Pegasus - Vol 05 No 1 Jan-Feb 1973

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: Volume 5, Number 1
Date: January/February 1973
Publisher: Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)
Country: England
Language: English
Price: 15p

This issue of PEGASUS, a journal devoted to the study of Unidentified Flying Objects, presents a comprehensive look at UFO research methodologies and recent cases. The cover features a striking illustration with the journal's title, a depiction of Pegasus, and various flying objects and scientific apparatus, alongside the journal's full title and price.

Editorial

The editorial, penned by Omar Fowler, Chairman, reflects on the four years since the release of the Condon Report (January 8, 1969). Despite the report's prominence, the editorial argues that it has failed to end the 'strange phenomena of the UFO'. Fowler notes that shortly after the Condon Report, publications like the Sunday Times and Sunday Express featured articles on UFOs, rekindling public interest. However, paradoxically, many UFO study groups, including SIGAP, experienced a significant decline in membership, with losses of nearly 70% in some cases. Fowler suggests that members accepted the Condon Report's conclusions, leading to this disillusionment. Despite this setback, the editorial asserts that UFO reports have continued to come in, with many receiving prominent coverage in national press and TV media. It highlights a recent report from the Leicester area and poses the question of what the future holds for UFO investigation, expressing a personal commitment to continue the search for answers.

Contents

The issue includes several articles and reports:

• The Witness Reliability Factor by Richard C. Beet (Special Projects Director - SIGAP)
• Uforum (Correspondence) by Andrew Wilson
• Sighting Report by John Scarry
• The Witness (Poem)
• Disc Jockey Discovers UFO's by Omar Fowler
• Fact or Folklore by Dan Butcher

SIGAP Information

Details are provided for the Secretarial Address of SIGAP (20 Loman Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey) and membership information. Annual subscriptions are £1.50, with student memberships at 75p. Sub-exclusive PEGASUS (6 copies) is 75p, and a single copy is 15p including postage and packing. All articles and exchange journals should be sent to the secretarial address.

A list of consultants is also provided: J M Adams (BSc FRMetS), T C Childerhouse, Revd Dr N Cockburn (MA BD), Prof F B Salisbury (PhD), and R T Toft.

The Witness Reliability Factor

This in-depth article by Richard C. Beet proposes a system for evaluating the reliability of UFO sighting reports. It emphasizes two key factors: Observational Detail and Witness Reliability.

Introduction: The establishment of sighting information is aided by understanding these factors. Dr. Jacques Vallee's classification system, which divides reports into behavior patterns and notes details like color, shape, and size, is mentioned as a basis for determining the 'weight' of a sighting. Vallee's five classifications are:

• Outstanding Report: Must be accounted for in any global theory due to strong evidence or numerous/scientifically competent witnesses.
• Significant Report: Witnesses' sincerity is unquestioned, and the phenomenon is representative of the study subject.
• Ordinary Report: Reliable report with no outstanding features.
• Doubtful Report: Can be interpreted by conventional phenomena based on presented data.
• Explicable Report: Has nothing to do with the UFO phenomenon but held public interest.

Vallee's 'activity index' associates these with report types. However, Beet notes the lack of a standard method to establish 'weight' or reliability.

Proposed Points System: Beet proposes a points system based on four considerations:

1. Presence of technically qualified witnesses: 1 point for 1, 2 points for 2, 3 points for 3 or more.
2. Number of independent sightings: 1 point for 1, 2 points for 2, 3 points for 3 or more.
3. Use of optical and/or scientific measuring devices: 1 point if used, 0 points if not used.
4. Investigator's opinion of the principal witness(es): A negative bias is applied. Points: Very high (2), High (1), Average (0), Low (-1).

Consideration is also given to unqualified witnesses who might misinterpret objects. A points system for non-technical witnesses is also proposed: 0 points for 1, 1 point for 2 or more.

An overall witness reliability score can be estimated from 0 (very low) to 10 (very high).

Worked Examples:

• Q1: A Type 1 UFO sighting by a coal-miner, colleague, and housewife. Points calculated: 1 (tech. qual. wit.) + 1 (non-tech. wit.) + 2 (indep. sightings) + 1 (optical instr.) + 1 (high opinion) = 6. This results in an 'Ordinary' classification (o), with a proposed report reliability of 40% (Quite Good).
• Q2: A Type 5C UFO sighting by a pilot and navigator, confirmed by ground radar, and observed by numerous members of the public. Points calculated: 3 (tech. qual. wit.) + 1 (non-tech.) + 3 (indep. obs.) + 1 (scient. instr.) + 2 (very high opinion) = 10. This results in an 'Outstanding' classification (*), with a proposed report reliability of 20% (of little apparent scientific value).

Part 2: BUFORA Classification System: The British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) uses a simplified system:

• Class A: Landings or near landings.
• Class B: Objects less easily discernible.
• Class C: Moving or stationary light sources.

Table 6 shows how witness reliability codes (Outstanding, Significant, Ordinary, Doubtful) map to these BUFORA classes, assigning points for each combination.

UFORUM Correspondence

Andrew Wilson, a student member, discusses the possibility of finding patterns connecting the arrivals of alien spacecraft. He suggests that planetary positions, like Jupiter being in perigee, might offer a 'free lift' due to gravity. He also notes that August is a popular month for UFO sightings, possibly due to meteor streams like the Perseids or convenience for alien craft. Social activities, such as people being out late at night, are also considered potential factors for increased sightings. Wilson highlights the difficulty in predicting arrivals due to hoaxes and misidentifications, but proposes that immediate reporting with speed and direction data could allow a computer to calculate a UFO's course. He shares an attempt to predict a UFO at latitude 51 14 N, longitude 00 18 W (near Dorking) on November 18, 1972, at 10 am, acknowledging it's unlikely but hoping for more statistics for better predictions. He references Robert Chapman's book, stating that approximately 7 out of 8 reports are eventually identified. Wilson concludes that current efforts are like 'groping in the dark' and that investigation and hope are the only paths forward.

Sighting Report

Serial No: S 215
Witness: Miss C. (approx. 19, Sales Assistant)
Date of Observation: December 15, 1972, 18:40 hrs
Location: Hornbear Close, Horsham, England
Weather: Dry, clear evening, dark sky, moon visible.

Miss C. observed what she initially thought was an aircraft with yellow lights at an elevation of 30 degrees. The craft stopped, and she observed it for 10-20 seconds. It was at a bearing of approximately 230 degrees and traveling slowly due West. Later, while walking on Oakhill Road, she sighted the craft directly overhead. She described about 5 yellow lights forming an oval or circle, with two lights (red and green) in the center. The object was stationary for a couple of minutes, then the perimeter lights flashed on and off, giving the appearance of slow spinning. The center lights remained stationary. The craft then moved slowly over a house and out of sight (bearing 150°).

Miss C. could not define the shape and mentioned a possible slight humming noise, though it could have been ground noise. Investigators estimated the altitude at no more than 1,000 ft. Gatwick Air Traffic Control confirmed it was not an aircraft. The report was completed 24 hours after the sighting.

The Witness (Poem)

A short poem reflecting on the nature of a witness to a mysterious event, emphasizing their confusion, awe, and the difficulty of articulating the experience.

Disc Jockey Discovers UFO's

This article by Omar Fowler is not fully detailed in the provided scan, but its title suggests it discusses a UFO sighting reported by a disc jockey.

Fact or Folklore

This article by Dan Butcher is also not fully detailed in the provided scan, but its title implies an examination of whether certain UFO phenomena are factual or legendary.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the scientific approach to UFO investigation, emphasizing the importance of witness reliability and structured classification systems. The editorial stance, as expressed by Omar Fowler, is one of persistence and dedication to understanding the UFO phenomenon, despite the challenges posed by official reports like the Condon Report and the subsequent decline in public and group interest. There is a clear belief that UFOs are a genuine phenomenon that warrants continued study, and the journal serves as a platform for sharing research, reports, and discussions within the UFO community.

This issue, titled "DISC JOCKEY "DISCOVERS" U.F.O.'s", is identified as issue number 10 and is dated February 1973. It features content related to UFO sightings and investigations, with contributions from Omar Fowler, David Gregory, Dan Butcher, and M. G. Prewett.

Article: Disc Jockey "Discovers" UFO's

This section, attributed to Omar Fowler, Chairman of SIGAP, discusses the impact of a Radio 1 disc jockey, David Gregory, reporting a UFO sighting. This led to an increase in reported sightings during January. Gregory invited listeners to share their experiences, resulting in hundreds of replies describing moving, star-like objects of various colours. The article notes that while many sightings can be explained by conventional aircraft, satellites, or natural phenomena, the situation created a self-induced UFO 'flap' due to auto-suggestion.

Gregory reportedly showed ignorance of existing UFO study groups, treating each case as a unique discovery. Investigators, including the authors, contacted him for more information, but no reply was received, leading to lost 'follow-up time'. The article suggests that Gregory missed an opportunity to leverage the situation by contacting major UFO study groups for assistance and vetting reports.

Partly as a result of Gregory's program and a talk by the writer to the 'Dorking Round Table', information emerged about a sighting on January 21st of a turquoise, egg-shaped object with two flashing orange lights over Shamley Green, Surrey. This sighting by two witnesses is considered possibly explainable by the proximity of Dunsfold Airfield, known for the night flying development of the H.S. Harrier aircraft. The article touches upon a night guidance system using a visual observer and a beam (possibly UV range) to track aircraft, which can cause a bluey/mauve glow on the underside of the plane. It warns that this technological achievement should be considered when analyzing reports, and concludes that both David Gregory and the authors have much to learn about sky phenomena.

A 'STOP PRESS' section briefly mentions a UFO sighting near St. Albans, Herts, in February 1973, where an orange globe allegedly hovered above a motorway, stopping car engines, witnessed by 25 people. More details were promised for the next edition.

Article: Fact or Folklore

Authored by Dan Butcher, this article delves into a historical account from Robert Hunt's "Popular Romances of the West of England" (1930), which recounts a tale from 1881. Two Cornish miners encountered ghostly phenomena near Cairn Kenidzhek (pronounced Kenidjack), a locality described as a 'weird tract of elevated common strewn with rocks in fantastic confusion'. The area was said to be haunted by an archfiend and fighting demons.

The miners heard a 'low meaning sound' and saw a gleaming light on the rocks, imagining gigantic forms. A mysterious rider, dressed in a black robe and hood, appeared and beckoned them towards the hill to watch a 'wrestling match'. The rider and his horse moved with apparent ease over the rocky ground. Upon reaching a mass of rocks, the rider made gestures, and the miners saw him ascend the hillside. Subsequently, 'uncouth figures' of giant size with painted faces appeared, making strange noises. The rider, joined by two 'terrible giants', seated himself and projected two beams of fire from his eyes, illuminating the scene for the wrestling match.

One figure lifted his opponent 'fairly high in the air' and threw him down, causing the ground to thunder and rocks to tremble. The elder miner, a religious man, whispered a word of Christian hope to the fallen figure. This caused the rocks to shake, darkness to fall, and a rushing noise, after which everything vanished. The miners saw the 'demon rider's' fiery eyes fly off to the west and disappear into a black cloud.

Butcher interprets this account as a UFO encounter within the tradition of the 'Wild Hunter'. He suggests that to people of that era, a dark UFO with a humped dome and landing gear might appear as a 'cowled rider on a black horse'. Lights could be seen as 'eyes', and rays of light as 'fire' from the object's mouth. The drumming sound of hooves is compared to modern UFO accounts, and the rider's gestures to those of UFO occupants. He posits that the 'astral cord' was partially perceived.

The description of the rider and his companions is likened to the 'Men in Black'. The wrestling bout is compared to a similar incident reported by Gonzales in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1954, and other wrestling descriptions during UFO encounters. The backward fall of the wrestler is also noted in other UFO accounts.

Gigantic stature, hairiness, and coloured faces are identified as traits of UFO entities. Hooting sounds reported in the Cisco Grove case (California, 1964) and a sighting in FSR.11.5.36 are mentioned. The 'Hoo-hoc-hoc!' spirit call of Apache dancers is compared to the sound of the Wild Hunter's horn.

The article concludes that the effective exorcising sound was the utterance of a pious word, and the horizontal position of the phantom represented the witness's 'ecsomatic body' ready for interiorization.

Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)

This section provides information about SIGAP, a voluntary research organisation formed in May 1967 to investigate UFO reports. Its Administration Director is M. G. Prewett. SIGAP aims to investigate all sightings, regardless of their nature, in the hope of understanding the UFO mystery. The group's affairs are managed by elected officers, with assistance from consultants, including an optical physicist and a satellite expert from the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough.

SIGAP publishes 'PEGASUS', a bi-monthly journal covering topical news, investigations, and group information. The group is affiliated with the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association. Members receive the journal for free, have access to a library of books, magazines, and tapes, and can attend meetings in Guildford. SIGAP also participates in organised skywatches.

An application form for membership is included, with an annual subscription of £1.50. Student members aged 14-18 pay 75p, provided they can show evidence of full-time education. The form requests personal details, qualifications, observing equipment, and willingness to act as an Area Investigator.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings and their investigation, the analysis of historical accounts for potential UFO connections, and the promotion of UFO research organizations. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking to explain phenomena through both conventional and unconventional means, while also encouraging systematic investigation and data collection through groups like SIGAP. There is an emphasis on distinguishing between genuine sightings, misidentifications, and the effects of psychological suggestion.