SIGAP Bulletin No 24 - 1969-05

Magazine Overview

This issue of the SIGAP Bulletin, dated May 1969 and identified as No. 24, is published monthly by the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena. It is priced at 1/- and edited by Ron Toft, with Omar Fowler serving as Chairman and Richard Beet as Secretary. The cover prominently features the headline "METEOR LIGHTS UP THE SKY".

Meteor Sighting Across Britain

The lead article, "METEOR LIGHTS UP THE SKY" by Ron Toft, details a spectacular meteor event that occurred on the evening of April 25th. The object, described as a chunk of rock from space heated by atmospheric friction, was seen by hundreds across Britain, including London, Belfast, and Wick. Newspaper, police, and fire-brigade switchboards were inundated with calls. SIGAP Chairman Omar Fowler, from Mytchett, near Camberley, reported observing a brilliant whitish-yellow ball of fire with a long greenish-yellow tail. He estimated its size, duration (three to four seconds), direction (290°-300° W.N.W.), initial elevation (30°), and final elevation (20°), estimating its height at 80 miles.

Within three minutes of Fowler's observation, SIGAP received reports from members A. H. Lloyd in Cranleigh and C. Hopper in Guildford. Hopper described the object as electric-blue in colour, with two tails that turned red towards the end, and estimated its size as three-quarters of a degree, moving through 20° of sky towards the horizon, 20° West of North.

Astronomers at the Royal Edinburgh Observatory suggested the meteor's remnants landed in the sea off the North Scottish coast. However, the general consensus was that fragments landed in Northern Ireland. A resident of Ballymurphy, County Down, Willie Greer, adamantly stated the object had fallen into a bog near his bungalow, reporting a greenish-blue light about 2,000 feet up. He described it stopping, the light going out, and falling into his bog. The incident reportedly caused the local mission hall to shake and the ground to quake, with some ladies hearing an explosion.

Initially, Kenneth Gatland, Vice-President of the British Interplanetary Society, believed the fireball might be the remains of the Russian satellite Cosmos 265 re-entering the atmosphere. However, after checking his calculations, he changed his mind.

Later news on page 6 indicates that two fragments of the meteor have been found: one weighing 16 lb. is being examined by atom scientists at Harwell, and a smaller fragment has been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Meteorite Information

A footnote clarifies that meteors become meteorites after landing. It states that twenty-one are known to have fallen on the British Isles, with the heaviest weighing at least 102 lb. (largest fragment found was 17 lb. 6 oz.) and landing in Barwell, Leicestershire on December 24, 1965. The largest known meteorite globally was found at Hoba West in 1920 (South West Africa) weighing an estimated 59 tons, with a much larger one believed to be buried beneath Meteor Crater in Arizona, U.S.A.

UFO Activity Resumes

The bulletin notes a lull in local UFO activity but announces that sighting reports are starting to increase, anticipating more with the summer. A glowing rugby-ball shaped UFO was reported over Worplesdon on April 14th by six people, including Ted Kinge and Bill Webb. The object was described as a very bright light, too large for a plane, with no sound, moving at the speed of a very fast aircraft before disappearing behind a house.

Hayling Island Sighting

A retired Hayling Island nurse reported seeing a UFO on March 18th between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. The object was described as brighter than a star, moving in various gyrations, hovering, and ascending vertically at approximately 90°. It had a dazzling white colour with a shower of glistening light beneath it, a pointed end, and a dark band. SIGAP Chairman Omar Fowler interviewed the witness, who could not account for it as an aircraft or natural phenomenon. The observer, in her late 70s, is mentally alert but suffers from tiredness.

Conventions and Publications

Britain's first National Space and UFO Convention is scheduled for Woburn Abbey on Sunday, August 17th. Organized by the Interplanetary Space Travel Research Group (U.K.), it aims to provide a platform for UFO groups to showcase their research. SIGAP hopes to have a stand there.

A special 72-page issue of "Flying Saucer Review" titled "The Humanoids", focusing on UFO landings and alleged occupants, is available for 12/-.

Dr. Hynek's Evolving Views on UFOs

The article "A CHANGE OF MIND" discusses Dr. Hynek's shift in perspective on UFOs. Initially dismissing them as "Hogwash" when consulted by Wright Patterson Air Force Base, he now considers UFOs a "scientific problem" and advocates for their study on par with other scientific issues. Dr. Hynek, Chairman of Astronomy at Northwestern University and a consultant to the U.S. Air Force, developed a double scale for classifying sightings, including a strangeness index and a credibility index. He laments the lack of scientific attention given to genuine mysteries compared to hoaxes and expresses disappointment at never having personally seen a UFO. He advises witnesses to get corroborating witnesses, photographs, and to use comparative objects for estimating size, speed, and shape.

Satellite News

"SATELLITE NEWS: A SUMMER VISITOR" by Tim Childerhouse reports on the return of the naked-eye satellite SAMOS 2, visible from April to September in the northern hemisphere. Launched on January 21, 1961, it has an apogee of 550 km and perigee of 450 km, and is expected to remain in orbit for another five to six years. The article also mentions ECHO 2, the brightest satellite, predicted to decay by the end of May, with hopes that its re-entry will be observed.

SIGAP Consultants and Activities

Tim Childerhouse, a SIGAP consultant working at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, gave a talk on "New Satellites in Space" at the April meeting. He noted that 1,610 objects were in orbit on March 1st and that up to 50 bright objects could be seen traversing the sky between 8 p.m. and midnight. He also mentioned satellites with reflecting mirrors and searchlights, and military vehicles capable of changing orbit. He confirmed that the Worplesdon sighting on April 14th could not be attributed to the Pageos A satellite due to its direction, height, and speed.

New Appointments and Publications

Ron Toft, SIGAP Bulletin Editor, has been appointed official English correspondent to the Argentinian UFO publication "Espacio". Senor Guillermo Aldunati, editor of "Espacio", will represent SIGAP in Argentina. This is seen as valuable given the increase in UFO reports, particularly "Contact" cases, in South America. Ron Toft has also been appointed English representative for the U.F.O. Research Committee (U.F.O.R.C.) based in Seattle, Washington. U.F.O.R.C. has researchers across the States and representatives in Argentina and Chile, and publishes a monthly bulletin.

SIGAP announces a "SPECIAL EDITORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT" regarding its plans to launch a new magazine, "PEGASUS". This publication will replace the "SIGAP Bulletin" and will be in a quarto duplicated format, featuring local and foreign UFO news, SIGAP projects, and developments in astronomy and space research. The first issue is expected shortly.

Cambridge U.F.O. Seminar

Omar Fowler reports on a special U.F.O. seminar held at Churchill College, Cambridge University, on April 19th, aimed at improving the research skills of British U.F.O. Research Association members. Richard Farrow discussed extracting facts from witness reports, emphasizing the tendency for witnesses to exaggerate size and the importance of compass bearings. A discussion ensued about checking witness book-cases for UFO literature. B.U.F.O.R.A. has a psychologist, Mr. Stonebridge, and other consultants like Dr. Cleary-Baker and Anthony Durham to help analyze reports.

Stephen Smith presented his interpretation of the Condon Report, stressing the need for intensive investigation and proper documentation. He appealed for assistance from affiliated groups.

Anthony Durham spoke on "Perception", highlighting natural phenomena that can be mistaken for UFOs, such as ball-lightning and mirages. He noted that planet Venus, satellites, and aircraft account for 50% of UFO sightings. He also mentioned that five percent of the male population in the UK is colour blind, and the chance for women is 1 in 100.

Stewart Miller discussed witness reliability, advising interviews within 24 hours and asking witnesses to write down incidents without interviewer influence. He cautioned against accepting first statements as gospel truth, noting that imagination, lack of sleep, drugs, or even antibiotics could affect perception.

Roger Stanway and Anthony Pace shared experiences from "flap" investigations in Staffordshire, advising prompt note-taking and conserving energy. They also recommended keeping a UFO activity diary and restricting information given to the press to avoid influencing potential witnesses.

The seminar was deemed highly useful for exchanging a wide range of views on UFO investigation.

Newspaper Sensationalism

An article addresses newspaper sensationalism regarding a talk by Air Marshall Sir Victor Goddard. Early reports suggested he revealed UFO secrets from Washington in the mid-1940s, but it is claimed he only offered thoughts that deepened the mystery. Sir Victor spoke on Extra Sensory Perception and stated that UFO secrecy rumours had no basis in fact, calling the "Evening News" report "newspaper sensationalism" and stating he was completely misquoted.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The bulletin consistently focuses on UFO sightings, meteor events, and satellite observations, reflecting the core interests of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on rigorous investigation, witness reliability, and the scientific study of UFOs, as evidenced by the discussions on Dr. Hynek's evolving views and the Cambridge seminar. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, seeking factual data while acknowledging the complexities of perception and potential natural explanations. The announcement of the new publication "PEGASUS" signals an expansion of their efforts to disseminate information within the UFO research community.