UFO Mail - No 019 - 2003

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: nr. 19
Date: May 22, 2003
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information focuses on the securing of the SUFOI UFO report archive, a photographic analysis of a mysterious light, and the SETI@home project.

Rapportarkivets fremtid sikret (The Future of the Report Archive Secured)

This article details a significant development for SUFOI (Scandinavian UFO Information Organization). Due to the voluntary and unpaid nature of their work, SUFOI's UFO reports had been stored in various private homes across Denmark in binders and boxes. While usually accessible, the organization desired a centralized and standardized system for their reports to facilitate analysis and comparison with new findings.

This goal has now been achieved. At SUFOI's semi-annual representative meeting on March 15-16, a delegation from UFO-Sverige, led by its chairman Clas Svahn, visited. Following this meeting, UFO-Sverige took possession of most of SUFOI's report archive. An agreement has been made with UFO-Sverige to deposit the archive with Arkivet för UFO-forskning (AFU), an organization led by Anders Liljegren. AFU is affiliated with UFO-Sverige and is described as potentially the world's largest archive for UFO materials.

The SUFOI reports will now be integrated with reports from other Nordic countries and registered in a common database, creating a unique resource for future work on Nordic UFO reports. SUFOI expresses gratitude to UFO-Sverige and AFU for providing their extensive resources and looks forward to future collaboration.

The article includes a photo of Kim Møller Hansen handing the first binder of reports to Clas Svahn, with the caption stating that the remaining parts of the SUFOI archive will be deposited with AFU for UFO research later in the year.

It is also mentioned that Toke Haunstrup, after a period of leave from SUFOI, has returned to the leadership with responsibility for report work. He will lead a group tasked with creating a 'White Book' documenting and describing SUFOI's 50 years of experience with UFO reports. A photo shows Toke with Susanne Skovlund at the representative meeting in March.

Mystisk lys over Meilgaard Slot (Mysterious Light over Meilgaard Castle)

This section presents a case involving photographs taken by Torben Schlichter of Meilgaard Castle in Djursland, Denmark, on March 29, 2002, around midnight. Schlichter reported that after the photos were developed, he noticed a red spot that was not apparent when he took the pictures. He had taken four photos within approximately five minutes, with the camera facing north, using a 50mm lens with an aperture of f/1.8, and exposures of 15 and 30 seconds.

SUFOI conducted an investigation of the images. They identified not one, but four visible light spots on the image. Three other spots were partially visible between the castle's spire and a tree. By drawing a diagonal cross on the image, it was observed that these spots were diametrically opposite and at the same distance from the photo's center as strong light sources, specifically the castle windows.

A straight line drawn from one of the identified spots (R1) through the photo's center (O) accurately pointed to a strong light source (L1) in a castle window at a similar distance from the center. Further examination of the color prints revealed this strong light source in the left-side castle window (L1). The conclusion is that this light source is the cause of the spot (R1), and similarly, light from other windows caused the other spots in the sky.

The conclusion is that the large light spot near the castle spire and the other anomalies are caused by classic lens flares in the camera's objective, a possibility the photographer himself had considered.

An additional note mentions a dark stripe at the top of the received photo, which was not present on other sides of the image, suggesting the photo might have been slightly cropped during scanning. However, SUFOI remains confident that the light from the window (L1) caused the sky spot (R1), and light from other windows created similar reflections.

SUFOI i tv (SUFOI on TV)

This section reports on SUFOI's increased media presence in the spring of 2003, largely due to the premiere of Spielberg's film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." SUFOI representatives appeared on programs such as "Go' Morgen Danmark" (TV2) on April 24 and in the news on "DR-Morgen" on April 25. The magazine includes glimpses from these broadcasts.

One photo shows Kim Møller Hansen and Henrik Klinge Pedersen in the "Go' Morgen Danmark" studio with Ole Stephensen, discussing how a scene from the film resembles real UFO observations.

Another photo features meteorologist Jesper Theilgaard discussing his observation of two mysterious night lights on "DR-Morgen." A third photo shows SUFOI chairman Kim Møller Hansen with studio host Paula Larrain on "DR-Morgen." These TV appearances reportedly led to many visitors to the www.ufo.dk website and an increase in reported observations.

Søg efter liv i universet med din computer! (Search for life in the universe with your computer!)

This article introduces the SETI@home project, a scientific endeavor involving over 1.7 million people in 224 countries who use their computers to search for signs of extraterrestrial life. It clarifies that this is a serious scientific effort, not an internet joke.

The project, named SETI@home (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence at home), is coordinated by American scientists. It involves downloading radio signals from space, which are captured by the world's largest radio telescope, Arecibo, in Puerto Rico. These signals are then processed into data blocks that can be downloaded and analyzed by personal computers worldwide.

The article explains that a free PC program acts as a screensaver, analyzing the data in the background when the computer is idle. This distributed computing approach allows for a massive analysis effort that would otherwise require immense financial resources for supercomputers. The collective computing power contributed by participants is estimated to be equivalent to 125,000 years of computer processing.

The goal of the project is ambitious: to find the first signs of intelligent life in the universe. The program searches for strong, abnormal signals within a narrow frequency range near 1.420 GHz. Potential signals are double-checked using other radio telescopes, such as Jodrell Bank in England. The Arecibo telescope's stationary position means it can only focus on a specific point in the sky for about 12 seconds, making it crucial to identify signals that strengthen and then fade within that period.

100 sekunders datapakke (100-second data packet)

This section elaborates on the SETI@home data packets. Each packet contains radio signals from a 100-second period across various frequencies. Overlapping data packets ensure no data is lost. The screensaver displays the analysis process with a 3D graph and other data. While users won't directly see contact being made, it's presented as an exciting project to follow. Internet connection is only needed for a few minutes to upload analysis results and download new data blocks; the analysis itself occurs offline.

Oversigt på dansk (Overview in Danish)

An overview of the SETI@home project, translated from English by Andrew Rump, is available online at a provided URL. This page also links to English resources for more details on the project and its workings. Andrew Rump, though not directly involved with SETI@home, actively supports the project and maintains Danish links related to it.

Tilmeld dig (Sign up)

Instructions are given on how to join the SETI@home project via the provided website or the project's homepage. The analysis program can be downloaded in minutes and is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. A screenshot of the SETI@home client is shown, displaying data analysis information and user details (Ole Henningsen).

Hør radiosignalerne (Hear the radio signals)

This brief section encourages readers to listen to how the radio signals sound by visiting the project's website. It also urges them to join the project, emphasizing that even a small chance of discovering an intelligent signal from space is better than no chance at all.

Afsløring: Ufoer på SOHO-billeder? (Revelation: UFOs in SOHO Images?)

This article addresses claims that UFOs have been photographed by NASA's SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) satellite. NASA has had to deny these UFO photos, which have circulated among UFO enthusiasts worldwide.

It is mentioned that over the years, people have become familiar with the high-quality images of the Sun and its surroundings from SOHO. The SOHO satellite continuously photographs the Sun and provides data to ESA and NASA. Recently, various websites and articles have pointed out images allegedly showing unidentified objects.

The article notes that the claims became particularly wild in early 2003 after the BBC and other prominent media outlets reported on one of SOHO's alleged UFO images, prompting researchers to respond.

Dansk deltagelse (Danish participation)

SOHO is an international collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The Danish company Alcatel Denmark Space developed and supplied power distribution units for the satellite. Additionally, the Astronomy group at the Institute of Physics and Astronomy (IFA) at Aarhus University participates in helioseismic studies of the Earth's interior. SOHO's instruments have provided groundbreaking information on solar processes and have also served as a space weather satellite, helping to predict the effects of solar activity on Earth-orbiting satellites and magnetic disturbances, including auroras.

Ufo-billeder generer NASA (UFO images bother NASA)

This section reiterates that UFO enthusiasts have frequently claimed to see UFOs in SOHO images, alongside other unusual claims like cities on Mars. However, the assertions regarding SOHO's UFO images have become so extreme that NASA felt compelled to explain what is actually being seen.

It was particularly after the BBC and other media reported on a SOHO UFO image in early 2003 that researchers felt they had to respond.

Norsk solforsker (Norwegian solar researcher)

One of the scientists who responded was Pål Brekke, a Norwegian solar researcher employed by NASA and part of the SOHO solar research project leadership. Brekke, along with other SOHO researchers, established a website (http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/2003_01_17/) to explain the natural phenomena often seen in SOHO images.

The SOHO satellite (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) was launched on December 2, 1995, from Kennedy Space Center. Months later, it reached its final orbit around the Sun near the L1 point, where the gravitational forces of Earth and the Sun balance each other.

Planeter og kometer som ufoer (Planets and comets as UFOs)

This part explains common misidentifications in SOHO images. Often, nearby planets are seen close to the Sun and appear in SOHO transmissions. Their brightness can make them resemble planets like Saturn, leading to claims of photographing previously undiscovered Saturn-like planets. Other times, comets moving in their orbit around the Sun, or even crashing into it, are mistaken for UFOs.

Software issues during internet publication can also create "UFOs" in the processed images. Other potential causes include small particles from the satellite's insulation, dust, micrometeorites, and high-energy particles or cosmic rays that create "tracks" in the satellite's digital cameras.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the organization and archiving of UFO data, the scientific investigation of anomalous phenomena (both terrestrial and extraterrestrial), and the role of media in disseminating information about UFOs. The magazine demonstrates a commitment to rigorous investigation, as seen in the analysis of the Meilgaard Slot photos and the detailed explanation of the SETI@home project. There is also a clear stance on debunking unsubstantiated claims, particularly concerning the SOHO images, by providing scientific explanations. The editorial stance appears to be one of promoting serious UFO research, collaboration between organizations, and public education on both UFO phenomena and related scientific endeavors.

This issue of the magazine, titled "SOHO-ufo", features a lead story about a UFO sighting reported by the Australian newspaper Perth Sunday Times, which was based on a SOHO image. The magazine also highlights the website www.ufo.dk and includes reader-submitted UFO photographs.

SOHO-UFO Story and Image Manipulation

The main article details a report from the Perth Sunday Times about a "UFO" image captured by the SOHO satellite. The magazine explains that this image was subsequently manipulated. SOHO researchers demonstrated on their website how easy it is to fabricate a UFO photo by using publicly available SOHO satellite images and common image editing software like Adobe Photoshop. They emphasized that while such images can be created, it does not make them any more real.

Public Interest and Website Traffic

Solar researcher Pål Brekke is quoted as saying that when TV stations and the website MSNBC reported that the SOHO team had released correct information about these images, their website experienced a surge in traffic. Over 100,000 netizens attempted to access the site, causing it to slow down.

User-Submitted UFO Photos

The magazine features several user-submitted photographs. One photo, sent by Jesper S. Simonsen, was taken in 2000 and shows a bridge. One of the two pictures taken of the bridge contains a mysterious object that, at first glance, resembles a seagull. Another submission comes from Simon Nielsen, who sent in two photos taken in August 2002. These photos captured typical summer clouds, but upon closer inspection and cropping, an "indescribably" object was found in two of the images. Nielsen admits he did not notice the object when he took the pictures and asks for help in identifying it.

www.ufo.dk - A Successful UFO Resource

The website www.ufo.dk is highlighted as a success, attracting 11,000 visitors and over 300,000 hits per month. The site offers a free email service called UFO-mail, publishes numerous articles and observation reports, and sells books and videos. It also serves as a platform for the Scandinavian UFO Information (SUFOI), where individuals can report their own observations or submit photos for evaluation.

Call for Reader Assistance

The magazine encourages readers to share the UFO-mail with friends and family to spread information about UFOs. It also asks readers to help explain the mysterious objects seen in the submitted photographs, particularly the one resembling a seagull.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, the potential for image manipulation in UFO photography, and the role of dedicated websites like www.ufo.dk in collecting and disseminating information. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards sensationalized UFO reports, emphasizing the need for critical examination and factual verification, while also acknowledging public interest and encouraging participation in reporting and analyzing potential sightings.