Sussex Circular - 1996 no 55

Magazine Overview

Title: THE MONTHLY JOURNAL OF CROP CIRCLES AND BEYOND
Issue: 55
Date: August 1996
Price: £1.00

This issue of SC Magazine, edited by Andy Thomas, focuses heavily on the 1996 crop circle season, which, after a slow start, became prolific across England and beyond. The magazine provides a detailed listing of formations, including their locations, dates, and descriptions, alongside photographs and commentary.

Editorial and Introduction

Andy Thomas, the editor, apologizes for the late arrival of the issue, attributing it to the entire SC team attending the annual Crop Circle Symposium in Glastonbury. He congratulates Roland and Clare Pargeter on organizing the event. Thomas addresses allegations made in 'The Circular' regarding a 'coup d'etat' against the outgoing Council of the Centre for Crop Circle Studies, refuting the claims and stating that SC paid for the Review Body surveys. He quotes Dale Carnegie and wishes the old 'Circular' team well as they take over 'The Cerealogist'. The editor notes the increased media attention on crop circles, citing the 'Alton Barnes DNA' formation and the Stonehenge event, and mentions that even 'Nature' magazine featured a photo of the DNA formation. A message to Sussex readers reassures them that circle-making activity has returned to their area.

NEWS: CIRCLES '96 UPDATE #3

This section provides a comprehensive update on crop circle formations across England, the USA, and Germany. The information is gathered from personal contacts and sources, with the Internet used only as a last resort.

• Amendments and Clarifications:
• Geoff Ambler corrects the visibility of a circle at Denton, Oxfordshire, stating it's not visible from the A496 road.
• The formation at Goodworth Clatford (or Upper Clatford) is described as a beautiful and intricate 'rose' design.

**England Formations (Alphabetical by County):

• BERKSHIRE: Ruscombe: A crop pattern appeared on June 25th, possibly another on the 27th.
• CAMBRIDGESHIRE: Rumours of a new formation near Cambridge, no details available.
• CORNWALL: St Austell: The first formation in years appeared on July 6th, a T-shape with circles at each end of the bars.
• DEVON: Brixham: A ringed circle, a double ring, and a ring with three petals were discovered on July 15th, described as rough-looking.
• ESSEX: Littlebury Green, Nr Saffron Walden: An astonishing mandala of rings and circles appeared on July 12th in wheat, near Junction 9 of the M11. The formation caused camera jamming issues for one team.
• HAMPSHIRE: Andover: A formation appeared around July 8th. Clarken Green, East Oakley: Three overlapping rings/circles were found in barley. East Oakley: A sun symbol formation appeared on July 6th, described as crude but attractive.
• HERTFORDSHIRE: Kings Langley: A line of seven circles appeared in early July, possibly pointing to a nearby transmitter tower. Two other 23' circles were also present.
• KENT: Sevington, Nr Ashford: A single 30' circle appeared in a wheat field around July 17th.
• LEICESTERSHIRE: Blaby: An 80' circle with a 216' ring and nine petals was reported in July, noted as the first instance of nine regular features.
• OXFORDSHIRE: Burford: A 97' circle with 'two extrusions' was spotted in barley on July 3rd. Garsington: Several formations reported, including a double-ringed 85' circle with two grapeshot, a single 50' circle, and a 'thought bubble' design.
• SOMERSET: Martock, Nr Yeovil: A 225' formation in wheat, a ringed circle with four petals, was reported on July 17th. Local Christians reportedly 'prayed' for a crucifix formation.
• SHROPSHIRE: Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury: A 'dragon's footprint' formation appeared in early June. Two further circles and four more appeared later in July.
• SURREY: Silent Pool: A ringed circle in wheat with pathways splitting the gap appeared on July 22nd.
• SUSSEX: Beacon Hill, Ovingdean, East Sussex: A large circle with two satellites and a heart-shaped grapeshot appeared on July 27th. Petworth, West Sussex: Strange 'heiroglyph-type' lines were spotted in early July.
• WARWICKSHIRE: Coventry: A 25' circle in grass was discovered by the side of the road.
• WILTSHIRE: Alton Barnes: A pictogram arrived in a barley field in early July. Milk Hill: Another pictogram appeared in wheat. East Kennett: A sun-type symbol formation appeared on July 13th. Etchilhampton: A massive formation, 4160' long, described as a linear 'necklace' design, arrived on July 29th.

• USA Formations:
• Altuna, Iowa: Two 'ovoids' in dirt reported on June 20th.
• Bute, Nebraska: A 42' ringed circle appeared in barley.
• Chehalis, Washington State: A 700' 'thought bubble' formation arrived in mid July, described as complex.
• Chesapeake Bay, Maryland: Strange 'lodging' reported.
• Colorado: Two ringed circles and a single circle reported after aerial light phenomena were seen. A mutilated steer was found nearby.
• Columbia City, Indiana: A 200' pictogram, a dumbbell, with a single circle, and strange 'lodging' reported.
• Paldean, Ohio: A 93' circle discovered in a wheat field with no tractor tramlines.
• Somewhere in the USA: Two 11' circles etched into 'dirt' were discovered.

• Germany Formations:
• Schleswig/Kappeln: On May 23rd, three circles were discovered on opposite sides of a road.

Photo Spread #2

This section features photographs from the 1996 crop circle season, taken by Steve Alexander. Original colour copies are available directly from him. The images shown include formations at Stonehenge, Longparish, Clarken Green, Littlebury Green, Milk Hill, Goodworth Clatford, and East Kennett.

FEATURES: 19.47 DEGREES AND ALL THAT

This article by Jim Lyons explores the geophysical and geometrical aspects of crop circles. Lyons suggests that the phenomenon is rooted in existing laws of geophysics and that understanding the mechanism requires comprehending the relative influence of factors involved. He proposes that the 'columnar vortex flow' is key to formation creation, leading to a hemispherical 'dome' effect both above and below ground. This geometry is linked to intersecting tetrahedra and forms the basis for the six- and five-fold geometries seen in crop shapes. Lyons discusses the 'Southease' formation as an example of nested bifurcating toroids creating patterns with diatonic ratios. He highlights the significance of the 19.47-degree angle, found in planetary geometries (e.g., Olympus Mons on Mars, Mauna Loa on Hawaii) and in the bow wave vortex of a ship. This angle is also detected in the East Grinstead (Felbridge) formation, suggesting a universal phenomenon. The article concludes by stating that crop circle plasmas exhibit characteristics similar to those generated in the ionosphere, emphasizing the need for concentrated experimental and theoretical effort to understand these links.

CORNOGRAPHY with Michael Glickman

Michael Glickman recounts his experiences during the summer in Wiltshire, focusing on the Stonehenge and Alton Barnes formations. He describes the Stonehenge formation as enormous and complex, made of 151 circles, requiring aerial images for full appreciation. Glickman shares three anecdotal stories about the Stonehenge formation:

1. Daylight Appearance: An air-taxi pilot reported no formation at 5:30 pm, but circles had arrived by the time he flew over again within the hour. This is supported by a gamekeeper and a Stonehenge guard.
2. Farmer's Reaction: Initially enraged by 'vandals', the farmer refused access. However, after public pressure and suggestions to charge for entry, he relented, and a sign proclaimed it 'Europe's best crop circle!', leading to visitor satisfaction.
3. Hoax Claim: An anonymous call claimed responsibility for the formation, offering £500 compensation. Glickman notes this as an escalation in hoax tactics but later reveals the farmer admitted to fabricating the story to discourage interest.

Glickman praises both the Alton Barnes and Stonehenge formations as majestic and among the most impressive ever. He expresses distress at how some individuals have become 'fools and clowns' by promoting hoax hypotheses, citing the Flat Earth Society as an example of persistent, unfounded beliefs. Glickman concludes by stating his belief that crop circles are beyond current understanding and that he has no explanation for them.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed cataloging of crop circle events from 1996, the exploration of the geometrical and physical principles underlying their formation, and the ongoing debate between genuine phenomenon and hoax theories. The editorial stance, particularly from Andy Thomas and Michael Glickman, leans towards the belief that crop circles represent a phenomenon beyond current conventional understanding, while acknowledging the existence of hoaxes and the need for critical analysis. The magazine actively promotes the investigation of crop circles as a subject worthy of serious study, providing extensive data and theoretical discussions to its readership.