UFO Mail - No 139 - 2012

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: 139
Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information delves into several UFO-related topics, including a significant court ruling in Germany, a reported UFO sighting in Denmark, issues surrounding NASA's moon rock samples, and the identification of a mysterious object found in Namibia.

German Court Ruling on UFO Documents

The lead story details a ruling by the Berlin Administrative Court on December 1, 2011. The court mandated that the German Bundestag (parliament) must grant access to a report on UFO issues. This report was previously compiled by the Bundestag's scientific research service at the request of a politician, Gitta Connemann, who was interested in "The hunt for life in space and the implementation of the United Nations resolution A/33/426." Frank Reitemeyer had requested access to this report, which was initially denied as an internal working document. The court, however, sided with Reitemeyer, granting him access but reminding him of copyright laws and advising against online publication. The Bundestag has appealed this decision, potentially fearing a flood of similar requests.

The article clarifies that this ruling does not concern the general release of secret government UFO reports but specifically this internal research service report. It is noted that parts of the report have already been leaked, suggesting that the authors believe the German government, like many other European countries, possesses UFO reports. The report also speculates that these might have originated from spy planes or new technologies, especially during the Cold War. The article mentions that circles interested in UFOs in Germany believe the government does hold such reports, citing the establishment of a section within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia focused on aviation security that collects UFO reports made to the police.

Danish UFO Sighting: Green Lights

Another section reports on a UFO sighting in Helsinge, Denmark, on December 11, 2011. Two witnesses observed four strong, green lights in the sky over a forest. Although they did not have a camera immediately available, one witness managed to take a photo. The photo, however, only captured three of the lights as the fourth went out of frame. The witnesses described the objects merging into a large, glowing sphere before descending into the forest. The article includes the original photo and a modified version with adjusted light and contrast. SUFOI's photo consultant, Hans Bødker, analyzed the image and the accompanying report. He concluded that the sighting was likely a hoax or "a prank" created using Photoshop. He pointed out discrepancies in the EXIF data, such as two different time stamps and the use of Photoshop CS4. He also questioned why only one photo was taken and why there wasn't more detail visible if the lights were so large. The individuals who submitted the photo later admitted it was a "joke" and "boy's pranks" made in Photoshop over 15-20 minutes, using three different photos of a flashlight and a photo taken from a field, with color adjustments and blending.

Stolen Moon Rocks and NASA's Handling of Samples

The magazine highlights a report acknowledging that NASA has lost or had stolen over 500 lunar samples, meteorites, and comet dust since 1970. This includes 218 moon rocks stolen in 2002 and later returned, as well as numerous moonstones and dust samples reported lost recently. NASA has loaned out over 26,000 samples, but the report concludes that insufficient control increases the risk of these unique resources being lost. Examples include a researcher holding nine moon samples for 35 years and another holding 10 meteorites for 14 years without having worked on them. The article notes that a researcher had 36 moon samples for 16 years after completing their research. The issue also mentions a specific case from 2002 where 218 moon rocks and meteorites were stolen from the Johnson Space Center in Houston but later returned. Another instance involved a researcher losing 18 moon samples in 2010, and a moonstone reappeared in a box of former President Bill Clinton's archived materials. As of March 2011, NASA had loaned out over 26,000 samples from a collection of more than 140,000 moon samples, 18,000 meteorites, and 5,000 samples of solar wind, comet dust, and cosmic dust. A NASA spokesperson stated that they would continue to loan materials but would improve tracking to ensure their return.

Moon Rocks on Display

In Denmark, genuine samples of the Moon's surface are preserved. A moonstone collected by astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 is on display at the Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Copenhagen. The article notes that Americans have brought back approximately 382 kg of moonstones, while Russians have brought back about 200 g. The displayed sample weighs 207 g and is described as coarse-grained, titanium-rich basalt, with crystal chains protruding from the surface. It was collected near the southwestern edge of the Camelot crater, about 1.3 km from the Apollo 17 landing site.

Mysterious Sphere in Namibia

Internet media reported in December on a hollow container found near a village in northern Namibia, approximately 750 km north of the capital Windhoek. Locals had heard several small explosions days prior. Local authorities contacted NASA and the European Space Agency for an explanation. A Facebook group, SUFOI-interested, highlighted a report from bt.dk on December 25, stating that the mystery was solved by NASA, identifying the object as being about 35 cm in diameter and originating from outer space. However, it was clarified that the object was not alien-made but a more common item: a 39-liter fuel tank for a satellite or an unmanned rocket. Søren Larsen suggested it was a titanium hydrazine tank, explaining its lack of deformation. The article provides technical details of the tank, including its volume, propellant type (hydrazine), pressure ratings, mass, geometry, and materials (Ti6AlV st). It also references reports on the survival chances of such tanks during atmospheric re-entry and information about the specific tank found.

Public Opinion on Extraterrestrial Life

The issue includes a survey conducted by YouGov for Søndagsavisen among 1,110 Danes. Key findings include:

• 61% of Danes believe in intelligent life in space.
• Of those who believe, 10% think it has already been discovered, 17% believe it will be discovered within 30 years, 19% don't know, 25% believe it will be over 100 years, and 30% believe it will be within 100 years.
• 7% of respondents (11% in provinces, 3% in the capital) have had an experience that changed their belief in extraterrestrials.
• 35% believe that any extraterrestrials would be friendly, while 8% believe they would be hostile.
• 3% of Danes believe aliens are walking the Earth disguised as humans, compared to higher percentages in other countries.

Meteor Hunting with iPhone

An article introduces a new iPhone app called "Meteor Counter" that allows users to help NASA register meteors burning up in Earth's atmosphere or falling to the surface. The app records the observer's location and time, and users can input details about the meteor's brightness and other observations, including audio recordings. This data is sent to NASA for analysis. The article provides a link to the app's website and mentions other programs for tracking meteor showers and satellite passes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, extraterrestrial life, and related scientific and investigative topics. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking factual evidence and scientific explanations while acknowledging public interest and reported sightings. The inclusion of the admitted hoax of the Danish green lights sighting and the debunking of the Namibian sphere as space debris demonstrates a commitment to separating credible information from misinterpretations or deliberate deception. The coverage of public opinion surveys on extraterrestrial life indicates an interest in societal beliefs and perceptions surrounding the topic.

This issue of UFO-Mail, dated Nytår 2011/2012, published by Skandinavisk UFO Information, focuses on recent celestial events and space-related news with a UFO/UAP perspective. The cover story highlights the Fobos-Grunt mission and an unusual sky phenomenon observed on Christmas Eve.

Fobos-Grunt Mission Failure

The magazine begins by detailing the Fobos-Grunt, a Russian space probe launched in November 2011 with the objective of collecting samples from Mars' moon, Phobos. However, the probe failed to leave Earth's orbit and is now in a low, elliptical path. Experts predict it will burn up in the atmosphere around mid-January 2012. The probe weighs 13 tons, primarily fuel, and there is uncertainty about how this toxic fuel will react upon re-entry. Russian authorities anticipate an explosion, but estimate that approximately 200 kilograms of fragments from the probe itself might survive and impact the Earth, likely in the ocean. The probe's trajectory is not expected to bring it over Europe, so the event will not be visible from Denmark.

Unusual Sky Phenomenon on Christmas Eve Over Central Europe

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to a spectacular sky event that occurred on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2011, around 17:26 CET. This phenomenon, observed over Central Europe, was not Santa Claus but the burn-up of the third stage of a Russian Soyuz rocket. This rocket had recently transported the Dutch ESA astronaut Andre Kuipers and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). The third stage was designed to fall back to Earth and burn up in the atmosphere, but its descent path took it over Central Europe, allowing it to be photographed and filmed extensively in countries like Holland and Germany. The event caused a stir, with many observers reporting a surprising sight, some of which is captured in audio from video recordings.

Observations from Denmark

Remarkably, the celestial phenomenon was also observed from Denmark, specifically from Sønderjylland and Falster, appearing low on the southern horizon. The article includes eyewitness accounts. Bjørn Nielsen from Stubbekøbing described seeing a comet-like object with a luminous tail moving from west to east low on the horizon around 17:25 on Christmas Eve. He estimated its size to be about a quarter of a full moon's diameter, with a tail five to eight times its size. The object was faintly yellow/orange and split into several pieces before disappearing. The observation lasted about a minute and was witnessed by four people. Kurt Folkvard Petersen from Maglebrænde on Falster reported seeing a sharp, possibly yellow/orange light moving south-southwest. He initially lost sight of it but then observed a long streak of 5-6 blinking white lights to the south-southeast, which grew weaker and eventually disappeared over Dalbygård.

Video Evidence and Links

The magazine notes that many people recorded videos of the event and provides a list of URLs to various video-sharing platforms (YouTube, Spiegel, Le Monde) and blogs where footage and commentary can be found. These links offer further documentation of the unusual sky sighting.

Light Phenomenon Over Russia (December 23)

Separately, the issue mentions a light phenomenon filmed over Russia on December 23, 2011, which was widely shared on YouTube. The recordings resembled earlier phenomena associated with rocket launches, and a link is provided to a video potentially related to a failed rocket launch from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Comet Lovejoy

Finally, the magazine includes information and an image of Comet Lovejoy, visible from the Southern Hemisphere. The comet is described as having survived a close pass through the Sun's atmosphere and is considered the brightest comet since Comet McNaught in 2007. It is best viewed in the eastern sky before sunrise.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are space exploration (both successful and failed missions), unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP/UFOs), and astronomical events like comets. The editorial stance, as indicated by the publisher Skandinavisk UFO Information (SUFOI), is to provide serious information about ufomyths and unusual celestial phenomena. The magazine encourages reader participation through reporting observations and supporting the organization financially. The publication also promotes its website, www.ufo.dk, for reading UFO reports and encourages membership in SUFOI's support network.