Rassegna Casistica - No 07 - 1990 04

Magazine Overview

This issue of "RASSEGNA CASISTICA" (Case Review), published by the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU) with editorial coordination by Alessandro Cortellazzi, is dated April 1990, issue number 7. The publication aims to provide an informative service to its readers, encouraging greater involvement with new proposals, ideas, and critiques. The magazine features a collection of investigated cases, primarily from Italy, detailing UFO sightings and encounters.

Cover Story: An Unusual Hot Air Balloon in the Skies of Naples

The cover story, "INSOLITA MONGOLFIERA NEL CIELO DI NAPOLI" (Unusual Hot Air Balloon in the Skies of Naples), details an investigation by the Centro Studi SOLARIS (Naples) from February 1989 concerning an event that occurred in June 1980. The incident involved a municipal police officer, Domenico B., who observed two dark, circular objects with a fixed red light moving slowly and undulating over the Capodimonte park in Naples around 8 PM. The objects, described as having a parallelepiped shape with five or six sides and a dome-shaped upper base, approached the witness's house. One object moved away towards the east, while the other flew very close to the building, hovering at a low altitude before disappearing over the trees. The witness described the objects as having almost transparent side faces, allowing faint internal luminosity to be seen. The object that flew closer emitted black smoke from its lower part and had a slow, undulating motion. The witness also perceived a humanoid figure with a triangular head and two arms inside the object.

Other Cases and Investigations

Parma Sighting (July 25, 1987): Investigator Giorgio Pattera documented a case where a young witness, resting by an open window on an afosa evening, observed a very bright, moon-sized light moving across the sky at about 60 degrees altitude. The light was described as intense and brilliant, casting a shadow. The witness's dog reacted with barking and growling. Later, it was learned that the sister of a friend had also seen a large ball of light stop above a nearby roof.

San Gavino Monreale Sightings (July 24, 1988): Investigator Antonio Maria Cuccu documented two related sightings. The first involved a couple, Andrea L. and Simonetta L., who observed a red sphere spinning like a top in the starry sky, moving at a moderate speed towards Cagliari at an airplane's altitude. The phenomenon lasted about ten minutes. A second witness, Maria Teresa M., observed a formation of about twenty identical luminous objects, described as resembling large insects with stocky bodies and yellow wing-like extremities, moving from east to west. These objects emitted a faint hum and appeared to descend, producing silent 'explosions' like fireworks. The objects then assumed a spherical shape with yellow filaments before disappearing.

Florinas Sighting (September 24, 1988): Investigator Antonio Maria Cuccu also documented a case involving student Marco M. and two friends who heard a noise similar to a scooter. They then saw a light, possibly disco-shaped, moving north at low altitude. Shortly after, another identical light flew over in the opposite direction. The first light maintained a horizontal flight path, while the second had an irregular, lower flight path.

Parma Sighting (November 26, 1989): Investigator Giorgio Pattera reported on a sighting of a very bright, round, luminous object with fringed contours, approximately four times larger than other stars. The object was low on the horizon and appeared to be moving slowly northwards. The witness and his family, along with neighbors, observed the phenomenon with binoculars.

Marzano Appio Encounter (June 20, 1986): Investigator Centro Studi SOLARIS documented a case reported by "IL GIORNALE DI NAPOLI" concerning two sisters who claimed to have seen a creature halfway between a man and an animal, covered in thick, dark fur. The creature was described as having a large, elongated head resembling a donkey's, directly attached to its shoulders, with a thick torso and well-developed legs. Its height was estimated between 1 and 1.50 meters. The creature crossed the road in front of their car with a hopping gait, similar to a kangaroo, and then climbed into the foliage.

Mugnano di Napoli Encounter (May 9, 1988): Centro Studi SOLARIS investigated a report published in "IL MATTINO" about two young witnesses who saw two short figures, about 1.30 meters tall, with green faces, whitish hands, and large feet, and an antenna on their heads. The figures fled when discovered, jumping over a four-meter ditch. The entities reappeared two days later, reacting violently when confronted by the boys and adults who had gathered. The figures then disappeared by jumping between trees and flattening themselves against the ground.

Considerations and Conclusions

Regarding the Parma sighting attributed to Giorgio Pattera, the investigation concluded that the mysterious light was likely the planet Venus, observed under exceptional atmospheric conditions. The report notes that many people, even of a certain age, had never seen anything similar, suggesting a lack of attention to the sky.

For the Marzano Appio case, the "Solaris" center found the witnesses to be sincere but lacked definitive proof or collateral effects. The conclusion was that the event, while possibly unusual, did not provide sufficient evidence to classify it as a UFO phenomenon.

In the Mugnano di Napoli case, despite the witnesses' sincerity, the investigation found no significant traces. The initial belief of the local population in the boys' story waned due to the lack of corroborating evidence, leading to the conclusion that it might have been a prank. "Solaris" concluded that while something unusual may have occurred, the improbability of a close encounter of the third kind made it difficult to classify the events as ufological.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, encounters with unknown entities (including humanoid and animal-like creatures), and the investigation of these phenomena by organizations like the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici and Centro Studi SOLARIS. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent reporting and investigation, acknowledging the sincerity of witnesses while maintaining a critical approach to evidence and conclusions. The magazine aims to inform and engage its readership, encouraging them to share their own experiences and insights. There's an underlying concern about humanity's diminishing connection with the sky, as noted in the Venus sighting analysis.

This document is an excerpt from issue 11 of "RASSEGNA CASISTICA," a publication dedicated to cataloging and discussing unexplained aerial phenomena. The excerpt focuses on witness testimonies and includes an address for correspondence to the editorial staff. The content is primarily in Italian.

Testimonies

86PR01 - Castellina di Soragna (PR) - 1986

The first testimony, reported by Giorgio Pattera on July 15, 1987, recounts an event from 1986 in Castellina di Soragna. The witness, while stargazing on a clear night, observed five reddish globes of light, enveloped in a thin red halo, forming a cross shape. The objects remained stationary, which the witness found unusual given their intense brightness and immobility, ruling out aircraft. The phenomenon lasted for about five to ten minutes before the lights gradually faded and disappeared. The witness expressed surprise and a slight disappointment that the event ended just as it became fascinating.

89PD02 - Padova - March 21, 1989

This testimony, dated March 21, 1989, describes an observation made from a terrace in Padova at 11:00 PM. The witness was using a 12x50 prismatic binoculars to observe the sky. While tracking Jupiter, the witness noticed a strange, reddish star near the constellation Auriga, precisely near the star Capella. This object moved vertically with some speed towards the horizon and then stopped abruptly. After a few minutes, the circular, reddish object, which was about the same size as Jupiter, moved left and then upwards, returning to its starting point. This sequence of movements occurred three times within twenty minutes, between 11:20 PM and 11:40 PM. The witness followed the phenomenon using the roofline and chimneys as reference points. Subsequent observations over the following days until April 5, 1989, at the same time and from the same position, did not reveal the phenomenon again.

89AP01 - Castel di Lama, Loc. Villa Forcella (AP) - November 14, 1989

Reported by Gino Menegazzo on January 12, 1990, this account details an observation made in broad daylight on November 14, 1989, at 1:19 PM in Castel di Lama, near Villa Forcella. Two young witnesses, Nazzareno A. and Rosa M., reported seeing six ovoidal objects, described as 'flying discs' with a 'nichel' color, flying at a modest altitude over the area. The view was partially obstructed by buildings, but they were able to follow the formation. The phenomenon evolved rapidly. One of the witnesses, driven by curiosity, considered getting a camera, but before they could, an exclamation from the other witness drew their attention back. At that moment, the objects had reconfigured into a new position and appeared spherical. The sunlight reflecting off their surfaces was noted. The witnesses engaged in a frantic discussion trying to understand what they were seeing. Suddenly, one of the spheres moved out of the formation at a sustained speed, and from that point, all the objects disappeared, heading south. Figure 2 in the document illustrates the direction of movement as North-South.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme in this excerpt is the presentation of firsthand accounts of unexplained aerial phenomena. The publication appears to be a catalog or journal of such sightings, providing details like date, time, location, and descriptions of the objects and their behavior. The editorial stance seems to be one of documenting these events objectively, inviting further comments and observations from readers, and providing a structured format for reporting (e.g., the 86PR01, 89PD02, 89AP01 codes). The inclusion of reports from different regions of Italy (Parma, Padova, Ascoli Piceno) suggests a national scope for the collected data.