UFO Mail - No 200 - 2015

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: UFO-Mail nr. 200
Date: 4. august 2015
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information, dated August 4, 2015, marks the 200th edition of their UFO-Mail newsletter. It features a special offer on back issues of their publication UFO-Nyt and delves into several cases, primarily focusing on a widely discussed sighting in San Diego, USA.

Kære læser (Dear Reader)

The editorial section announces the 200th issue of UFO-Mail and a special promotion: complete back years of the UFO-Nyt journal from 1979 to 2010 are available for a reduced price of 29 DKK per year, while stocks last. They also highlight a children's book, "Besøg fra rummet" (Visit from Space), now priced at 39 DKK, down from 139 DKK. A nostalgic look back at UFO-Mail issue number 100 is also mentioned.

På fornøjelig ufo-jagt i San Diego (On an Enjoyable UFO Hunt in San Diego)

This article, authored by Michael Jeppesen and Henning Dethlefsen, details an investigation into a UFO sighting that occurred in San Diego, USA, in early May 2015. The case gained traction on the "Skandinavisk UFO Information" Facebook group, where discussions, though sometimes heated, led to productive collaboration.

The Facebook Group and Initial Sighting

The "Skandinavisk UFO Information" Facebook page, established in late 2011, has approximately 260 members and is known for its skeptical approach to UFO phenomena, contrasting with many other online sources. The newsletter UFO-Mail, a regular feature, presents Danish and international UFO cases. The San Diego case began when Søren Larsen from Copenhagen posted a 27-second video on May 4, 2015. The video, filmed by an American TV crew from NBC 7 in San Diego on April 28, 2015, showed a cluster of white, red, and blue lights in the southern suburb of San Ysidro. The lights varied in size and some were blinking, with a "red picket fence" and a "red tower" visible in the foreground.

NBC 7's Report and Early Speculation

NBC 7 reported that viewers had also seen and described similar lights and that the military had been contacted but provided no response. Initial explanations posted online included atmospheric reflections, lights from balloons, or lights attached to skydivers. Other suggestions pointed to lights from cranes in San Diego's harbor, a plausible explanation given the city's frequent fog and the need for warning lights on tall structures. Some speculated that the video might be a hoax, with "Larry Fox" from the street being the alleged source, not NBC itself.

"The Red Picket Fence" and Larry E. Fox

Søren Larsen noted that the "news team" had amateurishly failed to provide the exact position and time of the sighting, and the lights resembled those from an antenna reflected on a car window. The audio had been deleted, raising suspicions of a deliberate attempt to inflate ratings. Larsen suggested unusual weather conditions might have caused a reflection. Michael Jeppesen investigated Larry E. Fox, finding that Fox's Facebook posts related to the case, but his connection to the NBC footage was tenuous. Fox had filmed a bluish, blinking object on April 28, but his images did not resemble the multi-colored lights seen in the NBC footage. Alejandro Rojas of Open Minds TV identified Fox's photos as likely shots of Venus, with the apparent "blinking" due to camera shake creating a "motion blur effect." Fox himself had estimated the lights to be over San Diego's southwestern harbor area.

Confusion and Misinterpretation

The NBC crew had heard about the strange lights (which were actually Venus) and filmed other lights, assuming they were the same ones Fox had filmed. Larry E. Fox then saw the NBC footage online on April 30 and mistakenly believed it depicted the same lights he had filmed. This led to confusion, with people searching for the lights in the harbor area, even though the NBC footage was filmed elsewhere. The article highlights this as a classic example of how the conflation of different phenomena can complicate UFO investigations. While Fox's sighting was explained, the origin of the lights filmed by the NBC crew remained a mystery.

Rumvæsner, tv-antenner og blafrende presenninger (Aliens, TV Antennas, and Flapping Tarpaulins)

This section discusses the rapid spread of the San Diego UFO story through outlets like The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed, with many comments attributing the lights to alien spacecraft. Comparisons were drawn to the 1997 Phoenix Lights incident. Some suggested the San Diego lights were from a gigantic, silent airship, while others proposed military Osprey aircraft, possibly involved in a troop landing exercise. Henning Dethlefsen noted that local residents suggested the blinking red light was an aircraft warning light, possibly on a mountain or antenna. Others pointed to a new, large building near San Diego Stadium with numerous lights, some of which might have been loose and flapping on its covering.

Google Earth Investigation

Using Google Earth, investigators found that the direction of the sighting roughly matched the harbor area. Other locals suggested the lights were from TV antennas on San Miguel Mountain, east of San Diego, implying the NBC crew had inadvertently filmed their own antennas. While the location showed some correlation, it wasn't a perfect match. Michael Jeppesen and Henning Dethlefsen intensified their investigation, using Google Earth and tourist photos to pinpoint the exact location and direction from which the NBC crew filmed.

Media Scrutiny and Local Explanations

Online discussions criticized NBC for poor journalism and a lack of interest in clarifying the case, with some suspecting they already knew the source but were unwilling to reveal their poor local knowledge. The article notes that NBC was repeatedly contacted for explanations, including by Michael Jeppesen, but received no response.

Det „røde stakit“: Begyndelsen på en opklaring (The "Red Picket Fence": The Beginning of a Resolution)

Michael Jeppesen mentioned the "red picket fence" seen in the NBC footage to Henning Dethlefsen. Dethlefsen recognized it as similar to images of the US-Mexico border fence on Google Earth. A closer examination confirmed it was indeed the border fence. This implied that if the fence was visible in the footage, the TV crew must have been filming from the north, meaning the lights were south of the border, in Mexico. This suggested everyone had been looking in the wrong direction.

El Cerro Colorado Identification

Further investigation using Google Earth and tourist photos convinced Henning Dethlefsen that the lights were from TV antennas on El Cerro Colorado, southeast of San Ysidro. This mountain features antennas with warning lights and the Spanish inscription "Jesus Kristus er Herre" (Jesus Christ is Lord). The white lights in the film corresponded to these letters. The angle from the antenna lights and the letters, according to Dethlefsen, aligned with the TV crew filming from San Ysidro.

Disagreement and Further Investigation

Michael Jeppesen disagreed, finding El Cerro too far to be visible from street level in San Ysidro and emphasizing the need for the TV crew's exact location. The discussion continued, with Jeppesen finding the TV crew's original story about a tunnel under the border fence, which didn't resolve the issue. To shorten the distance, Dethlefsen then looked at antennas on Google Earth closer to the border. An online reference pointed to Monte San Antonio, a small hill with antennas in Tijuana, Mexico, visible from Camino de la Plaza, a square in front of the border fence, not far from the tunnel featured in the NBC report.

Journalisterne melder sig på banen (The Journalists Step In)

On May 9, NBC 7 in San Diego released a new statement, announcing they had solved the mystery and that it had nothing to do with aliens. The original photographer had returned to the location during the day and filmed from the same position, confirming that the night footage had captured antennas on El Cerro Colorado with associated lights from the letters. These letters are about 24 km away and are visible in daylight. The unusual appearance at night was attributed to heavy fog, making the lights appear clearer against the background. Søren Larsen's early hypothesis about special atmospheric conditions was thus confirmed. The NBC report included a comparison of the original night footage with the new daytime images, showing the similarity.

Media Retraction and Lingering Doubts

While most people accepted the explanation, some online still believed a cover-up was in play. However, the article notes that NBC later amended its original post, making it seem as if they had known the source all along. The issue of Larry E. Fox was omitted, leading some to still conflate the two UFO stories. The author suggests this situation was embarrassing for the journalists, who may have only revealed the truth due to viewer pressure, hinting at potential news falsification. The positive outcome was a pleasant collaboration among UFO enthusiasts and two Danes who, thanks to Google Earth, felt more confident navigating San Diego and Tijuana.

Nyt fra SUFOI's Fotoafdeling (News from SUFOI's Photo Department)

Spanien 6. april 2015 (Spain April 6, 2015)

A Danish individual vacationing in Spain sent an email to SUFOI's Photo Department describing a photograph taken of the Moon. The photo showed a broad light streak extending from the Moon to the ground, along with other light objects. The following day, military aircraft were observed flying in the area, which was known for UFO phenomena. The sender was encouraged to submit the photo for analysis.

SUFOI's Commentary and Conclusion

SUFOI's Photo Department conducted a 50-page report on the case. Their brief conclusion stated that the image was taken with an automatic exposure of 1/2 second without a tripod. The bright streak from the Moon was caused by the camera's upward movement during the long exposure. The other smaller lights were attributed to local conditions. A similar effect was incidentally captured by SUFOI's Photo Department on April 22, 2015, while photographing the Moon and Venus, where the camera moved in the opposite direction during exposure.

Spain Case Analysis

SUFOI concluded that the Spanish photo was a prime example of how a "UFO phenomenon" can arise from a combination of independent factors: a peculiar Moon photo followed by military aircraft activity. The photographer, after reviewing the report, acknowledged the detailed work and stated he had suspected a natural explanation.

3450 Allerød 22. april 2015 (3450 Allerød April 22, 2015)

A 53-year-old observer from Allerød, Denmark, reported an observation made from his balcony while photographing the Lyrid meteor shower with a GoPro Hero 4 camera set to a 30-second nightlapse exposure.

The Observation

During the continuous 30-second exposures, the observer captured meteor streaks (only 3 shots) and aircraft, which appeared as long streaks starting where the previous image ended. He had previously photographed star rotation this way for six months without encountering unexplainable phenomena. However, these new images showed an object moving across the sky and blinking approximately every 15 seconds. The object appeared as two short, aligned light streaks, with the blink seeming to fade in and out, creating a thin-ended, thick-middled streak. The observer emailed the images to SUFOI's Photo Department, believing it was not a genuine UFO but seeking their expertise.

Analysis of the Allerød Photos

SUFOI's analysis of the photos suggested the streaks were not from aircraft or meteors. The appearance was consistent with a rotating satellite, possibly an Iridium satellite. However, satellite tracking websites did not show Iridium satellite paths that closely matched the observed phenomenon. While satellites typically have brighter flares that fade, the observed streaks with weaker/pointed ends could resemble this. The glints were explained as reflections from large solar panels. SUFOI concluded with high probability that the photos captured a satellite, most likely the third stage of an Ariane 4 rocket that launched the French Spot 4 satellite on March 24, 1998. The rotation of this rocket stage, illuminated by the Sun, would explain the light's appearance.

2830 Virum 1. juni 2015 (2830 Virum June 1, 2015)

A 56-year-old man from Virum, Denmark, reported an observation made from his balcony at 21:26 on June 1, 2015. The observation lasted 30 seconds and was made from his balcony, facing east-northeast.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently adopts a skeptical yet open-minded approach to UFO phenomena. The articles emphasize rigorous investigation, the use of scientific tools like Google Earth, and the importance of distinguishing between genuine unexplained events and misidentifications or natural phenomena. The editorial stance is to provide rational explanations for reported sightings, often highlighting how mundane factors or photographic artifacts can create the illusion of UFOs. There is a clear effort to debunk sensational claims and to educate readers on the scientific and investigative processes involved in analyzing UFO reports. The magazine also promotes collaboration among researchers and encourages critical thinking.

Title: UFO-Mail
Issue: 1
Volume: 2015
Date: 2015
Publisher: SUFOI (Skandinavisk UFO Information)
Country: Denmark
Language: Danish

This issue of UFO-Mail focuses on the investigation of a photograph taken by an observer in Virum, Denmark, of a white object in the sky. The magazine details the process undertaken by SUFOI's Photo Department to identify the object, ultimately concluding it was a commercial aircraft.

Observation Report and Initial Analysis

The issue begins with a detailed report from an observer in Virum. The observation occurred from an apartment balcony with a view towards the east/northeast. The observer noted a white object flying from northeast to southwest at a relatively slow speed, estimated at 100-200 km/h, and an altitude of 1000-2000 meters. The object disappeared at an elevation of 30 degrees above the horizon. The observer mentioned hearing no sound and that the object did not resemble a typical aircraft. Crucially, the observer provided a photograph of the object, taken from a considerable distance.

The observer later added that after studying the photograph, they believed it might be a Fokker aircraft, characterized by its straight wing. The observer also mentioned owning a 400mm camera lens, suggesting that a more powerful zoom might have aided in identifying the object more easily.

SUFOI's Photo Department Investigation

SUFOI's Photo Department, headed by Ole Henningsen, undertook the task of analyzing the photograph and the observer's report. Initially, the department attempted to verify if the object could be a known aircraft by checking flight data, specifically using FlightRadar24.com. The department's primary approach is to assume reports are correct but to verify them due to the possibility of errors.

A critical step in the investigation was to confirm the accuracy of the date and time settings on the observer's camera. A control photograph confirmed that the camera's date and time were correctly set, which is vital for correlating observations with satellite passages or aircraft movements.

Re-evaluation and Identification

The investigation took a significant turn when the team utilized Google Earth Street View. This tool revealed that the observer's balcony faced south, not northwest as initially assumed. This correction in the observer's orientation was crucial. It meant that the sky to be checked for aircraft was the southern sky, not the northwestern one.

Based on this corrected understanding and cross-referencing with FlightRadar24.com data from June 1, 2015, at 19:26 UTC, the department identified a likely match. The data indicated an Avro RJ100 aircraft, registration SN2264 (OO-DWC), operated by Brussels Airline, flying south-southwest of Virum at approximately 21:26 DST at an altitude of about 3000 feet (roughly 900 meters). This altitude is slightly lower than the observer's initial estimate.

The department concluded that the object observed was indeed this aircraft, strongly illuminated by the low-standing sun. The photographer's initial remark about the possible wing placement was also deemed correct. The visual appearance in the photograph, with the sun reflecting off the aircraft's body and engines, supported this conclusion. A comparison image of a similar aircraft type in a similar viewing angle was included.

Observer's Reaction and SUFOI's Mission

The photographer expressed gratitude for the thorough investigation, stating, "Thank you very much for the thorough investigation, it was excellent!". The photographer also reiterated their belief that they and others are visited by extraterrestrial craft, based on years of study, despite the difficulty in distinguishing genuine phenomena from misidentifications, especially with resources like YouTube.

The magazine also includes a section explaining why not all UFO photos are published in UFO-Mail. SUFOI prioritizes more extraordinary observations but also publishes more ordinary cases to educate the public, including those involving camera reflections, astronomical phenomena, and small hot air balloons that are often mistaken for UFOs.

Membership and Support

The issue concludes with an appeal for membership in SUFOI's "Støttekreds" (Support Circle) for 2015. It explains that the organization is run by volunteers and relies on financial contributions to continue providing information about UFOs and investigating sightings. Members can contribute kr. 250 or more and receive a free book. Payment details for bank transfers are provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme in this issue is the rigorous, evidence-based approach SUFOI takes to investigating UAP sightings, particularly those involving photographic evidence. The editorial stance emphasizes the importance of scientific methodology, data verification (using tools like FlightRadar24 and Google Earth), and careful analysis to distinguish between genuine unexplained phenomena and conventional explanations, such as aircraft. The magazine aims to provide serious, public information about UFOs while also encouraging public support for their research efforts.