLE LIGHT PHENOMENA

The main feature details Peter Gregory's experience on May 29, 1995, near Sutton On Sea, Lincolnshire. While on a regular visit with a friend to Huttoft Bank, a car terrace overlooking the sea, Gregory experienced a sudden, intense ray of purple light that illuminated their car. He felt a powerful surge of energy, described as a strong electric shock, causing his body to shake violently and his brain to feel as if it were on fire. He perceived a large, bright purple sun and the entire countryside bathed in a purple light, transforming white objects into shimmering purple.

Gregory states he does not believe this was a natural effect of ultraviolet radiation. He describes a heightened state of awareness followed by an unearthly stillness and a feeling of total isolation, leading him to fear a disastrous event. His friend, however, felt and saw nothing. The experience lasted only a few minutes, but it took him nearly half an hour to recover. He believes the phenomenon was a combination of a physical and non-physical reaction to a strong external stimulus, possibly radiation emitted from space.

He confirms the incident was not due to any sight defect, as a recent eye test showed no retinal damage. Gregory mentions that since May 1995, he has experienced similar sightings in Lincolnshire, though without the accompanying trauma. He speculates that Earth might be undergoing a cosmological change.

Tale Enders

This section provides a collection of shorter news items and updates:

• Venus and Saturn Confusion: The local Derby Evening Telegraph received numerous calls due to Venus being visible in the night sky, further complicated by Saturn's proximity on February 8th. Garry Stapleton assisted in resolving the confusion with a computer sky program.
• CAA Mystified: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was reportedly mystified by a flying triangle that buzzed a Boeing 737 airliner near Manchester Airport on January 6th of the previous year. Their findings, published in The Times, stated they could find no likely explanation. The PRA had previously faxed Manchester Airport Air Traffic Control on October 5, 1993, warning them about flying triangles in their airspace.
• NASA and Flying Saucers: New Scientist magazine reports that NASA is seriously considering flying saucers as a means to replace their fleet of space shuttles in the next century, with experiments planned to begin in a wind tunnel.
• Bob Dean's Lectures: Bob Dean is reportedly giving up his UFO lecture tours to concentrate on writing a book. His last talks include one as a guest of Busty Taylor in Andover on March 16.
• Hopi Indian Speaker: "Robert Morning Sky", an Apache and native American, is scheduled to visit England in June as a guest of Busty Taylor, with a speaking engagement on June 22 in the Andover area. He will discuss topics such as Abductions, Time Travel, and Humanity's Extraterrestrial Origins.
• Alien Radio Signals: Reports indicate that alien radio signals have been received from 70 Virginis, a star known to have a planet. Scientists suggest extraterrestrial civilizations may exist, a sentiment described as naive.
• Crop Circles and Lights: Brian Maguire of the PRA & Southern Paranormal Investigation Group reports that crop circles have formed in the summer and strange glowing lights have been seen during the winter in the Portsmouth area. These phenomena have been captured on film. The PRA has sent down a 35mm Infra-Red film and a "Microdet" H/F detector for further research.

Next Meeting

A meeting is scheduled for 8 pm on Tuesday, February 19th, at the Allenton (Derby) British Legion. Directions are provided for those unfamiliar with the area.

"Encounters" TV Video (USA)

A video titled "Encounters" is available, featuring content such as abductions, a UFO racing across the moon, and an astronaut's recording of an alien craft. Non-members are welcome with a £1.00 admission charge.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers UFO sightings, unexplained aerial phenomena, and related topics. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting personal accounts, scientific investigations (or lack thereof), and news from various organizations in the field. There is a clear interest in documenting and analyzing these events, as evidenced by the detailed personal narrative and the collection of diverse news items. The magazine also seems to encourage reader participation and reporting, as indicated by the mention of the PRA and the reproduction policy for reports.