Pegasus - 1988 February

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: FEBRUARY 1988
Publisher: SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of PEGASUS, the Journal of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, presents a collection of recent UFO sightings and related phenomena, drawing from newspaper reports and witness testimonies. The magazine aims to document and explore aerial phenomena, with a particular focus on the media's portrayal of alien abductions and close encounters.

Newsletter Introduction

The "SIGAP NEWSLETTER" for February 1988 welcomes readers to the first newsletter of the year, highlighting the media's significant attention to alien abduction reports. It notes that while much material is sensational, it illustrates the high profile of the subject. The newsletter mentions a feature in The STAR from January 23rd, describing aliens with bad manners who use ray guns and speak in a croaky voice, along with an IDENTIKIT description of an alien spotted in Liverpool. It also includes a report of an object seen by Busty Taylor in Nottingham.

A reminder is issued for subscription renewals for SIGAP, with a fee of £4.50. Information on subscribing to the magazine 'FLYING SAUCER REVIEW (FSR)' is also available.

Close Encounters and Sightings

Andrew Findlay's Sighting (Bagshot):

Authored by Lindy Warburton, this section details a close encounter reported by 16-year-old Andrew Findlay. On a Wednesday evening around 9:25 PM, Andrew saw a flying saucer-shaped object with green lights in the middle, hovering silently for several seconds before shooting across the sky. He described it as having a definite shape with a strip of green lights and possibly red ones, appearing larger than an aeroplane. His brother Peter missed the sighting. Andrew's conviction that it was a spacecraft from another world is emphasized.

Mrs. Tricia Hodgson's Sighting (M3, Lightwater):

Nine days prior to Andrew's sighting, Mrs. Tricia Hodgson and a friend, Mr. David Myers, reported seeing unidentified flying objects in the night sky over the M3 motorway. Mrs. Hodgson described one object as a "big, bright light" that pulsed with a pinky-red glow before fading. She noted it was stationary for about five minutes before moving off. Mr. Myers corroborated the sighting, describing the objects as very bright. They were convinced they saw something unusual, not aeroplanes.

Local UFO Expert's Input:

Mr. Rex Dutta, a local UFO expert, reported a third sighting in the Blackwater area the day before Mrs. Hodgson's encounter.

Brian Wall's Sighting (Frimley):

Brian Wall recounts a frightening close encounter where he was followed along the M3 by a brightly lit object. He described it as being attracted to his car's lights, hovering silently for five seconds before vanishing at high speed. The object displayed different colored lights. Mr. Wall, a supervisor in a computer company, had kept this experience, which occurred shortly before Christmas 1986, to himself until now.

Nina Patten's Sightings (Kensington):

Helen Chappell writes about Nina Patten, a 24-year-old local government officer who claims to have had three separate UFO sightings in two years. Nina's boyfriend previously had a UFO experience involving being lifted from his car by glowing white arms. Nina herself described seeing a streak of pinky-mauve light hovering above rooftops, which appeared to her twice more. She has an A-level in physics and is a rational individual, having had her vision tested and finding no medical explanation for her experiences.

Alan Godfrey's Todmorden Encounter:

Ralph Barker details a significant sighting by police constable Alan Godfrey in Todmorden on November 28, 1980. While on routine patrol, Godfrey observed a metallic, diamond-shaped object hovering silently over the road. It had a rotating lower tier and opaque panels on the upper tier, with a spherical crest. He attempted to contact his control center via radio but received no response. The object emitted a silvery, fluorescent glow. Godfrey sketched the object, estimating its size at 20 feet wide and 14 feet high. He noted dry patches on the road where the object had hovered, and later discovered a split in his boot and a skin infection on his instep, which he learned were characteristic of UFO encounters. He also experienced a time-lapse, with his car found further down the road and the object gone. His report was initially met with skepticism, but later, three Halifax police officers reported a similar encounter, seeing a blue ball of light pulsing and moving across the sky.

Halifax Officers' Sighting:

Three Halifax police officers, while searching for stolen goods, reported seeing a blue ball of light in the sky that pulsed and moved in arcs and zig-zags, eventually disappearing in the direction of Todmorden. This sighting occurred around 04:49.

Lynsey Tebbs and Susan Pearson's Sighting (Leeds):

Ralph Barker also reports on the experience of two 14-year-old girls, Lynsey Tebbs and Susan Pearson, who described seeing a "flying thing" land near them on Woodhouse Ridge, Leeds, on November 22, 1979. They saw three green lights in a line and a larger crimson one underneath, with an oval shape. The object emitted a shrill whine before descending and landing about 30 feet away. They later found E-shaped depressions and a conical piece of ice with black particles at the landing site. The girls' drawings were similar, impressing their aunt, Jean Passmore. The incident attracted the attention of ufologists Graham and Mark Birdsall, who found evidence of the depressions. A government official later questioned the girls, confirming that they had seen something.

WPC Sue Jackson's Sighting (Ecclesfield, Sheffield):

A report from The Sun details WPC Sue Jackson's sighting of a V-shaped machine hovering yards away, with flashing red lights. Police had received numerous calls about a craft in the sky. A check with RAF Finningley revealed nothing on radar, but officers heard a "SOMETHING" pass over the station.

Faye and Sean Knowles's Encounter (Nullarbor Plain, Australia):

This report from The Sun describes a "SHOCKED family" who claimed their car was "plucked off the ground-by aliens in a FLYING EGGCUP." Faye Knowles and her three sons reported a weirdly-shaped UFO chasing their car at 125mph across Australia's Nullarbor Plain. A mysterious force grabbed the car roof, dropping it with a burst tyre and dents. A passing lorry driver also reported being chased by a "bright glowing object." A pilot of a tuna spotting plane saw a similar object over the Great Australian Bight. The ash-like substance found on the car was sent for analysis, baffling police scientists.

Space Oddities and Scientific Search

Edwin Kembery's Encounter (August 1967):

Anton Antonowicz recounts Edwin Kembery's encounter with "two strange men" near his bungalow in Sussex. These beings, described as about five feet tall with deep-set eyes, flat noses, and thin lips, led him to his bungalow. They wore dull grey garments and had a peculiar bouncing walk. Edwin offered them cheese, biscuits, and whisky, which they accepted or rejected respectively. They gave him "diamonds" (identified as rock crystal) and seeds, two of which grew "caramel-tasting" berries. The beings returned several times over two months. Edwin reported the incident to the police but received ridicule.

Ron Evans's Encounter (July 1942):

Ron Evans, then nine years old, staying in Frome, Somerset, reported seeing a "strange craft, big as a house" in a clearing. A man named Abnemos, described as tall with large eyes and a matt-grey skinsuit, emerged from a green haze. Abnemos explained that Ron would never come out if he walked into the haze. Three silver balls emerged from a control panel on Abnemos's chest. The craft then rose, spinning and vanishing. Ron kept this experience to himself for years, believing Abnemos was "good."

Tuning in to Alien Sounds (SETI):

This section discusses the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), coordinated by astrophysicist Tom McDonough. The Planetary Society, with 100,000 members, works with NASA on this search. The current search uses computers linked to a satellite dish, scanning millions of channels. The article highlights the challenges of distinguishing intelligent signals from Earth's own transmissions and the vast time lag involved. McDonough is optimistic that proof of extraterrestrial civilization will be found by the year 2000, believing that such a discovery would be overwhelming but ultimately lead to intense curiosity rather than hostility.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of PEGASUS are the prevalence of UFO sightings across the UK and Australia, the detailed descriptions of various aerial objects, and the impact these encounters have on witnesses. The magazine emphasizes the importance of documenting these events, even when met with skepticism or ridicule. There's a clear stance of taking these reports seriously, as evidenced by the police involvement in several cases and the scientific interest in SETI. The issue also highlights the role of the media in both reporting and potentially sensationalizing UFO phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation into aerial phenomena, encouraging readers to share their experiences and contributing to a growing body of evidence and research in the field of ufology. The inclusion of scientific endeavors like SETI suggests a broader interest in humanity's place in the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

This document is a single page from a publication titled 'UFO Times', issue number 1, volume 1, dated December 1987. The publisher is F.C. Taylor, and it is written in English, originating from the United Kingdom.

Witness Account: Thruxton Sighting

F.C. Taylor recounts an aerial sighting that occurred on December 9th, 1987, at approximately 8:45 p.m. while driving on the A303 westbound towards Thruxton. Initially, Taylor noticed two red lights in the sky, assuming they were aircraft from Middle Wallop. However, the object soon revealed itself to be a single, long object with distinct lighting.

The object had a red light at the front, another red light about one-third of the way back, and a row of white lights resembling portholes. Taylor accelerated to try and get underneath it, observing it cross his path at an estimated distance of over 2 miles ahead and about 30 degrees above the horizon. After it crossed the road, Taylor pulled over near the White Horse Inn at Thruxton. He noted the absence of engine noise.

As the object moved away, Taylor observed its rear, which featured two large white lights with a red light positioned above them. The object then proceeded to turn left somewhere near Ludgershall. Its front was then described as having a white strobe light, followed by a long line of white lights or windows, with a red light above the rear end. The object continued in a westerly direction until about Tidworth, then turned north-westerly towards Upavon, where Taylor lost sight of it.

Follow-up and Similar Incidents

Upon returning home, Taylor sketched his observation. The following evening, Colin Andrews visited to discuss 'Circle information'. Taylor shared his sketch and described the sighting. Andrews informed him that a similar event had been observed over Nottingham on the same date, December 9th, although he had no specific details. Taylor estimated the object's speed to be between 150-180 m.p.h.

On December 27th, Omar Fowler, who was also investigating the 'Nottingham Incident', examined Taylor's sketch but had no further information.

On January 17th, Taylor visited Colin Andrews again. Andrews showed him an article concerning incidents in Plymouth and Nottingham. Taylor noted that his drawing bore a great similarity to the events described in the article, suggesting a connection between these sightings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The document focuses on a specific UFO/UAP sighting, emphasizing detailed eyewitness testimony and visual description. It highlights the importance of sketches in documenting such events and suggests a pattern of similar sightings occurring across different locations (Thruxton, Nottingham, Plymouth) around the same time. The involvement of UFO investigators like Colin Andrews and Omar Fowler indicates a serious approach to collecting and analyzing such reports. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting and investigating unexplained aerial phenomena, seeking connections between seemingly disparate events.