SPACE

Magazine Overview

Title: SPACE
Publisher: Norbert F. Gariety
Issue Date: September 1959
Document Type: Magazine Issue

Content Summary

This issue of SPACE magazine, published monthly from Coral Gables, Florida, focuses heavily on UFO sightings and related phenomena reported globally, with a particular emphasis on reports from Australia and New Zealand during the 1959 UFO flap. The magazine questions the official stance on physical evidence, citing Captain Edward J. Ruppelt's definition of 'something you can touch'.

UFO Sightings and Reports

Australia and New Zealand:

• Blenheim, New Zealand: Following the Mrs. Moreland incident, rumors spread about scorched ground left by an object, but these were later reported as groundless by the Marlborough EXPRESS.
• Hastings, New Zealand: Mr. E. T. Raison reported seeing a barrel-shaped object with blueish misty streaks on July 13th, around 8:30 p.m. He described a humming sound and the object moving swiftly from west to east.
• Port Moresby, New Guinea: A Reuters report from the SOUTH PACIFIC POST detailed recent UFO sightings, including a missionary who observed a craft with portholes and saw people looking out. The craft was described as flying slowly.
• Brisbane, Australia: Two businessmen and two doctors reported seeing a flying saucer on July 14th, near the Norman River. They described it as about half the size of a full moon with an exhaust-like tail.
• Cape York Peninsula, Australia: A "huge, glowing, red object" was reported to have landed on a hill on Prince of Wales Island, terrifying local natives. This incident occurred on a Wednesday night, the same night as the Norman River sighting.
• Civil Aviation Department: The department in Brisbane requested reports on alleged "flying saucer" sightings in the Gulf Country and Torres Straits.
• Bowen, Australia: Mrs. Arthur Austin reported seeing a "brilliantly lit" object with red and green lights on July 17th.
• Murchison, New Zealand: Five people, including Mr. and Mrs. Ken Horner and Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hill Jr., reported seeing an unidentified flying object on August 1st. The object changed color from red to green and emitted a blue light that shot upwards. They observed it for about 20 minutes.

United States and Elsewhere:

• Lake Erie: An Eastern Airlines pilot and co-pilot reported seeing two glowing white disk-shaped objects flying in stepped-down formation at an altitude of 8,000 feet on August 18th. The objects were observed for over 15 minutes.
• Honolulu, Hawaii: Mrs. Katherine Medeiros reported unusual aerial activity on July 13th, including a bright lighted object hovering over Barbers Point.
• Piri Piri, New Zealand: A farmer discovered a 33-foot diameter ring of burnt grass, with blackened soil and animal droppings, suggesting a UFO landing.
• Spain: An Airman reported seeing green fireballs falling near his base, descending at a low rate of speed, often disappearing before landing. He also noted reports from shepherds about ships descending and taking sheep.
• Westfield, New Jersey: George Van Hecke shared his conversation with a Russian aeronautical engineer who claimed the Soviets believe UFOs are US spy devices used to cover up Soviet airspace invasion. The engineer also suggested UFOs are active in areas of electrical/atomic development and are likely unmanned due to their speed and maneuverability.
• Washington D.C.: A report from Dean Acheson detailed a 1950 false alert where Soviet bombers were thought to be attacking the US, raising the question of whether a UFO was involved.
• West Florida: The issue references a previous report on a monster in the Palmetto swamps and a new account from frog-hunters about a 9-foot creature with a glowing face.
• Zephyrhills, Florida: Reliable residents reported seeing a monstrous-sized creature in whitish, hair-like garments descending upon them. Shots fired at the 'thing' failed to halt it.
• Malaya: Prospector Arthur Potter reported seeing a green monster emerging from Lake Chini, described as having a huge body and a red eye the size of a tennis ball. Tribesmen have long claimed the lake is sacred and has been visited by monsters.
• Mansfield, Ohio: Three youths reported seeing a terrifying creature on a lane near Charles Mill Lake, described as about seven feet tall with no arms and two green eyes.

Scientific and Theoretical Discussions

• Polar Shift Theory: The issue discusses Professor Charles H. Hapgood and James H. Campbell's book, "The Earth's Shifting Crust," which proposes that continental shifts, driven by ice accumulation, caused the North and South Poles to move. This theory is presented as an alternative to the long-held belief that the poles have always been in their current locations, supported by evidence like fossil remains of domesticated animals and tropical plants found in Arctic regions, and the relatively recent growth of the South Polar ice cap.

Editorial Stance and Recurring Themes

The magazine consistently questions official denials and perceived lack of transparency regarding UFO phenomena. It champions eyewitness accounts and physical evidence, often highlighting cases that have not received attention in mainstream American media. The editorial tone suggests a belief in the reality of UFOs and their occupants, often framing the issue as one of significant importance that is being downplayed or ignored by authorities and skeptical researchers. There's a recurring theme of the 'men' inside the craft being a point of contention for some researchers, with the editor suggesting a bias against accepting the possibility of intelligent, human-like occupants. The magazine also touches upon the geopolitical implications, particularly in the context of the Cold War, suggesting that UFOs might be used as a psychological weapon or that their existence is being manipulated for political purposes.

Notable Quote: "The Air Force says that it has no PHYSICAL EVIDENCE (physical meaning 'something you can touch') that such things even exist. In the words of Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt, retired, who served three years at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, as Chief Investigator for Project Bluebook WHAT CONSTITUTES PROOF??"