OVNI - 2012 01 - January-February

Magazine Overview

Title: OVNI
Issue: January/February 2012
Publisher: JOURNAL OF THE PHENOMENON RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
Price: £3 UK: EU:5 Euros
Cover Headline: OVNI

This issue of OVNI, 'The Journal for the discerning researcher', delves into a variety of UFO phenomena, astronomical events, and witness accounts. The cover features stylized illustrations of a human figure, various UFO designs, and hexagonal patterns, with the magazine title prominently displayed.

China Disc

The lead article, 'CHINA DISC', highlights an enormous increase in UFO sightings in China and its global significance. Government officials are reportedly attempting to manage public perception and contain a failed UFO cover-up policy. A recent poll suggests 95% of Chinese citizens believe aliens are visiting Earth, particularly China. Specific incidents mentioned include hundreds of locals in Guiyang witnessing two huge discs change color from purple to neon blue, emitting an eerie glow. Journalists described the discs as 'nothing earthly'. Footage uploaded to the Chinese internet is described as one of the most convincing images of an alien craft seen publicly. In Changsha, a rotating spherical UFO was seen descending, and in Donguan, a white saucer-shaped UFO was spotted amidst a thunderstorm. A UFO landing in a military cemetery in T'ian led to a hastily convened conference of twenty government scientists who concluded it was an optical illusion, though locals remained unconvinced. The Chinese government is reportedly downplaying public fears through denial, with insiders suggesting the focus is on how to break the news without disrupting lives or the economy.

214 Years Before Kenneth Arnold Witnessed Flying Saucers

This section presents an important historic discovery of a UFO sighting found in British records from 1733. James Cracker of Fleet, Dorset, witnessed a 'slivery disc' fly overhead in broad daylight. His eyewitness account describes it as appearing in the north, vanishing behind trees, then re-appearing and darting with 'amazing coruscation'. The color was like 'burnished, or new washed silver', and it shot with speed like a falling star but was much larger and had a longer train. The next day, Mr. Edgecombe reported seeing the same phenomenon about 15 miles away, steering from east to north.

Mysterious Darting UFO Light Seen Over Ilkeston

An unusual darting light was reported by Mrs. 'W' from the West Hallam area of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on January 5th, 2012. Her son first saw a bright, low-down, rapidly approaching light in an erratic fashion. The light was described as circular, changing color from red to white to bright blue, and hovering. Mrs. 'W' also witnessed the light, which turned from white to red and continued its erratic movement before disappearing. The family dog reportedly seemed upset for a week. It was also mentioned that a similar light had been seen in the area the previous week. A drawing shows a UFO object seen on September 30th, 2002, described as slowly moving from west to east with a 'vibrational, humming sound'.

Could There Be a UFO ‘Window' in Littleover?

This article details a series of strange events in Littleover, Derby, revealed by local UFO witness 'Ray' in a discussion with Omar Fowler. Events began in September 2009 with 'Ray' seeing balls of flame travelling low across the sky. The first actual sighting was on October 31st, 2009, when 'Ray' saw a pulsating orange, cone-shaped light with bars and a square at the back, described as having a surface like cloth with sparks inside. The object was estimated to be about 6ft deep and 5ft wide at the bottom, flying at about thirty miles an hour. 'Ray' described the craft's surface as 'mint' and suggested it had a force-field. He later saw two more objects, described as square at the bottom and completely grey, gliding down from the clouds. About a week later, his wife and mother-in-law saw a silver thing gliding low over allotments. 'Ray' also reported seeing a 'fluorescent grey snake thing' with luminous, wafer-thin squares.

Editors Note: Has 'Ray' Developed ‘Healing Powers'

Following his UFO experiences, 'Ray' was questioned about psychic abilities. He reluctantly shared that his wife's mother, who had painful gall stones requiring surgery, was miraculously cured after 'Ray' placed his hands on her stomach, with the stones gone by the time of her hospital appointment. Doctors were mystified. Additionally, 'Ray's' mother-in-law, who had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was in a critical condition, recovered after 'Ray' stated she would get better, and it was found she had water on the brain which was drained. Furthermore, 'Ray's' sister's friend, Mavis, who had thyroid problems and high blood pressure for 20 years, saw her blood pressure become perfect after 'Ray's' intervention.

A Littleover UFO ‘Window'? (Continued)

This section continues the discussion of UFO activity in Littleover, noting that 'Ray's' experiences were not unique. An earlier 'FT' (Flying Triangle) incident from October 21st, 1996, involving Steven Potts, is mentioned and shown on a map. The article notes that the acquisition of 'healing' powers by a contactee is not uncommon in UFO close encounter incidents. The investigation is ongoing, and it is noted that 'Ray' was initially reluctant to disclose his healing experiences.

Incident No.1 on map

Fifteen-year-old Steven Potts of Littleover, Derby, witnessed a bright light approaching on October 21st, 1996. Using binoculars, he identified it as a black triangular object with a lattice work structure, described as 'like an electricity pylon girderwork', and numerous red, green, and white lights. The craft hovered over a hospital construction site before turning, then suddenly transforming into a ball of white light and shooting off. Steven was shaken by the event, and his mother mentioned a camcorder was available but advised against touching it. The weather was clear, dry, and cool with a slight breeze. The object made no noise.

Recent Unusual Photographs

This section presents several photographic and video stills of unusual aerial phenomena:

• UFO craft, China, no details: A blurry image of a light in the sky.
• Advanced aerial craft creating own cloud in Trekhgorny, Russia (23/12/2011): A still from a video showing a craft in the sky.
• From an OVNI reader: A reader from Ross-on-Wye shares photos of their garden taken last year, with a strange object in the sky that appears to have ridges and no other clouds present.
• A MYSTERY PLANE seen circling above the Lincolnshire Wolds: This plane, identified as NATO, was reported by concerned readers and confirmed by the Ministry of Defence. NATO headquarters are in Brussels.

Information on the ‘Cobeps' Belgian UFO Organisation Replacement of 'Sobeps'

This article details the dissolution of the non-profit association SOBEPS (Belgian Society for the Study of Space Phenomena) on December 31st, 2007. A new team has formed COBEPS (Belgian Committee for the Study of Space Phenomena), regrouped by Patrick Ferryn and Leon Brenig. COBEPS aims to continue collecting sightings in Belgium with a scientific approach. They will not publish a magazine but will focus on collecting testimonies and may publish feature articles on their website, which is in French. They encourage contact in English.

An Astronomical Surprise

From NASA Science News, this article discusses Comet Lovejoy, discovered by amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy in November 2011. The comet was heading towards the sun and was expected to disintegrate. However, on December 16th, 2011, Comet Lovejoy surprised astronomers by surviving its passage through the sun's atmosphere, approximately 120,000 km above the surface. Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab described it as a 'sungrazer' with a nucleus about two football fields wide, making it the biggest such comet in nearly 40 years. Unlike typical Kreutz sungrazers measuring about 10 meters, Comet Lovejoy was estimated to be 200 meters wide, and possibly as much as 500 meters. Matthew Knight of Lowell Observatory expressed astonishment, stating, 'It survived, and even flourished.' The comet lost its tail temporarily but it grew back. Within days, it appeared in the southern hemisphere skies, likened to a searchlight.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of OVNI are UFO sightings across different geographical locations (China, UK, Russia), historical accounts of unexplained aerial phenomena, and the scientific investigation of these events. The magazine maintains a stance of open inquiry, presenting witness testimonies, photographic evidence, and astronomical news related to potential extraterrestrial or unexplained phenomena. There is an emphasis on scientific approach, as seen in the mention of COBEPS, while also acknowledging more unusual claims such as 'healing powers' linked to UFO encounters. The issue also touches upon government responses to UFO phenomena and the broader search for knowledge in space (SETI, exobiology).

This issue of OVNI magazine, dated November 16, 2011, with a volume and issue number of 2012 #1, presents a collection of articles focusing on UFO phenomena, extraterrestrial claims, and ancient mysteries. The cover story details a Russian woman's claim of finding an alien corpse, while other articles delve into scientific proposals for lunar exploration, historical UFO encounters, and theories about ancient civilizations.

Russian Woman Claims Alien Corpse Discovery

The lead article reports on Marta Yegorovnam, a Russian woman who claims to have found a 61cm-long 'alien creature' near the wreckage of a crashed UFO in Petrozavodsk in 2009. She stated she heard a deafening crash and, upon investigation, found the creature. She then wrapped it in plastic and stored it in her refrigerator for two years. The remains have reportedly been examined by the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, though this is unconfirmed. Paranormal writer Michael Cohen suggested the possibility of it being a genuine alien should not be discounted. However, astronomer Dr. Ian Griffin expressed skepticism, questioning why an intelligent alien would allow itself to be stored in a fridge. David Sutton of Fortean Times humorously compared it to the alien in the movie 'The Thing'. The OVNI editor apologized for borrowing the story from the free paper 'METRO', noting the sparse details and lack of follow-up.

UFO Sightings and Encounters

The magazine features several reports of UFO sightings:

• Georgia Boomerang: On December 15, 2011, over Tybee Island, USA, witnesses observed two dark, fast, boomerang-shaped objects, followed by another craft that darted with a white glow. The objects were described as not being bats and flying high, reflecting light.
• Tennessee Wing: Pauline E. Petsel from Greeneville, Tennessee, has been photographing UFOs regularly for three years, sometimes taking fifty to one hundred images a night. She notes specific periods when sightings are more frequent, particularly in October and November. She is part of a group of about 17 individuals who have observed these phenomena, with one woman living five miles away seeing similar things. Petsel describes finding 'solid' looking stuff and 'crafts' behind the lights, some in V-shapes or curves.
• Kenneth Arnold Sighting: On Monday's 'Coast to Coast' show, UFO researcher Paola Harris discussed ufology and was joined by Kim Arnold, daughter of Kenneth Arnold. Kenneth Arnold, the pilot who coined the phrase 'flying saucer', had his initial sighting near Mt. Rainier on June 24, 1947. The article mentions a United Airlines crew reporting similar disk-like objects 10 days later and the famed Roswell Incident in July 1947. Kim Arnold revealed her father had seven UFO sightings, including 25 brass-colored objects in formation and a 1952 sighting over Susanville, CA, where he observed craft that could change their density. He believed the objects were alive, pulsating from their centers. The family faced ridicule, and Kenneth Arnold wrote a book with Ray Palmer. He later became reclusive, feeling misrepresented by the press. Kim Arnold is set to debut her book, 'Kenneth Arnold, The Man Who Started it All', at a Women's UFO Symposium.
• Washington D.C. Area Sightings: On 'Coast to Coast' (December 3), UFO expert Robert Stanley discussed an ancient pyramid in China, estimated to be 12,000 years old, containing metal pipes that baffled researchers. Stanley also spoke about his work investigating UFOs in the Washington D.C. area, mentioning eyewitness claims of UFOs being chased from Andrews Air Force Base on April 14 and a mother-daughter report of a spherical UFO on May 12. He concluded that something significant is happening in the Nation's Capitol.
• NASA Science News: NASA's Kepler spacecraft has found two Earth-sized planets orbiting a distant sun-like star, challenging existing theories of planet formation.
• Redditch, Worcestershire Sighting: On January 12, 2012, a driver and a friend reported seeing four orange lights traveling south at a moderate speed, noticing the unusual color and short beam of light.

Moon Exploration and Alien Traces

An article titled 'We should scour the moon for ancient traces of aliens, say scientists' proposes that online volunteers could be tasked with spotting alien technology, evidence of mining, or rubbish heaps in moon images. Professors Paul Davies and Robert Wagner at Arizona State University argue that NASA's extensive collection of lunar images, including over 340,000 from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), should be examined for signs of alien intervention. They suggest that features like sharp lines of solar panels, quarries, or domed buildings might be visible due to the moon's geologically inactive surface. The article highlights that natural tunnels, such as lava tubes, could have served as ideal sites for alien moon bases, and any artifacts left behind would likely endure indefinitely.

Ancient Civilizations and Giants

'Coast to Coast' featured independent researcher Pat Chouinard discussing theories about an ancient race of giants and lost civilizations. Chouinard suggests that highly advanced civilizations existed long before Mesopotamia and Atlantis, citing Sanskrit writings referring to civilizations from hundreds of thousands of years ago. He explores the presence of ancient out-of-place Caucasians in New Guinea, China, and Japan, and Native American myths of light-skinned giants. He suspects that a race of giants, possibly 15-18 ft. tall, may have died out from epidemics. Chouinard also theorizes that primitive groups co-existing with the fading Atlantean civilization picked up advancements, eventually forming later historic civilizations. He mentions megalithic structures like Gobekli Tepe and Baalbek, and the discovery of the 'X Woman of Siberia', whose finger bone suggests an unknown evolutionary line dating back 50,000 years.

Book Review and Upcoming Event

The issue includes a brief description of the book 'UFO: Strange Space on Earth' by Paul Whitehead and George Wingfield, which covers UFO sightings from cave art to the present day. The UK version is priced at £5.99. A hardback version is due to launch in the US. Additionally, details are provided for a 'Next PRA Meeting' on January 31, 2012, in Derby, UK, featuring a new DVD titled 'The Berwyn UFO Cover Up: Exposed' and a free UFO book raffle.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, potential extraterrestrial evidence, and speculative theories about ancient history and civilizations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded curiosity, presenting various claims and theories while acknowledging the lack of definitive proof or the presence of skepticism. The borrowing of the 'alien corpse' story from 'METRO' with an apology suggests a desire to share intriguing content, even if details are sparse. The inclusion of scientific proposals for moon exploration alongside anecdotal sightings indicates a broad interest in the UFO phenomenon and the search for life beyond Earth.