Rassegna Casistica - No 10 - 1991 04

Magazine Overview

This issue of "RASSEGNA CASISTICA," published by the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU), is identified as Number 10 and is dated April. The publication, coordinated by Alessandro Cortellazzi, is based in Torino, Italy. The editorial notes that this issue dedicates significant space to luminous phenomena and false UFOs attributed to light reflectors, alongside cases from the Viterbo province. It highlights a growing number of "direct testimonies" received by the editorial staff and invites readers to share comments, observations, or opinions on methodologies and conclusions.

Investigations and Sightings

54SS11 - Sassari, Italy (December 24, 1954)

A couple and their cousin witnessed an ovoid object, approximately fifty centimeters in size with a clear gold or silvery color, moving slowly from Porto Torres towards Sassari. The object briefly disappeared behind a building and then reappeared, hovering for about twenty seconds before rapidly departing. Antonio Maria Cuccu investigated this case in March 1990. The witnesses, including Graziella C., recalled the event vividly. They considered the object to be a probable experimental terrestrial vehicle rather than extraterrestrial, a view shared by Graziella C.'s husband. They suggested it could be a prototype from the USA or USSR. This testimony contributes to the wave of sightings reported in Italy and Europe during 1954. Angelo C. also reported witnessing a cigar-shaped object with luminous portholes, an event noted in the newspaper "La Nuova Sardegna," likely referring to the June 6, 1983 sighting.

85AP01 - Castel di Lama, Italy (December 13, 1985)

Investigated by Riccardo Ciabattoni, this case involves two brothers, Ignazio and Giuseppe B., who observed a very bright, luminous object near their home. Described as "large as a bus," it appeared evanescent with a dark center and emerged from behind a hill. The object was reportedly silent and extremely fast. The witnesses described it as having a large, elongated shape with portholes, appearing square when viewed from the front with two wings. Two intense, non-flashing lights were noted at the extremities of lateral protuberances. A peculiar characteristic was the absence of any shadow cast on the ground, despite the object emitting its own light. The sighting lasted only a few seconds but was memorable for the witnesses, who later inquired with local authorities and checked newspapers. Ciabattoni considers the witnesses credible, suggesting the object was not an aircraft, helicopter, meteor, or meteorite due to the lack of sound or air displacement.

90VT01 - Vetralla, Italy (June 2, 1990)

Investigated by Angelo Ferlicca, this incident involved a family and friends who observed three "milky" lights performing elliptical evolutions in the sky for three to eight minutes. The lights disappeared suddenly, heading northwest, leaving a faint reddish glow. The event was reported in the local newspaper "Corriere di Viterbo," though the witness's name was initially incorrect. Ferlicca interviewed the witnesses, describing them as normal, cordial, and simple individuals, not seeking attention. He suggests the phenomenon might be attributable to powerful projectors or laser beams, possibly from a circus that was in Viterbo at the time. He notes the light's single cone, its rotation, the reddish sky color, and the ordered departure as potential indicators. He classifies the case as a probable IFO (Identified Flying Object).

90F103 - Montaione, Italy (August 2, 1990)

Investigated by Ali Nasri, this case features Samuele G., who was in his garden observing the sky with a telescope. Around 10:00 PM, he saw a round, reddish-glowing object moving in a jerky manner from east to west. He managed to call others and take a photograph before the object disappeared behind the moon. The developed negative showed something different from the initial sighting. Samuele discussed the event with his math teacher and an astro-photography expert. Nasri describes Samuele as shy but clear in his account, and his parents as simple and frank. The case is characterized by detailed descriptions, but the development of the photograph introduces further questions.

88GE21 - Savignone, Italy (April-May 1988)

This testimony, reported by a witness in Genova, describes three sightings during a period of vacation in the countryside near Savignone. The witness, an astronomy enthusiast, chose the location for its distance from city light pollution. The first sighting involved an orange light moving at low speed at an altitude of about 700 meters. The second sighting occurred around midnight, with a bright light appearing suddenly and outmaneuvering two aircraft. The third sighting, a few hours later, involved an orange light accompanying an aircraft. The witness emphasizes the lack of sound and the object's high speed, noting that the passage left no traces.

90PV01 - Pavia, Italy (May 25, 1990)

Investigated by Cesare Battisti, this report details a military obligation that brought the witness to Pavia. He observed a silent, luminous object with apparent dimensions of a lemon, moving at a constant speed of 80-100 km/h, even during a turn. The sighting lasted about 7-8 seconds. The witness provided a drawing (fig. 1) illustrating the object's trajectory relative to buildings and a wall. The meteorological conditions were good, and the witness was alone.

90CH01 - Francavilla al Mare, Italy (July 23, 1990)

This report, submitted without a specific date, describes an observation from a balcony. The witness initially saw a luminous globe, the size of an orange, moving vertically upwards. After stopping for about twenty seconds, a second, identical globe appeared to its right. Both remained stationary briefly before moving horizontally towards Pescara, with the first object following diagonally upwards. The two spheres then moved eastward, one above the other, before disappearing. The entire sighting lasted about fifteen minutes. The witness noted the absence of other people or activity, possibly due to a football match.

90M103 - Parabiago, Italy (October 30, 1990)

The witness, living in a two-story house with an internal courtyard, observed intense lights on a clear evening. Around 7:40 PM, red lights appeared behind a church bell tower, moving at a speed that made them disappear behind a factory wall within fifteen seconds. Initially thought to be an aircraft, the witness later observed a single intense red light, which then split into three. These three red lights continuously chased each other, uniting and separating with apparent intelligence. The witness used binoculars to observe the lights, which maintained their color and coordinated movements for about three to four minutes. The witness concluded it was not an aircraft and resisted the urge to rationalize the experience, dismissing autosuggestion or hallucination.

UFO in Yugoslavia - Tijenak, Croatia (September 1-2, 1990)

This section, "CASISTICA ESTERA" (Foreign Cases), reports on an event in Tijenak, Vrgorac, Dalmatia, near Medjugorje. Several people observed a strange flying object, described as about twenty meters long, with a green transparent cabin at the front and a tail resembling a jellyfish. The object landed, leaving an elliptical imprint measuring 8.5 meters in length and 5.5 meters in width, where the grass failed to regrow. Local sheep and goats avoided the area. The report cites articles from the Yugoslavian newspaper "Dnevnik" (September 22, 1990), provided by Adelaide Ferlat of Gorizia.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed reporting of UFO sightings through direct witness testimonies, the subsequent investigation and analysis of these cases, and the exploration of potential explanations, ranging from terrestrial phenomena (experimental aircraft, projectors) to the unexplained. The editorial stance, as indicated by the invitation for reader feedback and the detailed investigative approach, is one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, aiming to present credible accounts and encourage critical discussion, while acknowledging the limitations of current understanding and the influence of mass media narratives.

This issue of 'CASI LIMITE' (Issue 11) focuses on unexplained aerial phenomena (UAP) cases, presenting witness testimonies and photographic evidence. The content is primarily in Italian and appears to be from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Case 1: San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), August 1989

The first documented case involves Giancarlo N., a twenty-year-old university student vacationing in San Benedetto del Tronto. An avid photographer, he decided to take pictures of the moon on a night when a lunar eclipse was predicted. He set up his PENTAX P30n camera with a 35-70mm zoom lens and 100 ASA film on a tripod, using a remote cable release for a 3/5 second exposure at f/4.5. While he was focused on the moon and did not notice anything unusual at the time, three of the slides taken in quick succession (within approximately thirty seconds) revealed an unexpected phenomenon. In two of the slides, a luminous globe, comparable in size to a full moon but significantly brighter, was visible near the moon. This globe illuminated a small cloud beneath it with its own light. In the third slide, the object had shifted position relative to the moon. The witness asserted that he observed nothing out of the ordinary during the actual photographic process, only noticing the anomaly upon developing the film.

This case is presented as a 'non-sighting' that was impressed upon the film, highlighting the potential for photographic evidence to reveal phenomena not consciously perceived by the observer at the time of capture. The report is attributed to Corrado Guarisco from Como.

Case 2: Appiano Gentile (TO), July 1989

The second case, also investigated by Corrado Guarisco, concerns an event in Appiano Gentile on the morning of July 15, 1989. While mowing his lawn, a man identified as Claudio F. noticed a dark, ring-shaped trace on the grass. The grass within the ring, which was only a few centimeters high after being cut, appeared blackened or burnt, contrasting sharply with the surrounding green. The report notes that this was not caused by a common heat source. Some blades of grass had a whitish, mold-like substance that, when rubbed, revealed the green underneath, while others were simply blackened and dried out. There were no signs of pressure on the grass or soil that would indicate a heavy object. The trace contained residue described as 'ash,' possibly from a grass trimmer that had broken the blackened leaves and scattered the residue onto the soil. Approximately a short distance from this circular trace, four other 'patches' with similar characteristics were observed, seemingly arranged in a triangle. Despite the discovery being made on a Saturday, Claudio F. had noticed a difference in the color of the grass within the ring area in the two or three days prior to mowing. Even though there had been sporadic, strong thunderstorms during that period, the trace had not disappeared.

Case 3: Spalato, September 1990

The third report, a collaboration from Giorgio Ippolito and Dario Barbangelo of CUN/Gorizia, recounts a sighting from a newspaper in Spalato (Split), Croatia, dated September 26, 1990. A witness was waiting for a bus to Zagreb when, around 9:00 PM, they observed an unusual 'airplane' between two mountains. The object was described as flying much faster than a conventional aircraft and very low. It was estimated to be about twenty meters long. The front part appeared to have a transparent cabin illuminated by green light. The rear section was described as having multiple joined tails, giving it the appearance of a jellyfish. According to the witness, looking at it from below revealed spectacular colors.

Additional Anecdote

An earlier anecdote, not dated but placed before the Spalato report, describes an object observed from a mountain. The object was initially mistaken for a distant light. It moved horizontally across the sky and then disappeared behind a mountain. Ten minutes later, it rose vertically and disappeared into the sky. The local shepherds and their livestock were reportedly hesitant to approach the site where the object had been seen.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are unexplained aerial phenomena, witness testimonies, and the investigation of physical evidence such as photographic anomalies and ground traces. The magazine appears to document and present these cases for public consideration, with a focus on detailed reporting and witness accounts. The editorial stance seems to be one of serious inquiry into UAP phenomena, presenting cases without overt skepticism but with a clear emphasis on the investigative process and the evidence gathered.