UFO Fenomener Over Norge - 1984 - No 2

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO FENOMENER OVER NORGE
Issue: NR. 2-84
Volume: 2
Year: 1984
Publisher: Norsk Institutt for Vitenskapelig Forskning og Opplysning (NIVFO)
Country: Norway
Language: Norwegian
ISSN: 0800-4463

This issue of "UFO Fenomener Over Norge" (UFO Phenomena Over Norway) is the second issue of volume 2, published in 1984. It is an official publication from NIVFO, presenting the institute's perspective on air phenomena and related topics. The magazine is edited by Jan S. Krogh and is published twice a year.

Content Overview

This edition is described as being smaller in scope but more comprehensive, featuring not only press summaries from May to December 1983 but also complete results of air observations in Norway for the entire year 1983. It includes lists detailing how much individual newspapers write about UFOs and a list of newspapers themselves. A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to a data section (pages 16-17) that utilizes a coding system developed by CENAP in Germany, now further refined and used by NIVFO. This system replaces 'column 4' with municipal codes for different municipalities.

For readers who find the data section too advanced, there is a list on page 20 that briefly explains possible explanations for various cases. Page 21 contains a list of percentage breakdowns by class.

Press Coverage and Case Coding

The magazine employs a coding system for press clippings, with examples like '0301 INT 005 SP 073'. The codes indicate the date of the clipping (0301), the type of report (INT for interview, OMT for reportage, OBS for observation, INL for contribution, FOT for photograph, ENQ for survey), the journal number within NIVFO (005), the newspaper code (SP), and the size of the clipping in column centimeters (073). The editor notes that these press summaries represent the author's opinion and are often commented on by the editor.

Key Articles and Themes

Several articles and contributions are highlighted:

• UFO-forening: Mentions a UFO association reportedly forming and discusses the debate surrounding UFOs, with regional leader Jan S. Krogh offering possible explanations for known UFO cases.
• Skråsikkerhet (Overconfidence): Jan S. Krogh responds to accusations of overconfidence, clarifying that the intention was to provide possible interpretations. He also states that NIVFO and UFO-Norge have not merged because UFO-Norge leans towards pseudoscience, while NIVFO is more scientific. Analysis of metal from Marnes indicates iron.
• Troverdigheten er svart varierende (Credibility Varies Greatly): A review of Desmond Leslie and George Adamski's book "Flygende tallerkener er landet" (Flying Saucers Have Landed), critiquing its fantastical elements.
• Hvorfor så skråsikkert on UFO'er? (Why so confident about UFOs?): An inquiry about NIVFO's perceived overconfidence and why NIVFO and UFO-Norge are not collaborating.
• Tror du UFO-er finnes? (Do you believe UFOs exist?): A street survey where most respondents associate UFOs with spaceships.
• Tror intenst på Ufoer (Intensely believes in UFOs): A personal account of a trip to Hessdalen, claiming contact with a 'spaceship captain' named Gork and experiencing mental influence.
• UFO-forskning (UFO Research): W. Johnsen from NIVFO Region South criticizes inaccurate and unscientific reporting.
• UFO i Kvinnherad?: A UFO-Norge member suggests extraterrestrial visits are not just fiction, aiming to raise public awareness.
• 15-åring fra Mogreina <på lufta> neste uke (15-year-old from Mogreina <on air> next week): A 15-year-old discusses his shift in interest from UFOs to astronomy.
• UFOene i Hessdalen (The UFOs in Hessdalen): A poem suggesting a need for more knowledge about the Hessdalen phenomena.
• UFO og andre mysterier (UFO and other mysteries): An advertisement from NIVFO Region East inviting people to explore mysteries.
• UFO-jakt i Moelv: Ringsaker UFO-forening's event focused on facts.
• Innslag UFO på Barnas Radiodag (UFO segment on Children's Radio Day): A presentation by a member of Fremmedvitenskapelig Informasjon about extraterrestrial visitors.
• UFO-forening: -Vi er seriase (UFO Association: -We are serious): Ringsaker UFO-forening expresses dissatisfaction with a newspaper article and clarifies their serious approach, noting that UFO reports are sent to a central in Denmark run by the Danish defense, which UFO-Norge disputes.
• Det er ikke soleklart at det er mørkt on natta (It's not crystal clear that it's dark at night): The chairman of the Norwegian Astronomical Society dismisses astrology and suggests UFO interest reflects the space age, viewing imagination about aliens as primitive.
• Den UFOrstandige og UFOenes apenbaringer (The UFO-understanding and UFO revelations): A critique of misinterpretations of UFOs and spaceships.
• Møte med UFO-ene Hessdalen (Meeting with the UFOs of Hessdalen): Praises Arne Wisth's book and notes the unusual duration of UFO sightings in Hessdalen.
• Russerøyken i 1938 var førstesideoppslag i No (Russian smoke in 1938 was front-page news): Explains the 1938 smoke over Norway as forest fires in Russia.
• FIKK SILVIA BESØK FRA VERDENS ROMMET? (Did Silvia get a visit from the world's space?): Critiques a sensationalist article about alien landings.
• UFO'en i Hessdalen på TV nyttårsaften (The UFO in Hessdalen on TV on New Year's Eve): Mentions NRK's broadcast of footage from Hessdalen.
• Historie-gjetteren (The History Guesser): Leif Kjær discusses mysteries and radiation exposure in Oslo, questioning where people seek answers.

Media and Public Perception

The issue reflects a diverse range of opinions and media coverage regarding UFOs. Some articles highlight the scientific approach of NIVFO, while others feature personal accounts, skepticism, and debates about the nature of UFO phenomena. The magazine also includes a section on newspaper codes and a press clipping index for 1983, indicating a thorough documentation of media mentions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes include the ongoing investigation into the Hessdalen phenomena, the role of media in reporting UFO sightings, the distinction between scientific inquiry and pseudoscience, and the public's fascination with the unknown. NIVFO's stance appears to be one of scientific investigation, aiming to provide rational explanations and demystify UFO reports, while acknowledging the public's interest and the ongoing debate. The magazine actively documents and analyzes media coverage, suggesting a commitment to understanding how UFO phenomena are perceived and reported.

The editorial stance is clearly aligned with scientific methodology, as evidenced by the critique of UFO-Norge's leanings towards pseudoscience and the emphasis on data analysis and rational explanations. The publication serves as a platform for NIVFO to present its research and counter what it perceives as misinformation or sensationalism in the media and public discourse surrounding UFOs.

This issue of "VG-UFO'EN" from VG, published in 1983, focuses on UFO phenomena in Norway. The main article, "VG-UFO'EN," by Jan Ove Ekeberg and Ragnar Albertsen, delves into the analysis of a UFO photograph taken by Pål Kristian Vaag in Trondheim. The issue also includes a detailed explanation of a coded data system for UFO observations developed by NIVFO in collaboration with CENAP, Germany, and presents a list of coded observations from 1983.

The Trondheim UFO Photo

The central piece of this issue is the investigation into a UFO photograph taken by Pål Kristian Vaag at his home in Aure, Nord-Møre, in August 1982. The photograph, which VG brought to Rygge Air Base, was examined by photo technicians from the Air Force's photo intelligence unit and by researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) in Trondheim. Despite rigorous analysis, including microscopic examination and scanning techniques previously used to debunk a Danish UFO photo, the experts could not definitively prove the Trondheim photo to be a hoax. Captain Kåre Kvamme of the Air Force stated that technically, they could not find fault with the image, noting that the lighting, proportions, and sharpness were all consistent. However, Kvamme expressed personal skepticism, suggesting that the only possibility for such a clear photo of a moving object might be if something was ejected and the photographer skillfully followed it, or through advanced photographic equipment.

Vaag himself described the object as approximately 10 meters in diameter, shining, silent, and hovering before rapidly ascending and disappearing. His account remains uncontradicted by the experts.

The NIVFO Data Coding System

Pages 1 through 5 of the magazine provide a comprehensive guide to the NIVFO data coding system, designed for recording UFO observations. This system uses a series of columns (Spalte) with numerical codes to detail various aspects of a sighting:

• Spalte 1 (Column 1): Løpenummer (Serial Number).
• Spalte 2 (Column 2): The first three letters of the main witness's surname.
• Spalte 3 (Column 3): Date (Day, Month, Year) and Time (specific codes for approximate times, 'om natten' for night, 'om formiddagen' for morning, 'om ettermiddagen' for afternoon; 'ikke kjent' for unknown).
• Spalte 4 (Column 4): The first four letters of the location's name.
• Spalte 5 (Column 5): Country of observation, using a standardized international motor vehicle registration code system (e.g., A-- for Austria, USA for United States).
• Spalte 6 (Column 6): Registration method (0 = by observers, 1 = photographs, 2 = film, 3 = radar, 4 = other).
• Spalte 7 (Column 7): Observer's location (0 = outdoors, 1 = in cars/trains/planes, 2 = inside, 3 = other locations).
• Spalte 8 (Column 8): Observation duration (codes for intervals from under 30 seconds to over 1 hour).
• Spalte 9 (Column 9): Object shape (codes for point, round, oval, disk-shaped, hat-shaped, cone/pyramid-shaped, shape change, other).
• Spalte 10 (Column 10): Distance to object (codes for intervals from under 10 meters to over 5000 meters) and Altitude in degrees.
• Spalte 11 (Column 11): Number of objects (codes for 1, 2-5, 6-20, 21-100, over 100) and Size (codes ranging from 'punkt' (point) to 'fotball' and 'større' (larger), with specific object comparisons like 'suppetallerken' (soup plate) and 'tefat' (saucer)).
• Spalte 12 (Column 12): Color (codes for black, dark blue, red, violet/purple, green, light blue, orange, yellow, white, beige, metallic, color change, multi-colored, radiant color/halo).
• Spalte 13 (Column 13): Associated phenomena (0 = nothing, 1 = dust, 2 = condensation trail, 3 = appendage, 4 = other).
• Spalte 14 (Column 14): Speed (codes for stationary, up to 100 km/h, 101-500 km/h, 501-1000 km/h, over 1000 km/h) and Object movements (codes for stationary, straight line, curved, zig-zag, pendular, rotating, spiral, other).
• Spalte 15 (Column 15): Sound (codes for none, humming, buzzing, whistling, singing, howling, snapping, other).
• Spalte 16 (Column 16): Effects (Siffer 1: Affected vehicles - none, motorcycle, car, boat, plane; Siffer 2: Specifics - none, mechanical system, electrical system, motor, lights, radio, other; Siffer 3: Electromagnetic disturbances - none, clocks/watches, radio receivers, TV receivers, telephone network, compass system, radar system, measuring equipment, lighting system, generators/motors, railway systems, power plants, other; Siffer 4: Mechanical effects - none, pressure/jerk, lift/levitation, deformation, vibration, swirling, air pressure change, other; Siffer 5: Psychological effects - no, yes; Siffer 6: Physiological effects - none, tingling/prickling, sunburn, vision disturbances, paralysis, shock, time loss, other).
• Spalte 17 (Column 17): Sky conditions (clear, thin, medium, almost overcast, overcast, roof, haze) and Precipitation (none/dry, none/damp, rain, snow, hail).
• Spalte 18 (Column 18): Temperature (under +10°C, up to +17°C, up to +30°C, over +30°C).
• Spalte 19 (Column 19): Conclusion (codes for preliminary no conclusion, insufficient information, not identified by country codes, fraud, earthly/astronomical/meteorological, psychological/parapsychological, photo-optical/photographic/film related, development related).

Debunked UFO Case: Fanø, Denmark

The issue also addresses a UFO sighting from Fanø, Denmark, which was initially thought to be a UFO. However, through 'color coding' analysis by a Danish photographer, the object was revealed to be a chemical drop on the film, not a genuine unidentified flying object. This case serves as an example of how photographic artifacts can be mistaken for UFOs.

Unexplained Observation: Bodø, Norway

A more recent unexplained UFO observation in Norway is detailed, occurring on January 16, 1983. Five employees from the weather forecasting office and air traffic control at Bodø airport observed an oblong, cylindrical object that reflected sunlight. The object was stationary in the air for two to three minutes before disappearing behind a cloud bank. The witnesses initially thought it might be an aircraft approaching at a sharp angle, but its stationary hovering contradicted this. This case is presented as 'UOPPKLART' (Unexplained).

Coded Observations from 1983

Page 8 presents a lengthy list of coded UFO observations from Norway in 1983, compiled by NIVFO DIA and CENAP. Each entry includes a code for the location, date, and then a series of numbers and letters corresponding to the NIVFO coding system, detailing various aspects of the sighting. For example, an entry might look like: "010... 0101831... 2012 N--0027...8 14 3 B.A D1", indicating the date, location code, and coded details about the object and observation.

Other Content

Page 6 includes a small inset box with a humorous take on the Pioneer 10 plaque, imagining a family growing over time and the male astronaut growing a beard, with the caption "- As time goes by...!". Page 10 features a map of Norway with regional codes for municipalities and territories in the North and South Seas, likely related to the geographical coding in the NIVFO system.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents a serious approach to UFO phenomena, emphasizing the importance of detailed data collection and rigorous analysis. While acknowledging the existence of unexplained sightings, such as the Trondheim photo and the Bodø observation, the publication also demonstrates a commitment to debunking hoaxes and identifying conventional explanations when possible, as seen with the Fanø case. The detailed coding system suggests a desire for systematic, scientific investigation of UFO reports. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, balanced with a critical and analytical perspective.

This document, titled 'LUFTFENOMENER' (Air Phenomena) with the identifier 'NIVFO DIA CENAP OGH', presents a statistical overview of Norwegian UFO reports as of December 31, 1983. It includes a list of municipal codes and names for various regions in Norway, alongside a detailed breakdown of sighting classifications and their percentages.

Statistical Analysis of UFO Reports

The core of the document is a percentage breakdown of reported aerial phenomena. The largest category is 'A2 (Utilstrekkelige informasjoner)' meaning 'Insufficient information', accounting for 35.8025% of reports. This is followed by 'D1 (Jordisk)' or 'Earthly' causes, which make up 32.0988% of the reports. 'D2 (Astronomisk)' or 'Astronomical' causes represent 20.9877%, and 'D3 (Meteorologisk)' or 'Meteorological' causes account for 6.17284%. Other categories, such as 'B1 (Ikke identifiserte NL)' (Not identified NL), 'C1 (Svindel uten foto)' (Hoax without photo), and 'E1 (Psykologisk)' (Psychological), have much smaller percentages or zero reports.

The document also lists specific reasons within these categories, such as 'Russisk raket' (Russian rocket), 'Romskrap' (Space debris), 'Meteor', 'Venus', 'Stjerne' (Star), 'Helikopter' (Helicopter), and 'Fly' (Airplane), indicating potential misidentifications or conventional explanations for some sightings.

Geographical Data: Norwegian Municipalities

Page one of the document provides a comprehensive list of Norwegian municipalities organized by county. This includes codes and names for regions such as Østfold (01), Akershus (02), Hedmark (04), Oppland (05), Buskerud (06), Vestfold (07), Telemark (08), Aust-Agder (09), Vest-Agder (10), Rogaland (11), Hordaland (12), Sogn og Fjordane (14), Møre og Romsdal (15), Sør-Trøndelag (16), Nord-Trøndelag (17), Nordland (18), Troms (19), and Finnmark (20). Specific municipalities like Halden, Romskaog, As, Bergen, and Bodø are also listed.

Publisher and Collaborators

The document is published by 'Norsk Institutt for Vitenskapelig Forskning og Opplysning' (Norwegian Institute for Scientific Research and Information) in Trondheim. It also mentions collaboration with 'Centrales Erforschungsnetz. Aussergewonlicher Phanomane' (Central Research Network for Extraordinary Phenomena) in Mannheim.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme is the systematic classification and statistical analysis of unidentified aerial phenomena reported in Norway. The editorial stance appears to be one of objective data collection and categorization, aiming to understand the nature of these reports by assigning them to known or plausible explanations, while acknowledging a significant portion remains unexplained due to insufficient data. The inclusion of municipal data suggests a focus on the geographical distribution of sightings within Norway.