UFO Informations - No 15bis - Special veillee - 1976

Magazine Overview

Title: INFORMATIONS
Issue: N° 15 BIS
Date: 1st Quarter 1977
Publisher: BULLETIN DE L'ASSOCIATION DES AMIS DE MARC THIROUIN / COMMISSION D'ENQUETES SUR LES O.V.N.I.
Country: FRANCE
Language: French

This special issue, titled 'SPECIAL VEILLÉES', focuses on observation vigils and related activities organized by the Association des Amis de Marc Thirouin (A.A.M.T.) and its affiliated groups. The cover features a sketch of a person using a telescope, with stylized UFOs above.

Content Summary

Editorial and Announcements

The issue begins with a letter to members, announcing that this special edition is dedicated to observation vigils. It highlights a national vigil organized with regional groups and a separate, 2-month RESUFO experiment reserved for A.A.M.T. members in the Drome Ardeche region. The letter also mentions the 1977 activity calendar for A.A.M.T. members, excluding public lectures and debates. A notable event is a conference on UFOs by journalist Jean Claude Bourret, scheduled for March 22, 1977, in Saint Paul 3 Chateaux, organized by the Jeune Chambre Economique des Fortes de Provence.

1977 Activity Program

A detailed program for 1977 is provided, outlining various meetings and study groups. These include:

• "ETUDE OVNI" Group:
• March 19, 1977: "OVNI Landings in France" (presented by M. Figuet)
• May 7, 1977: "Humanoids" (presented by M. Duquesnoy)
• September 17, 1977: "Investigation in Ufology" and planning for the 1978 program.
• PARAPSYCHOLOGY Group:
• March 25, 1977: "Telepathy"
• May 20, 1977: "Clairvoyance"
• August 26, 1977: "Radiesthesia" (topic not yet fixed)
• October 28, 1977: Topic not yet fixed; planning for the 1978 program.
• Joint Meeting:
• June 25, 1977: "Secondary Effects in Ufology" (presented by M. Dorier).

All interested members are invited to participate.

Observation Vigil Organization and Methodology

The issue delves into the organization of observation vigils, presenting the method employed by the Groupe de Recherche et d'Information Phocéen sur les Objets Mystérieux (G.R.I.P.H.O.M.). This group, despite limited resources, fabricates its own detection equipment. Their setup includes a 4-meter mast for radio antennas, physical and meteorological probes, a magnetic detector, an ILS (Instrument Landing System) detector, a GO-PO-OC-band aviation radio, and an ultrasonic receiver. They also use a portable generator for power and batteries. The vigil involves shifts for monitoring equipment and sky observation.

FIDUFO Experience and Data Collection

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to an experience coordinated by FIDUFO (Fichier Informatique de Documentation sur les UFO) via RESUFO. The goal is to study UFOs using computer analysis. FIDUFO requires data on both identified and unidentified aerial phenomena. The experience, running for two months (April-May 1977), asks members to conduct observations at their chosen times and locations, filling out a detailed form for every observed object or event, from migratory birds to aircraft, and especially UFOs. The emphasis is on collecting data that can be compared to understand the 'degree of strangeness' attributed to phenomena. A graphical representation illustrates the classification of phenomena from 'well-known' (A) to 'strange' (C), with 'B' representing intermediate cases.

Participants are instructed to return completed questionnaires by June 10, 1977. The results will be used to discuss statistics announced by C. Poher and to better assess the quality of data for 'C' population cases. The success of this initiative relies on the participation of members to contribute to the study of the phenomenon.

Observation Vigil Data Sheet

A detailed data sheet ('FICHE DE VEILLEE D'OBSERVATION') is provided for participants to record information during their vigils. This includes:

• Localization: Site presence, altitude, date, time, number of participants, and specific site characteristics (e.g., high-tension line, military installation, aerodrome, radio relay, quarry, summit, orientation table, fault line, historical site, archaeological site, religious site).
• Meteorology: Sky condition, wind direction and estimated speed, Moon phase, and identifiable celestial phenomena.
• Equipment Used: Details on cameras, film, binoculars, detectors, radios, and other instruments.
• Miscellaneous Notes: Space for additional observations.

Notable Quote

"Les conclusions hâtives des ufologues ou de leurs contemporains n'ont que pouvde valeur. Si certains pensent que les groupes de travail LDLN ont sombré, qu'ils me permettent de leur dire qu'il n'en est rien, mais il serait bien léger de publier des travaux inachevés."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are organized UFO observation, data collection, and scientific analysis of phenomena. The editorial stance promotes a methodical approach to ufology, emphasizing the importance of collecting reliable data and distinguishing between identified and unidentified aerial events. There's a clear call for member participation in structured observation programs to contribute to a larger, potentially computer-analyzed, body of knowledge. The magazine advocates for a rigorous, evidence-based approach to studying UFOs, as exemplified by the FIDUFO project.

This document is not a magazine issue but rather an observation form titled "FICHE DE VEILLEE D'OBSERVATION" (Observation Vigilance Form). It is published by the "ASSOCIATION DES AMIS DE MARC THIROUIN" with an address in Valence, France. The form is designed to systematically collect detailed information about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings.

Purpose and Structure

The form's introduction states that it comprises several sections, each defined by a certain number of boxes, and requests users to fill in the empty boxes and cross out the corresponding ones. It aims to standardize the reporting of cases.

Sections and Fields

The form is divided into several key sections:

LOCALISATION (Location) - Lieu de présence (Place of presence) - Altitude - Date - Heure (début) (Time - start) - Heure (fin) (Time - end) - Nombre de participants (Number of participants) - Particularité (Special characteristic - to be boxed): Includes options like "Ligne Haute Tension" (High Voltage Line), "Installations militaires" (Military installations), "Balise radio" (Radio beacon), "Aérodrome" (Aerodrome), "Point culminant" (Culminating point), "Carrières, grottes" (Quarries, caves), "Table d'orientation" (Orientation table), "Présence de faille" (Presence of a fault), "Haut lieu historique" (Historic high place), "Haut lieu archéologique" (Archaeological high place), and "autre (à préciser)" (other - to specify).

METEO (Weather) - Etat du ciel (State of the sky) - Vent (Wind) - Direction - Visibilité (Visibility) - Vitesse estimée (Estimated speed) - Etat de la Lune (quartier) (State of the Moon - quarter) - Phénomènes célestes identifiables (Identifiable celestial phenomena)

MATERIEL UTILISE (Equipment Used) (To be filled according to the equipment, reminding not to forget compass and electric lamps.) - Appareil photo (Camera) - Marque (Brand), Type - Film utilisé (Film used) - Jumelle (Binoculars) - Type, Marque (Brand), grossissement (magnification) - Détecteur (Detector) - Marque (Brand), sensibilité (sensitivity), type - Radio ou Talkie-Walkie (Radio or Walkie-Talkie) - Portée (Range) - Autres instruments (Other instruments) - Notes diverses (Miscellaneous notes)

Observation Details (Main Body of the Form) This section is presented on pages 3, 5, 7, and 9, with slight variations in layout and OCR quality.

• Nom de l'enquêteur (Name of the investigator)
• Sexe (Sex): M/F
• Date observation (Observation date): year, month, day
• Horaire (Time): hour, minute (00 to 23, 00 to 59)
• Lieu de présence (Place of presence)
• Département, code postal
• Nombre de témoins (Number of witnesses): from 01 to 99
• Visibilité horizons/tale (Horizon visibility): Scale from 0 to 5, with options for "Brouillard" (Fog) and "très clair" (very clear).
• Météo (Weather): Options include "pluie" (rain), "couvert" (cloudy), "variable", "Beau" (Fair).
• Durée phénomène (Duration of phenomenon): Options range from "1 à 10" to "au delà" (beyond).
• Nombre objets (Number of objects): Options include "1", "objet composé" (composite object), "escadrille" (squadron), "objets identiques" (identical objects), "objets disparates" (disparate objects).
• Forme (Shape): Options include "Ponctuel" (Point-like), "Plutôt allongé" (Rather elongated), "Plutôt plat" (Rather flat), "Plutôt volumineux" (Rather voluminous), "autre" (other). If "autre" is selected, there is a space to specify.
• Couleur (Color): Options include "Blanc" (White), "Rouge à Orangé" (Red to Orange), "Autre" (Other), "Noir ou gris métal" (Black or metallic grey). It also notes "Plusieurs couleurs ou couleurs changeantes" (Several colors or changing colors).
• Type objet (Object type): Options are "Aérien" (Aerial), "A terre" (On the ground), "étrange" (strange).
• Distance estimée (Estimated distance): Options range from "Impossible à estimer" (Impossible to estimate) to "Au delà" (Beyond), with intermediate ranges like "0 à 150m", "150 à 1km", "1 à 3km".
• Hauteur angulaire (Angular height): Options are "Bas sur l'horizon au sol ou près du sol" (Low on the horizon, on or near the ground), "Passe au zénith" (Passes overhead), "sinon" (otherwise).
• Luminosité (Luminosity): Options include "Non lumineux ou Peu réfléchit la lumière du soleil" (Non-luminous or Reflects little sunlight), "Très lumineux" (Very luminous), "lumineux Eblouissant" (Luminous dazzling), and "Référence à magnitude d'une étoile" (Reference to star magnitude).
• Vitesse subjective (Subjective speed): Options are "immobile" (immobile), "lente" (slow), "moyenne" (medium), "rapide" (fast), "variable" (variable).
• Trajectoire (Trajectory): Options are "Droite ou légère courbe" (Straight or slight curve), "erratique" (erratic), "immobile dans le ciel" (immobile in the sky), "Au sol" (On the ground), "sans trajectoire" (no trajectory).
• Effet ressenti (Felt effect): Options are "Non" (No) / "Oui" (Yes), with a space to specify "lequel" (which one).
• Bruit entendu (Sound heard): Options are "Non" (No) / "Oui" (Yes).
• Taille objet (Object size): Options are "Quasi ponctuel" (Quasi point-like), "très gros" (very large), "Autres" (Others), with a space to "précisez" (specify).
• Étrangeté (Strangeness): A free-text field to describe the strangeness if judged to be present.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The document is a standardized form, not a publication with recurring themes or an editorial stance. Its purpose is purely data collection for UAP observations, reflecting a systematic approach to documenting such events. The association's name, "Association des Amis de Marc Thirouin," suggests a focus on the study or cataloging of phenomena related to Marc Thirouin, likely a researcher or figure in the field of ufology in France.