Skywatch - No 27

Magazine Overview

Title: MAPIT SKYWATCH
Issue: No. 27
Date: February/March 1978
Publisher: Manchester Aerial Phenomena Investigation Team (MAPIT)
Country: United Kingdom
Document Type: Magazine Issue

Articles and Content

Letters to the Editor

The issue opens with a letter from Mrs.K. responding to a previous article by Mr. Rimmer. Mrs.K. questions the methodology of UFO research, suggesting that a more standardized, coordinated approach involving scientific analysis and computer collation might be more effective than individual, 'go-it-alone' efforts. She advocates for national coordination to demonstrate genuine research and avoid being perceived as amateurs.

John Rimmer replies to Mrs.K., defending his stance. He quotes from a 1970 Merseyside UFO Bulletin, suggesting a future structure of individual studies by researchers who unite for specific purposes, calling in specialists, and publishing findings. Rimmer believes this informal collaboration is more effective than forming societies with constitutions and high-flown titles. He emphasizes that he is not suggesting isolation but rather informal meetings and discussions. He criticizes the formation of groups like 'Slag ster UFO Research Group' or 'Intergalactic Saucer Bureau' for leading to group politics and organizational minutae, which he feels detract from the subject. Rimmer praises UFOIN as an encouraging move, noting that major advancements in UFO knowledge have come from independent UFOlogists outside conventional group structures, citing authors like Jacques Vallee, John Keel, and Allen Hynek. He contrasts these with books produced by groups, which he feels bear the signs of committee writing, asserting that committees are the enemy of individual achievement.

UFO Exhibition in Denmark a Success!

This short piece reports on a UFO Exhibition held in Copenhagen Town Hall from November 24 to December 4, 1977, organized by Skandinavisk UFO Information (SUFOI). Secretary Karen Linneballe stated that over 4,000 people visited the exhibition, which she described as a hit, despite negative press coverage. The article expresses hope for a similar event in Britain.

Crewe High Strangeness Cases

Authored by Mark A. Tyrrell, this article presents three cases from the files of Federation U.F.O.Rusearch, characterized by a high strangeness rating.

• Case 1: Concerns two colleagues, Stephen Cleaver and Nigel Brown (Co-directors of FUFOR). On March 31, 1977, while driving near Crewe, Stephen saw a disc-shaped object pass very close to the car. He stopped and took a photograph, but the film was likely double-exposed or the film wound loose. Stephen estimated the object's size at 20-25 feet in diameter with a cone-shaped cupola. Notably, Nigel Brown did not see the object at all, despite Stephen's insistence on its close proximity.
• Case 2: Involves a mother and her teenage daughter who, on the night of July 3, 1977, saw an orange-coloured object through a window. The object purportedly emitted a humming noise that caused the daughter to suffer from earache.
• Case 3: Recounts an incident from early September 1966 involving Christopher Chesters. While walking with his girlfriend near Cholmondeston, they saw a large, perfect egg-shaped object, dull silver-lamé in colour, hovering about 60 feet above the ground. A smaller, shimmering object of the same shape then rose from behind a barn and merged into the larger UFO, which began to shimmer and then rapidly ascended and departed westward. Mr. Chesters estimated the larger object was four times the size of a famous tyre company's advertising blimp, and the smaller craft was half that size.

Tyrrell discusses potential explanations for Nigel's failure to see the object in the first case, including optical deficiency due to his glasses, or a speculative external control affecting his vision. He also considers the possibility of Stephen possessing an extra faculty for perceiving UFOs. Regarding the second case, Tyrrell notes the witnesses' 'rough' background but doesn't dismiss the report, though he suggests the daughter's migraine might have contributed to the earache. He posits the humming noise could be related to known technology like electric motors. For the third case, Tyrrell finds the reported dimensions incredible but acknowledges the witness's certainty. He notes the merging of the smaller craft into the larger one as a frequently reported ability, suggesting craft can become solid or jelly-like. He concludes that UFOs are diverse and that psychological factors likely play a significant role in UFO incidents.

Page Research and UFO Clipping Service Advertisements

The issue includes advertisements for "Page Research," a dealer in UFO and Fortean material, and "UFO Clipping Service," which offers US and Canadian UFO sighting coverage.

Canadian UFO Cover-Up

Written by Howard Gontovnick, Editor of UFO Researchers Journal (Canada), this article investigates the Canadian government's handling of UFO reports.

• Project Magnet (1950): Established by the Department of Transport, this project, headed by Wilbert B. Smith, aimed to collect, weigh, and catalogue sighting reports to find explanations. In 1953, electronic devices were assembled near Shirley Bay, Ontario, to test for interplanetary vehicles and their electromagnetic and gravitational properties. In August 1954, instruments recorded readings significantly higher than those for large aircraft.
• Silencing of Smith: In May 1955, a committee announced no UFOs were detected at Shirley Bay, leading Gontovnick to question if this was a government attempt to silence Smith and cover up findings.
• Project Second Story (April 1952): Following recommendations, a second study was established to review the UFO situation and determine if a large-scale investigation was warranted. Gontovnick discovered through a Timothy Green Beckley article in UFO REPORT (April '76) that the true purpose of Project Second Story was to concentrate on covering up UFOs in Canadian skies, with committee members aware of their debunking role beforehand.
• Underground Efforts: The committee's dissolution and public disinterest allowed the government to continue underground research. The Condon Report's final recommendation was that the situation did not warrant a large-scale investigation.
• Alberta Project (1954): A story in Donald E. Keyhoe's book, "ALIENS FROM SPACE," details a secret project in Alberta where RCAF pilots attempted to force UFOs to land. This plan reportedly failed and was not revealed until 1969.

Gontovnick concludes that the government's immediate formation of a restricted scientific team and the subsequent silencing of the project director indicate a cover-up.

Some Thoughts on UFO Investigations

This section, written by Ken Phillips, Regional Investigations Co-Ordinator for BUFORA, provides guidelines for UFO investigation techniques.

• Preamble: Phillips states his intention to provide guidelines for UFO investigation techniques, acknowledging that many investigators already have experience. He emphasizes the importance of retrieving accurate data from eye-witness accounts.
• Interviewing UFO-Witnesses: Phillips advises against using tape recorders initially, preferring to take notes. He suggests using the "Association of Ideas" technique to jog the witness's memory by referencing dates, familiar objects, or daily procedures. He outlines specific areas to probe: 1. Date: Correlate with important events, anniversaries, or socio-political occurrences. 2. Time: Link to radio programs, meal times, or other activities. 3. Location: Ask for familiar landmarks. 4. Shape of object: Refer to Dr.R.F. Haines' paper. Information like elevation, orientation, and duration can be estimated using instruments like a theodolite, compass, and stop watch, or through A.O.I. (Association of Ideas).
• Accuracy and Bias: Phillips stresses that if a witness is unsure of facts, it's crucial to prompt without leading. He also advises asking the witness what they think the object was to gauge their bias and how much they are "colouring" their report. He notes that the human mind tends to reference past familiar experiences when confronted with strange situations.
• Conclusion: After gathering information, Phillips consults references like almanacs, planispheres, and satellite timetables. If identification fails, reasonable speculation is included in the report. He recommends BUFORA's "Field Investigators' Handbook" for further reading.

Group and General News

This section announces a new national magazine called "SFACEQUEST," which will feature UFO sightings, astronomy, and spaceflight. It also thanks MAPIT member Jeff Thomas for his work in establishing new foreign contacts for SKYWATCH in 1977.

Contactee Cases

Authored by R. Markwick, this article discusses "Contactees" and their experiences.

• Fear and Dreams: Markwick notes that contactees often exhibit extreme fear, and their accounts differ from dreams, being more detailed and longer in duration.
• Credibility: He suggests that the longer the experience, the easier it is to fault, but a good liar would need more than a good memory. Contactees, he states, simply present their stories without seeking validation.
• Antonio Villas-Boa (AVB) Case: This Brazilian case is presented as a classic example. AVB reportedly resisted abduction, was overwhelmed by numbers, and his account lasted four hours. He later had telltale marks on his body, and Dr. Olavo Fontes, a Professor of Medicine, noted purple-coloured hyperchromic areas around lesions and scars.
• Hill's Case: Mentioned as occurring nearly 20 years after the AVB case (Sept 19/20, 1961), this refers to the well-known Hill abduction.
• Prevalence: Markwick believes contactee cases will increase, as UFOs are persistent phenomena. He questions how many incidents are needed for the public and establishment to accept them.
• Selective Effects: He describes cases where a UFO halts a vehicle, and only one person exits, seemingly against their will. He recounts a British case where a person ran into a field and later collapsed, claiming to have encountered a monstrous entity with glowing red eyes, referencing a biblical account.
• Hypnosis and Microwave Techniques: Markwick discusses how entities might use frequency application to induce hypnosis, causing individuals to move towards UFOs. He notes that Americans state Russians are using microwave techniques to issue commands to people at a distance, causing effects similar to those experienced by contactees, such as paralysis and a drained feeling.
• Physiological Effects: Contactees often exhibit symptoms like radiation sickness, diarrhoea, temporary amnesia, skin burns, blindness, headaches, and a desire for more sleep, possibly to conceal traumatic recall. Markwick suggests physical information extraction and notes that contactees, once medically sound, can be left mentally and physically wrecked.
• Comparison to Earthly Experiments: He compares the aliens' apparent lack of sympathy to humans experimenting on lower life forms, noting that some visitants show contempt.
• Skepticism and Establishment: Markwick criticizes skeptics who deny UFOs and the establishment's tendency to dismiss evidence. He argues that the USAF's approach to UFOs, by displaying stickers stating "The American Air Force does not exist - UFOs do!", reflects a desire to pass the buck. He contrasts this with the courage of contactees.
• Electrical Connection: The article touches upon how UFOs might interfere with or nullify the electrical systems of cars and potentially the human body's electrical functioning through electromagnetic effects.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of MAPIT SKYWATCH include the nature of UFO investigation, the challenges of witness testimony, the potential for government cover-ups, and the profound, often disturbing, experiences of UFO contactees. The editorial stance appears to favor independent research and critical analysis, as evidenced by the letters section and the detailed examination of the Canadian government's UFO activities. There is a clear emphasis on the "high strangeness" aspect of UFO phenomena, suggesting that these events go beyond conventional explanations and may involve advanced or unknown technologies and entities. The publication seems to aim at providing a platform for detailed case studies and investigative articles within the UFOlogy community.

Title: SKYWATCH
Issue: 11
Volume: 1
Date: January 1978
Publisher: BUFORA (British UFO Research Association)
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of SKYWATCH magazine, dated January 1978, opens with a personal reflection from the publication's editor or a contributor, expressing a long-held belief in the existence of UFOs and frustration with the establishment's skepticism. The author hopes to enlighten readers about the reality of UFOs and the valuable information that supports their existence.

Scientific Articles

Sulphuric Acid Rain on Venus

The Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory in Leningrad has been modeling the Venusian atmosphere based on data from Soviet probes. Space meteorology specialist Kirill Kondratyev explains that Venus's clouds are composed of uniform spherical particles, approximately one-thousandth of a millimeter in size. The refraction of light in these particles corresponds to an 80 percent sulphuric acid solution. Visibility within these clouds is estimated to be between one to three kilometers. The lower cloud boundary is at about 35 kilometers altitude, where temperatures reach 125°C. The concentration of sulphuric acid rain in the lower atmosphere is 98 percent. Leonid Ksanfomalti's analysis of Venus's clouds supports this, and he also suggests that layers of sulphuric acid particles may exist in Earth's atmosphere at around 30 kilometers, potentially explaining atmospheric transparency issues.

UFO Sightings and Investigations

Scunthorpe Sighting

On an October evening in 1966 or 1967, at approximately 17:45 hrs, Jennifer Shannon and Carol Barrill witnessed a disc-shaped object with flashing lights hovering over Henderson Avenue School in Scunthorpe, Humberside. The object emitted a humming sound. After observing it for about a minute, they saw it hover again at a height of 50 feet. Jennifer reported the sighting to her family, who were initially dismissive, but her brother, who studied the subject, believed her. The report notes that the case is ten years old, making follow-up investigations difficult, and the whereabouts of Carol Barrill are unknown.

Congleton Sighting

On a Wednesday evening in March 1977, at 20:30 hrs, Mr. G. Hagston, a printer, witnessed an oval white light moving slowly from the South-West to the North-East over Bankey Fields in Congleton, Cheshire. The light was observed from his home window and was stationary for about 30 minutes before vanishing around 21:00 hrs. Another witness also saw the light and thought it might be a satellite. The sighting location is noted as being close to the Radio Telescope at Jodrell Bank.

UFO Formation: St. Clements, Jersey

In July 1975, around 11:45 p.m., Mrs. Bruton, a resident of St. Clements, Jersey, observed a formation of very bright stars, numbering about 50 or more, moving from right to left and circling above her house. A second formation of about 25 objects then appeared, followed by a third formation of about 25. These objects then merged into a larger, circular ship, after which the formations disappeared into it. The large ship then moved away towards Corbiere, followed by the first formation, until they were out of sight. The sighting lasted over an hour, the object was silver, and there was no sound. Other witnesses included Mrs. Bruton's grandson, nephew, and two friends, though three of them were in the Army and one was abroad.

UFOs and E-M Effects

This section details several cases where UFO sightings were associated with electromagnetic (E-M) effects, which are being studied by the B'FORA project. These cases include vehicle interference, sea incidents, and air incidents.

• La Tessoualle, France (8/11/54): A driver's vehicle engine and lights failed as a blue disc-shaped object approached. He experienced intense blue light and temporary paralysis. The light then reappeared as a cone-shaped object and flew away with a whistling sound.
• Los Mongros, Spain (1/11/68): Five witnesses reported their car engine and lights stopped, and their watches failed, when a large orange disc-shaped object landed nearby. The object then rose silently and departed, after which the vehicle's systems returned to normal.
• Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, USA (-/-/53): Two men reported their outboard motor failed, and a humming sound was heard. A shining disc-shaped object was seen hovering about five feet above the water, causing localized, sharp-pointed waves directly beneath it, while the rest of the lake remained calm.
• Newport News, Virginia, USA (-/-/55): The motor vessel 'Atlantic City' experienced its gyro-compass and binnacle compass failing after a 'ball of fire' passed overhead at high speed. The ship was steering in a circle, and strange turbulence was noticed on the sea. The gyro and electrical gear required later repair.
• Santa Catarina, Brazil (3/8/57): A pilot and four crew of a VARIG C-47 aircraft observed a luminous object that crossed their path. The aircraft's engines began missing, and cabin lights dimmed and went out. These effects returned to normal when the object dived into the clouds.
• Ukraine, USSR (29/9/67): An Ilyushin-14 aircraft experienced engine failure and cut out while flying over Ukraine when an unidentified object was seen overhead. The aircraft descended to within 800 meters of the ground before the object disappeared and the engines restarted.

References

The article lists six references related to UFOs, including "Flying Saucer Review - The Humanoids," "FSR Vol 15 No 1 P 1V," "Flying Saucers Serious Business," "Sunday Express," "UFOs - the whole story," and "UFOs from behind the Iron Curtain."

Notes and Quotes

Flying Visit?

An article from the 'Auckland Star' (July 30th, 1977) reports that British Flying Saucer Inventor John Searl has offered to bring his electro-magnetic motor to New Zealand. Searl is showcasing his inventions to Canadian scientists, who are reportedly impressed.

Quote on History

A quote states: "If a film of the history of the earth were made, scaled down to last 24 hours, man would first appear 6 seconds from the end."

Sherlock Holmes Quote

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

New UFO Books and Films

New British UFO Book

Peter Hill, Secretary of the Edinburgh Branch of BUFORA, is reportedly publishing a new book this year. The book aims to analyze the UFO phenomenon rather than just present anecdotes, with chapters on UFO history, analysis of British Isles reports, UFOs and the paranormal, and the way forward.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

News on the US film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' is provided, noting its sporadic release in the States and its upcoming release in the UK in March 1978. The plot involves a power worker investigating massive power failures who encounters a UFO, leading to EM effects and poltergeist phenomena. The film features UFO investigations and a French contactee, with Allen Hynek playing himself. The film is described as a tension-building thriller.

Other Space Films

Other upcoming space films mentioned include "Capricorn" (starring Elliott Gould), "Superman" (starring Marlon Brando), and "Flash Gordon." A planned UFO film will reportedly deal with the US government's cover-up of UFOs over the last 30 years, tentatively titled "SKYWATCH!"

PULSAR Magazine

The new format magazine PULSAR, edited by Kathy Preston, is mentioned. Issue No. 4 includes articles on Zodiacs and UFOs by Jenny Randles, and upcoming articles will cover the UFO-Ley connection and a Glossary of UFO Terminology. Copies can be obtained for 30p from Pulse Publications.

A Poem: The Comet

A poem titled "The Comet" by Pat Jenkins is included, reflecting on the celestial phenomenon and its mysterious nature.

New UFO Book: UFOS - A British Viewpoint

Another new UFO book, "UFOS - A British Viewpoint" by Peter Warrington and Jenny Randles, is scheduled for hardcover release in September.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the reality of UFO phenomena and encourages open-minded investigation, often expressing frustration with mainstream scientific and governmental skepticism. There is a strong emphasis on reporting sightings, analyzing potential causes (including E-M effects), and reviewing related literature and media. The publication aims to inform and enlighten its readership about UFOs, positioning itself as a source of valuable information often overlooked by the establishment.