UFO Mail - No 124 - 2010

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: UFO-Mail nr. 124
Date: December 30, 2010
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information focuses on the public release of New Zealand's military UFO archives and features several articles on photo analysis and astronomical events.

New Military UFO Archives Published

The lead article announces the declassification and online availability of 60 years of New Zealand military UFO archives. The archives, containing over 2000 documents dating back to the early 1950s, were released by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. The article notes the varied media reactions, with some sensationalizing reports of 'aliens' while others, like a Swedish UFO organization, provided more serious analysis. The New Zealand Defence Force stated they had collected the information but had not investigated or substantiated the reports. Initially, access to some files was restricted until 2080, but the release makes them available for download. The content includes reports from the public, military personnel, and pilots, as well as correspondence and policy documents.

George Adamski and UFOs

A section features '75 Questions and Answers' asked of George Adamski by the New Zealand 'Adamski Flying Saucer Group' in Timaru. The answers, transcribed from a tape recording, discuss the physical nature of flying saucers, their construction materials (including unknown minerals), propulsion (static electricity), and the purpose of smaller, instrument-type craft. Adamski claims to have been inside these craft, describing them as solid and made of materials similar to Earth's but with other unknown minerals.

Historical UFO Sightings in New Zealand

Several newspaper clippings from November 1955 highlight UFO incidents in New Zealand. One article details an order by the Minister of Civil Aviation for a full inquiry into a mysterious lighted object sighted by a National Airways Corporation plane crew. The pilot, Captain W. T. Rainbow, was to be interrogated by Air Force security officers. Another clipping reports on Air Force Vampire Jets flying at high altitudes causing speculation about 'strange objects' and 'flying pencils' on the West Coast and in Canterbury, with many mistaking the vapor trails for UFOs.

The Kaikoura UFO Incident

The magazine revisits the 1978 Kaikoura UFO case, where air traffic controller Bill Startup and his crew observed a powerful light and a radar echo. Startup flew towards the object, which then disappeared. This event, along with other sightings in the area, was documented in a special report by SUFOI chairman Kim Møller Hansen and later in a book by Bill Startup and Neil Illingworth. The article provides links to the declassified New Zealand archives, organized by date ranges.

Photo Anomalies and Analysis

Several articles focus on analyzing unexplained phenomena captured in photographs.

Dark Marking on Photo from Grenå

A reader from Grenå, Denmark, submitted a photo taken with an iPhone showing a dark marking in the sky. A subsequent photo taken seconds later showed nothing unusual. SUFOI's photo consultants concluded that the marking was likely a small insect or bird flying very close to the camera lens, given its appearance and the short exposure time.

Mysterious Lights at the Eiffel Tower

A photo taken at the Eiffel Tower in Paris captured mysterious lights not observed during the actual recording. The article explains these as classic lens reflections caused by four powerful spotlights on the tower's platforms. The reflections appeared diametrically opposite the light sources.

Mysterious Lights over Aarhus

Another case involves a photo taken in Aarhus, Denmark, showing three green spots in the winter sky that were not noticed at the time of photography. The analysis suggests these were also lens reflections, likely caused by light sources in the lower left part of the photo, with the different brightness of the light sources explaining why only some created reflections.

WikiLeaks and UFOs

The magazine touches upon the discussion surrounding WikiLeaks' leaked documents and whether they contained UFO-related information. Julian Assange, WikiLeaks co-founder, stated that while there were references to UFOs in some documents, they did not meet the organization's criteria for publication (i.e., they were not original or self-authored).

Astronomical Events

An article previews upcoming astronomical phenomena in December and January. It highlights a partial solar eclipse on January 4, 2011, visible in Denmark, with details on its timing and coverage. The article also mentions an event at the Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Copenhagen to discuss astronomical events in 2011.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the declassification of official UFO documents, the analysis of photographic evidence of unexplained phenomena, and the intersection of UFOlogy with astronomy and technology. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking rational explanations for reported phenomena while acknowledging the existence of unexplained cases and the public's interest in them. The magazine actively engages with its readers by publishing their reports and providing expert analysis.

This issue of the magazine, titled "Stjerneskud fra stjernebilledet Tvillingerne - Gemini" (Meteor Showers from the Gemini Constellation), focuses on astronomical events and UFO observations. The cover date is around December 13-14, 2010. The magazine is published by Skandinavisk UFO Information and appears to be in Danish.

Geminid Meteor Shower

The issue highlights the Geminid meteor shower, which is visible annually from December 7-17, with a peak on the night of December 13-14. The meteors appear to originate from the Gemini constellation, near the stars Castor and Pollux. A notable observation by Frenchman Sylvain Weiller on December 13, 2010, is featured, where he captured a photograph of a Gemini meteor using video equipment set up to observe the Orion constellation. His footage, consisting of 720,000 frames, revealed a clear meteor and not an aircraft or satellite glint. A link to view Weiller's meteor recordings is provided.

Bootid Meteor Shower

Following the Geminids, the next active meteor shower mentioned is the Bootids, visible from approximately January 1-6. More information on meteor showers is available on the Tycho Brahe Planetarium's website.

Jupiter Observations and "Sky Mysteries"

The magazine discusses ongoing observations of Jupiter, which has been responsible for 'sky mysteries' during the autumn and remains visible in the southwestern sky. A reader, identified only as 'MP', reported multiple video sequences of a bright, small object in the southeastern-southwestern sky. When attempting to film the object with a video camera, its appearance changed, becoming larger and blurrier, making it difficult to keep the camera steady. The article includes still frames from these video sequences, showing the object with varying degrees of sharpness. The author suggests that these observations, along with Jupiter's prominent presence in the night sky, may have led MP to be mystified by the planet.

UFO Sighting Over Århus

A significant section details a report from a 44-year-old reader from Århus who, with their family, witnessed approximately 25 large, glowing, orange 'fireballs' in the sky on the evening of December 16, 2010, at 5:03 PM. The reader sent a photo and described the event as unprecedented, fascinating, and surprising. They ruled out aircraft and helicopters due to the lack of sound and the objects' behavior, considering possibilities like hot air balloons. The reader also mentioned taking mobile phone photos and videos.

SUFOI's Response to the Århus Sighting

Toke Haunstrup from SUFOI's report department responded to the Århus sighting. SUFOI had received several similar reports from Århus around December 16, 2010, involving 5-7 orange, luminous objects. SUFOI attributes these sightings with high probability to hot air balloons, often described as 'Thai lanterns'. These balloons are typically about 1 meter high, made of light material, with a burning element underneath, appearing as strong, yellowish-orange lights from a distance. SUFOI's website provides further details on these reports.

Two specific reports from Århus are included:

• 8000 Århus C, December 16, 2010: A runner observed a bright, orange, luminous spot, similar in brightness to Jupiter but distinctly orange, along with about six other similar spots forming a pattern. The runner initially considered stadium lights but dismissed them due to their height and lack of a clear pattern. The objects did not appear to move relative to the observer, suggesting they were distant. They disappeared after about 5 minutes.
• 8210 Århus V, December 16, 2010: A family returning home noticed several large, orange, luminous 'spots' moving slowly and horizontally in the sky. They initially considered fireworks, then helicopters, but ruled them out due to the lack of sound. A plane observed later was much higher but audible. They jokingly concluded it might be Santa Claus. The husband contacted Tirstrup Airport, which stated they had not authorized any flights in the area at that time, leaving the origin of the lights unknown.

SUFOI Photo Department's Analysis

SUFOI's Photo Department examined the submitted photos and concluded they support the explanation of small hot air balloons. The photographer's description of the appearance and flight characteristics also aligned with this explanation. SUFOI has prepared a report for its archives. The explanation was also communicated to Aarhus Airport in Tirstrup.

New Year's Eve Sightings

SUFOI anticipates a busy start to 2011 with New Year's Eve sightings of small, orange-red lights across the country.

Birkerød-Frue and the "Flying Saucer Alarm"

The magazine revisits a story from December 3, 1960, about Kirsten Benn of Birkerød, who had a UFO detector that triggered an alarm when flying saucers were detected. The article from Frederiksborg Amtsavis is reprinted, detailing how Benn had installed a UFO detector in her home, which would activate an electric bell when a 'flying saucer' was nearby, presumably due to a magnetic field. Benn reported that the alarm only rang once, and she was not home at the time, but her babysitter heard it. She noted that UFO sightings had increased again after a period of quiet.

Kirsten Benn: 50 Years of UFO Interest

In a follow-up interview, Kirsten Benn, now 78, reflects on her lifelong UFO interest. She recalls early sightings of 'ghost rockets' after the war and a specific sighting in 1953-1954 of a fast-moving, rocket-like object flying horizontally below the clouds near Høvelte Kaserne, which she described as a 'New Year's rocket' with a darker rear. She explains how she initially contacted SUFOI through an advertisement and became involved with its founder, H.C. Petersen, and later with Ensio Slej and Frank Pedersen. She reminisces about the strong sense of community among early UFO enthusiasts and mentions meeting other active members like Alfred Hansen, Lilli Christensen, and X.P. Madsen. She also recalls Ole Henningsen visiting her family in Birkerød in 1962.

Benn discusses her initial belief in George Adamski's accounts of contact with Venusians and Martians, later realizing he was a fraud, though she acknowledges that some aspects of his philosophy resonated with her own intuitive experiences. She firmly believed in extraterrestrial visitation during that period. She was a subscriber to UFO-Nyt but stopped for a while when the editor, Børge Jensen, became involved with the Orthon movement and building a doomsday bunker. She expresses difficulty reading online UFO-mail but plans to try again now that UFO-Nyt is no longer published.

Regarding current UFO reports, Benn states she doesn't immediately assume they are extraterrestrial craft, as many sightings turn out to be misidentifications of planets like Venus or aircraft lights. She recounts investigating a case involving a small plane with wing advertisements flying from Tune Airport near Roskilde, which she successfully identified.

Comparing UFO Reports Over Time

Benn observes that many current reports are similar to those from the early days of UFO investigation. She finds it fascinating to hear people's accounts and try to determine what they actually saw. She recounts a particularly interesting case from May 1998 in Holte, where two friends experienced unusual phenomena, including lights and a TV turning on spontaneously. Initially mysterious, the event was eventually explained as a power outage caused by fallen power lines, which had also triggered the TV and decoder. This case, detailed in Toke Haunstrup's book "50 år med ufoer," highlights how multiple factors can combine to create a seemingly inexplicable experience.

Benn remains interested in UFOs and has attended SUFOI meetings and conferences. She believes that even with scientific explanations, new questions and possibilities arise, and she holds the view that "there is more between heaven and earth... perhaps other dimensions."

SUFOI's 50 Years of UFO Research

The magazine marks 50 years of Skandinavisk UFO Information (SUFOI), which began in 1957. SUFOI has collected 15,000 UFO observations, providing unique insights into the phenomenon and its potential causes. Toke Haunstrup's book, "50 år med ufoer" (50 Years with UFOs), details this extensive report work with numerous examples of investigated observations.

Becoming a Member of SUFOI's Support Circle

The magazine encourages readers to join SUFOI's Support Circle to help fund the organization's work in investigating observations and informing the public about UFO phenomena. Despite the cessation of the UFO-Nyt magazine after 52 years, SUFOI's activities continue. Membership costs a minimum of 200 DKK per year, with payment options via giro or online banking. Members receive updates on the organization's work.

SUFOI's Vision

SUFOI's vision includes fostering familiarity with the sky, helping observers understand phenomena, providing information on unknown aerial phenomena, and offering a balanced perspective on other myth-creating phenomena.

Contact and Information

Readers are invited to send UFO-mail with topic suggestions. Past UFO-mails are available on www.ufo.dk. The site also features an article archive and a search function. Readers are encouraged to forward the UFO-mail to friends and family to help spread information about Danish and international observations, astronomical events, and UFO-related materials.

New Year's Greeting and Meteor Photo

The issue concludes with a New Year's greeting to readers and a stunning photograph of a meteor taken by Frank Olsen in northern Norway on December 27, 2010, during an aurora photography session. The meteor was of unusual size and brightness, captured with a Canon EOS 7D camera.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are meteor showers (Geminids, Bootids), astronomical observations (Jupiter), and UFO sightings and investigations. The editorial stance, as represented by SUFOI, is one of diligent investigation and rational explanation, while acknowledging the possibility of genuinely unexplained phenomena. There is a clear effort to debunk hoaxes (like George Adamski) and provide plausible explanations for sightings (like the Århus lights being hot air balloons), but also an openness to the idea that "there is more between heaven and earth."