PEGAP - 1981 no 04

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGAP - INFO (DIE UFO-FORSCHUNGSZEITSCHRIFT)
Issue: Nr. 13, 2. Jahrgang
Date: December 1981
Publisher: Privaten Erforschungsgruppe aussergewöhnlicher Phänomene (Ufos)
Country: Germany
Language: German
Price: dm 1.70, sfr 1.50, ös 15.-

This issue of PEGAP INFO, a German-language magazine focused on UFO research and related phenomena, presents a collection of declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports, alongside articles on parapsychology and astronomy. The cover prominently features the headline "BLICK INS CIA - ARCHIV" (A Look into the CIA Archive), suggesting a focus on official documents related to UFOs.

CIA Archive: Declassified UFO Reports

The magazine highlights several declassified CIA information reports, emphasizing that they are "UNEVALUATED INFORMATION." One significant report, Nr. 00-B-19864, dated August 18, 1950, details an observation from August 4, 1950, at 10:00 AM EDT at 39°35' North, 72°21' West. This report is a three-part account from crew members of a ship.

• Observation 1: A crew member described a three-part, cylindrical object, approximately 10 feet (3m) in diameter, moving at a speed of about 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) over the water. It was described as having a smooth, aluminum color and glittering in the sunlight.
• Observation 2: Another crew member saw an elliptical object, described as resembling half an egg, moving at high speed. This object was estimated to be about 70 feet (21m) above the water and moving at a speed potentially exceeding 500 miles per hour (804 km/h). It was metallic white and appeared to be six times longer than it was wide.
• Observation 3: A third crew member observed an object from the bridge, described as elliptical and about 70 feet (21m) above the horizon at a distance of 12 miles (19 km). It moved reciprocally to their course and then towards the northeast.

The report notes discrepancies in speed estimates between the crew members, but all three were convinced they saw something unusual and not a conventional aircraft. The CIA's handling of such information is characterized as "unevaluated," suggesting a lack of follow-up or definitive conclusions.

Another declassified report, Nr. 00-W-24549 from November 13, 1952, originates from Norway and concerns a military/air subject: unidentified objects. This information was sourced from the Norwegian newspaper "HARSTAD TIDENDE" dated September 20, 1952. It describes an incident on September 18, 1952, near Kirkenes, where three forestry workers observed a flat, round object, estimated to be 15-20 meters in diameter, hovering at an altitude of over 500 meters. The object then moved away at high speed in a northwesterly direction.

The magazine also includes a section titled "'UFO-Material' des CIA," explaining that UFO-specific material has been released under the "Freedom of Information" Act. This material consists of hundreds of pages of photocopied reports, correspondence, and internal documents, with names and addresses redacted for national security reasons.

Parapsychology and the Nature of Reality

Wie sind Sprünge über Raum und Zeit möglich? (How are Jumps Through Space and Time Possible?)

This article features a report on a lecture by Professor Dr. Hans Bender, head of the Institute for Border Areas of Psychology and Psychohygiene at the University of Freiburg. Bender discussed phenomena that cannot be explained by traditional worldviews, focusing on two main areas of research: telepathy, clairvoyance, and prophecy (information exchange outside known channels), and telekinesis (physically influencing objects without direct force).

Bender presented examples of precognition, including a student who dreamed of a newspaper headline about a Jumbo Jet crash that later occurred, and a medium who accurately predicted the content of films before they were made. He also recounted a soldier's letter from WWI detailing prophecies about WWI and WWII, including the rise of a dictator and future wars. Bender emphasized that these phenomena suggest a hidden reality that challenges traditional scientific understanding and may necessitate a shift in our worldview.

Glaubenskrieg um die UFOs (War of Faith about UFOs) - Part 2

This concluding part of an article explores the Ufology as a belief system. It discusses the scientific estimation of extraterrestrial life and the public fascination with UFOs, suggesting that this fascination may stem from a deep-seated need for mystery and a desire to find a higher, more evolved form of existence. The authors, referencing scientists like Donald H. Menzel and Ernest H. Taves, note that while the vast distances make interstellar travel difficult, the public's interest in UFOs reflects an "insatiable mysticism" in a skeptical yet spiritual age. Ufologist Jacques Vallee is quoted as saying that the main reason for the popularity of the extraterrestrial hypothesis is the desire to encounter a more evolved species that has overcome Earth's problems.

Astronomy and Space

Die äußeren Planeten – und je (The Outer Planets – and Beyond)

This section details the discovery of the outer planets in our solar system. It recounts the discovery of Uranus by Wilhelm Herschel in 1781, initially mistaken for a comet. Later, based on gravitational perturbations of Uranus's orbit, the existence of Neptune was predicted by Jean Josef Leverrier and discovered by Johann Gottfried Galle in 1846. The article then discusses the search for a ninth planet beyond Pluto, based on further orbital anomalies. Professor Pervival Lovell calculated its position, and Clyde Tombough discovered Pluto in 1930. However, the article raises doubts about Pluto's planetary status due to its small mass (18% of Earth's) compared to the calculated mass for the ninth planet (7 times Earth's). It speculates that Pluto might be a former moon of Neptune, ejected by a cosmic catastrophe, and questions whether Pluto and its moon Charon might be fragments of this event.

Copernicus wird abgeschaltet (Copernicus is Shut Down)

This piece reports on the end of the operational life of the American space agency NASA's Copernicus satellite observatory. Launched in August 1972, the satellite exceeded its planned mission duration by seven and a half years, achieving significant successes, including the identification of the X-ray source Cygnus X-1, a potential black hole. The observatory utilized a highly sensitive ultraviolet telescope and contributed to the work of 160 researchers from 14 countries.

Dem Weltraum droht Verstopfung (Space is Threatened with Congestion)

This article discusses the growing problem of space debris and congestion in geostationary orbits. With the increasing number of telecommunication satellites, available orbital slots are becoming scarce. Experts suggest that new, larger orbital platforms, transported by the Space Shuttle, could consolidate the functions of multiple individual satellites, improving efficiency and potentially reducing costs.

Press Reviews and Other Items

UFO angeblich bei Bremen gesichtet (UFO Allegedly Sighted Near Bremen)

A brief report from Bremen mentions that police officers and night strollers claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object over the Osterholz-Scharmbeck district. The object was described as a blue-white-red luminous disc emitting flashes and blinking lights. However, the object was not registered by air traffic control or on radar.

Meteor beobachtet (Meteor Observed)

This short report describes a meteor sighting by Robert Koch near Pfullendorf, Germany. He observed a large meteor falling through the clouds, with a bright, colorful trail, estimated to be five to ten meters in diameter, disappearing behind a forest.

"Fundsahen" (Found Items)

This section lists television program schedules, including films and documentaries, from a Swiss program guide.

Vorschau (Preview)

A preview for the next issue of PEGAP INFO (1/1982) is provided, listing planned articles such as "Israel's Invincibility and UFOs," "Hobby Astrophotography," and further translations from international UFO journals.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents UFO phenomena as subjects worthy of serious investigation, often drawing parallels between unexplained sightings and the limitations of conventional scientific understanding. There is a clear interest in declassified government documents, as evidenced by the focus on CIA reports. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into the paranormal and unexplained, encouraging readers to consider possibilities beyond established scientific paradigms. The articles on parapsychology and astronomy suggest a broad interest in phenomena that challenge conventional reality, from the nature of consciousness to the mysteries of the cosmos. The magazine also seems to engage with public perception and the potential for UFOs to be interpreted through a lens of belief or mysticism.