SUNlite - Vol 12 No 04

Magazine Overview

Title: SUNlite
Issue: Volume 12, Number 4
Date: July-August 2020
Publisher: SUNlite
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of SUNlite, subtitled "Shedding some light on UFOlogy and UFOs," features a collection of case reviews and analyses, primarily focusing on historical UFO sightings and their potential explanations. The cover features a quote from Mark O'Connell's book "The satisfaction of not knowing," which sets a tone of intellectual curiosity and acceptance of mystery.

Table of Contents Highlights

The issue includes a detailed table of contents, outlining several key articles:

• Weeding out the Weinstein catalogue: August 27, 1957 Dry Tortugas, Florida
• UFO evidence under review: July 19, 1956 Hutchinson Kansas
• The 701 Club: Case 943: July 24, 1951 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
• Another NARCAP challenge?
• Project Blue Book case review January-July 1960

Article Summaries

"Better to remain silent....."

This introductory piece reflects on the nature of UFOlogy and the tendency for individuals to fall for unsubstantiated claims. It discusses a surfaced transcript of a meeting between Dr. Eric Davis and Admiral Thomas Wilson, which was sensationalized by Richard Dolan as the "UFO leak of the century." The author notes that Billy Cox interviewed Admiral Wilson, who denied knowledge of the documents and stated they were fiction. Other individuals interviewed also denied knowledge. The author speculates that Dr. Davis may prefer to remain silent on the matter to avoid appearing foolish or like a conspiracy theorist, concluding that "Better to remain silent and thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt."

The author also references Mark O'Connell's "The satisfaction of not knowing," suggesting it's a valuable read for both skeptics and believers, and expresses a personal willingness to classify cases as UNIDENTIFIED when no explanation is found.

Weeding out the Weinstein catalogue: August 27, 1957 Dry Tortugas, Florida

This article analyzes a case from the Project Blue Book files, originally listed as the planet Venus with "spurious radar blips." The case file contains a speedletter from the Atlantic Fleet weather training unit mentioning the possibility of random signals being received by APG-51A radar when pointed towards Venus. Despite various reports and communications, including those from naval and air force bases, the analysis concludes that there is no reason to dismiss the possibility that the sighting was Venus. The radar contact is considered anomalous, and the author recommends removing this case from the Weinstein catalogue.

July 19, 1956: Hutchinson, Kansas

This section reviews a case from the Project Blue Book files concerning a "moving unidentified object" observed visually and on radar. Media accounts describe a "brilliantly lighted, tear-shaped object." The analysis suggests that astronomical objects, specifically Mars and Venus, were the likely sources of these sightings. The report notes that Mars was visible in the southeast, and Venus was visible in the northeast around the times reported. The radar contact is deemed questionable, possibly a rumor or spurious signal. The conclusion is that these sightings can be listed as possible astronomical objects and should be removed from the "best evidence" category.

The 701 Club: Case 943 July 24, 1951 Portsmouth, NH.

This case involves a "tubular object, 5 times long as it was wide, with fins at one end, and colored greyish with many black spots," observed for 20 seconds near sunset. The analysis suggests that the sighting could be a fireball meteor, given the timing around sunset. The brightness of Venus around that time is also considered, and the description of the object disappearing instantaneously is consistent with a meteor fading out. The conclusion is that this case can be reclassified as a "possible meteor" and removed from the list of Blue Book unknowns.

Another NARCAP Challenge?

This article examines a NARCAP report (#20) describing an incident involving an aircraft flying from Mexico to Tennessee. The first officer observed a yellow light that stopped projecting a beam and then paced the aircraft, changing color and flickering. The object was described as "tear-dropped shaped." The analysis, based on available data and astronomical calculations, strongly suggests that the object was the planet Venus. The author points out the lack of comparison to known astronomical objects by the aircrew and the potential for misinterpretation of Venus's appearance, especially when photographed through an airplane window.

Project Blue Book case review: January-June 1960

This section provides a review of cases from the Project Blue Book files for January to June 1960. For each case, the original Blue Book explanation is listed alongside the author's evaluation. Many cases are agreed upon as meteors, aircraft, or other conventional phenomena. Notable evaluations include a possible firework display for a New Year's sighting, an Atlas missile launch, and probable Russian missile activity. One case from the Pacific is noted as having no case file, and another from Sylvannia, OH, is considered a hallucination or possibly a meteor. The overall trend is to find conventional explanations for the reported sightings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SUNlite revolve around the critical analysis of UFO and UAP reports, with a strong emphasis on identifying conventional explanations. The magazine consistently applies scientific reasoning and astronomical data to re-evaluate historical and contemporary sightings. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards extraordinary claims, favoring explanations such as misidentified astronomical objects (Venus, Mars, meteors), aircraft, or atmospheric phenomena. There is a clear effort to "weed out" cases from catalogues like the Weinstein catalogue and to remove them from the "best evidence" category when plausible alternative explanations are found. The magazine promotes a thoughtful approach to UFOlogy, acknowledging the existence of mysteries but advocating for rigorous investigation and evidence-based conclusions.

This issue of UFO Investigator focuses on a detailed catalog of reported sightings from March 1960, along with subsequent evaluations. The data is presented in tabular format, listing the date, location, 'BB explanation' (likely referring to Project Blue Book's initial assessment), and the magazine's 'My evaluation'. The issue also includes a section on 'Reclassification' of cases and a summary of interesting events.

Sightings Catalog (March 1960)

The bulk of the magazine is dedicated to a chronological listing of alleged UFO sightings. Each entry provides a location and a brief description of the phenomenon observed, followed by an assessment. Common explanations and classifications include:

• Meteor: Many sightings are attributed to meteors, with evaluations often being 'Agreed'. Examples include sightings in Sparrevohn, AK; Nome, AK; Alexandria, LA; Japan; Downing, MO; Lebanon, OH; and many others.
• Aircraft: Several reports were identified as aircraft, such as in San Jose, CA; Rockledge, FL (though initially listed as birds); Dubuque, IA; and others. Some were noted as 'Possible aircraft'.
• Reflection: Sightings described as reflections were also common, with explanations ranging from reflections of the sun (e.g., Tuscon, AZ; Perryville, MO) to reflections of aircraft or other objects.
• Insufficient Data: A significant number of cases are marked as 'Insufficient data', indicating a lack of detailed information required for a definitive conclusion. Despite this, many were still evaluated as 'Agreed' or 'Possible meteor/aircraft'.
• Other Explanations: Various other explanations are provided, including 'Emulsion Flaw' (Grand Blanc, MI), 'Spica' and 'Arcturus' (Alexandria, LA), 'Night Illumination exercise' (San Juan, Puerto Rico), 'Chaff' (Maddock, ND), 'Satellite Decay' (Eastern US), 'Mirage' (North Platte, NE), and 'Lens aberration' (Leadville, CO).

Notable entries include:

• Grand Blanc, MI (March 20): Described as an 'Emulsion Flaw', evaluated as 'Agreed'.
• Tuscon, AZ (March 24): A 'Reflection' was observed, noted as possibly a reflection of an aircraft near the setting sun.
• San Juan, Puerto Rico (March 26): A 'Night Illumination exercise' was evaluated as 'Meteor'.
• Cornwall, VT & Rome, NY (March 27): Both sightings were evaluated as 'Echo test launch from Wallops Island'.
• Lebnitz, Austria (Spring): An 'Insufficient data' case where the photograph was from news media and deemed unclear.
• Dubuque, IA (Spring): Classified as 'Aircraft (See SUNlite 5-3)'.
• Perryville, MO (Spring): A 'Reflection' explained as contrails reflecting the rising sun.
• Evansville, IN (Spring): An 'Insufficient data' report evaluated as 'Possible meteor'.
• St. Louis, MO (March 24): Described as a 'Possible meteor seen through broken clouds', with a note that it might be the same event as a sighting over Terre Haute, IN.

Reclassification Section

This section provides an analysis of 194 cases from Project Blue Book files (January to June 1960). The author states that 51 cases (26%) were improperly classified, with 25 of those (13% of total cases, 49% of reclassifications) listed as 'insufficient information'. The table details specific cases and the author's reclassification:

• Tillamook, OR (1/1): Reclassified from 'Insufficient data' to 'Possible firework display/fire balloon'.
• Seattle, WA (1/3): Reclassified from 'Reflection' to 'Possible flare drop by aircraft'.

Summary

The summary highlights that the period covered, while having a minimal number of cases, still contained interesting events, many attributed to space activity such as Russian missile launches and missile tests from Cape Canaveral.

Two specific cases are emphasized:

1. Champaign, Illinois film: This case involved a film shot of a statue with an object transiting the frame. It is described as having the characteristics of a daylight fireball, and capturing such an event on film is considered a prize. The author found no reason to conclude otherwise, unless better information or higher quality video emerges.
2. St. Louis, Missouri (March 24, 1960): This sighting was characterized as a bright meteor, despite overcast conditions. It is suggested that this might be the same event as a sighting over Terre Haute, IN, and that the St. Louis observers may have seen it through broken clouds.

A third interesting case mentioned is a possible moon sighting on May 28 from Penns Park, Pennsylvania, which was listed as a reflection but better fits the moon setting in the west.

The summary concludes by noting the consistent problem of Blue Book gathering pertinent data, leading to many 'insufficient data' listings. It also points out that misperceptions of common objects like the moon as UFOs contributed to the number of 'UNIDENTIFIED' classifications.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the classification and evaluation of unidentified aerial phenomena, with a strong emphasis on identifying mundane explanations such as meteors, aircraft, and atmospheric conditions. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical analysis, seeking logical explanations for sightings while acknowledging the possibility of genuinely unexplained events. There is a clear focus on the challenges of data collection and classification within official investigations like Project Blue Book, suggesting that many cases were poorly documented, leading to ambiguous conclusions. The magazine seems to advocate for rigorous examination of evidence and a skeptical, yet open-minded, approach to UFO reports.