UFO Nyt Junior - 1965 03 No 5

Magazine Overview

Title: UFONYT JUNIOR
Issue: No. 5
Volume: 2' Årgang
Date: March 1965
Publisher: S.U.F.O.I. SJÆLLAND (Scandinavian UFO-information)
Language: Danish

Editorial: A Goal Setting

Leif Eckhoff Pedersen, the editor, addresses the recurring question, "What does SUFOI actually want?" He explains that SUFOI, UFO NYT, and UFO NYT JUNIOR share the common goal of informing the public about the UFO phenomenon and its diverse aspects. Initially, their efforts were focused internally, distributing duplicated and printed study materials. However, they observed a growing interest from outside SUFOI regarding flying saucers. Consequently, UFO NYT became more outward-focused, complemented by extensive lecture activities for clubs and associations.

Today, the objective is to inform anyone interested in UFOs without attempting to convert them or impose beliefs. The aim is to present as many facts as possible, offering thorough and diverse information. The ultimate goal is to encourage individuals to think for themselves and form their own conclusions, rather than relying on the press and radio. SUFOI plans to organize lectures in interested associations and create a UFO brochure for public distribution. They also aspire to make UFO-NYT a widely read magazine with diverse and engaging content that sparks interest and discussion. Readers are urged to promote UFO-NYT, as there are likely individuals in their social circles interested in ufology who are unaware of the publication. The editor notes that JUNIOR will cease publication after one more issue, with its content merging into UFO-NYT. He expresses gratitude to JUNIOR's readers and encourages subscriptions to UFO-NYT for 24 kroner via giro number 117725 to Fru Irma Andersen, Randers.

Astronomy: The Star

This section delves into the nature of stars. It explains that while the exact origin of stars is debated, theories exist. The article focuses on how stars behave, stating that spectral analysis reveals their elemental composition. Stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium (90-98%), with nuclear reactions, specifically the conversion of hydrogen to helium, occurring in their central regions. These processes are typical for 'normal' stars, though variations exist for other types. The percentages of elements change as hydrogen is consumed, unless new hydrogen is supplied from the universe, a possibility some researchers consider. The formation of helium is a constant process.

The article then focuses on our closest star, the Sun.

The Sun

While appearing significant from Earth, the Sun is considered an ordinary celestial body in the cosmic context, located on the outskirts of the Milky Way. If placed as far away as Polaris, it would be invisible even through a powerful telescope. Key data for the Sun are provided:

• Age: 5 billion years or more.
• Mass: 2 x 10^27 tons.
• Radius: 700,000 kilometers (large enough to contain a million Earth-sized bodies).
• Average Density: 1.4 times that of water.
• Composition: Over 98% hydrogen and helium (at least 90% hydrogen), with less than 2% other elements.
• Temperature: 6000° C at the surface, 13-20 million° C at the core.
• Radiation: 5 x 10^23 horsepower, equivalent to the radiation of 10^25 ordinary electric bulbs.

The Sun's energy is generated in its central core through the conversion of hydrogen to helium. This energy is transferred outwards via convection and radiation. The Sun emits approximately 4 million tons of mass per second. The Sun is vital for life on Earth, and numerous scientists study it to understand the universe and its role in our daily lives.

Rotation: The Sun's rotation period is 27 days, determined by sunspots. Interestingly, different parts of the Sun rotate at different speeds; it rotates fastest at the equator and slowest at the poles, with a variation of 3-4 days between them.

Sunspots: These dark patches appear on the Sun's surface, varying in size from small to large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can be up to 150,000 kilometers in diameter. Sunspots are cooler than the surrounding surface (around 4,000° C) and are temporary, developing and fading over days, weeks, or months, with the largest lasting up to 18 months. Their occurrence follows a systematic cycle of approximately 11 years, known as the sunspot cycle. As the cycle progresses, new sunspots appear closer to the equator.

Sunspots are associated with powerful storms in the Sun's atmosphere, leading to electromagnetic phenomena. These, along with solar flares that emit charged particles, significantly impact life on Earth. Increased particle emission can reduce the concentration of electrons in the ionosphere, potentially allowing more cosmic rays to reach lower atmospheric layers. This can lead to more frequent auroras and magnetic storms, and scientists believe it may adversely affect human, animal, and plant life.

Solar Eclipses: Occur when the Moon partially or totally obscures the Sun. During a total solar eclipse, the Sun's limb becomes visible, revealing the chromosphere and corona, which are tenuous solar material. The chromosphere extends about 10,000 km from the surface, while the corona can extend a million km and varies in shape. Eruptions of solar material, called protuberances, can reach hundreds of thousands of kilometers and last from hours to weeks, often associated with new sunspot formation. These can appear in various forms like arcs, ropes, and bands, influenced by magnetic forces.

U.S. Air Force Publishes Preliminary UFO Report

Frank Pedersen discusses the U.S. Air Force's seemingly contradictory policy regarding UFOs. While sometimes denying their existence, the USAF also publishes reports that appear to be genuine UFO accounts. This strategy is likely intended to gradually prepare the public for the existence of flying saucers. The article cites a specific report from January 6, 1965, published in Danish newspapers:

The report details the observation of two unidentified objects by a U.S. Navy radar station in Maryland on December 29, 1964, at 8:30 PM. The objects were traveling at approximately 7,700 km/h, approached the station, made a sharp turn, and disappeared. The report notes that the X-15, the fastest known aircraft, has a top speed of 6,500 km/h and is only available on the Pacific coast with limited range. The USAF has a special department at Wright-Patterson Base in Dayton, Ohio, investigating such objects. The author concludes that the observation is credible, as radar readings are difficult to falsify, and technical errors are unlikely. A conventional aircraft or rocket could not perform such a sharp turn at that speed, especially if manned. Balloons or spiderwebs are also ruled out due to their inability to achieve such speeds. The author implies that the reader should conclude that UFOs exist and hopes that enough people will reflect on this article.

Rumor: A humorous anecdote about a flying saucer landing on Bornholm, where the pilot's claim of being from the Moon is met with disbelief by an echo.

Technology and Science: Mariner IV Details

This section provides detailed information about NASA's Mariner IV mission, emphasizing the incredible precision required. Mariner IV was launched from Cape Kennedy on November 28, 1964, using an Atlas-Agena D rocket. After the Atlas stage burned out, a shield around the spacecraft was released, marking the first step in its 520 million kilometer journey to Mars. A previous attempt, Mariner III, failed because this shield did not deploy correctly.

Six minutes after launch, the Agena stage fired to place Mariner into a parking orbit around Earth. Thirty-two minutes later, at an altitude of 200 km over the Indian Ocean, the Agena stage fired again to send the spacecraft on its planned trajectory to Mars. After the Agena stage burned out, Mariner's speed was approximately 41,000 km/h relative to Earth. Its signals indicated it would pass about 240,000 km from the Martian surface if no course correction was made (a mid-course maneuver).

Forty-five minutes after launch, Mariner IV began deploying its solar panels. This process took about fifteen minutes. Its orientation system then used small nitrogen thrusters to ensure the panels were perpendicular to the sun's rays. The next critical step was for Mariner to lock onto the star 'Canopus,' chosen for its brightness and position relative to the Sun and Earth. The spacecraft was equipped with a light-sensitive instrument to measure stellar brightness variations. This instrument could command another 'look' if it mistakenly locked onto the wrong star.

Sixteen and a half hours after launch, Mariner's 'brain' ordered its 'eye' to begin searching for Canopus. The seeker pointed in a direction calculated to be 293° from Canopus, prompting the spacecraft to rotate on its axis. Mariner is designed to rotate slowly in one direction, counter-clockwise when viewed from the Sun.

Shortly after beginning its controlled rotation, the seeker detected light from Earth but deemed it too strong and continued its maneuver. After 8 minutes and a 100° turn, it locked onto a star, unfortunately, the faintest star that could trigger a response.

In Pasadena, California, the operations department identified the star as Aldebaran. Due to its faintness, experts predicted the seeker would lose its lock, which it did at 8:13 AM, when Mariner began searching for Canopus again.

Problems persisted. After a 107° turn lasting 16 minutes, the seeker locked onto another incorrect star, Regulus. Because Regulus was also faint, the operations department decided to wait a day before reordering Mariner IV to search for Canopus.

On November 30, Mariner IV restarted its search. After a 60° roll lasting 7 minutes, it locked onto the star Naos in the Milky Way. A subsequent command resulted in it finding an unnamed star cluster in the Milky Way after a minute.

Pasadena did not give up. After a fifteen-minute rest, Mariner was ordered to search again. A few minutes later, the seeker was attracted by the light of a star 100 light-years away. This star was identified as Canopus, and after this fifth attempt, Mariner IV finally locked onto it, stabilized on all three axes. At this point, the spacecraft was 608,000 km from Earth, with a relative speed of about 12,000 km/h.

For the next three days, NASA's receiving stations in California, Australia, and South Africa tracked Mariner's course and confirmed that all systems were functioning as planned.

The mid-course maneuver began on December 4, when Mariner IV was 1.1 million km from Earth. This maneuver was intended to shorten the flight time by two days, directing the spacecraft to fly behind and past Mars, rather than on its initial course which would have taken it ahead of Mars. Mariner received three indirect commands at five-minute intervals, which it stored in its 'brain.' The first command was to release its lock on Canopus and the Sun and then pitch its nose down 44°. The second command was to rotate 156°, and the third was to fire its rocket engine for 20.18 seconds. Mariner also received direct commands to activate the rocket engine and release locks that prevented its premature firing. At 9:35 AM, Mariner was ordered to start its gyros to maintain its orientation without connection to the Sun and Canopus. Transmission of scientific data was halted in favor of technical data to provide Pasadena with maximum information about the spacecraft's functions. Finally, Mariner received a countdown command that would lead to the rocket engine firing one hour later.

Suddenly, Pasadena received word that Mariner had lost its lock on Canopus and had begun to rotate. The command was immediately sent to the space station to abort the mid-course maneuver and resume the search for Canopus. After three attempts, Mariner locked onto the fourth incorrect star at 11:06 AM. The technicians in Pasadena decided to take a break and reconsider the situation. At 3:40 PM, it was decided to continue the search for Canopus, and finally, at 1:00 PM, after seven failed attempts, Mariner was reoriented towards Canopus.

The next day, the process had to start all over. According to the electronic data processing machines, Mariner was to pitch its nose down 39.3°, rotate 156.08°, and fire its rocket engine for 20.06 seconds. A direct command released the rocket engine lock and supplied power. At 9:25 AM, the countdown began. This time, Mariner's 'eye' remained locked onto Canopus until its 'brain' issued the command at 10:25 AM to execute the stored commands. At 11:09 AM, the rocket engine was fired.

Twelve minutes later, Mariner reported that it had reoriented its solar panels towards the Sun and had begun to rotate to find Canopus. At 11:55 AM, another message confirmed that Canopus had been found and Mariner was locked onto it. The mid-course maneuver was thus completed, taking 3 hours and 50 minutes. The maneuver resulted in a trajectory that would bring the spacecraft to a distance of 8,600 km from Mars' surface. A further mid-course maneuver was deemed unnecessary. Mariner IV is expected to pass Mars at this distance on July 14, 1965, at 8:11 PM Eastern Standard Time.

The Sky in March

This section provides astronomical observations for March:

• Mercury: Becomes visible again around March 10th, seen from 7:30 PM. Initially bright, it will fade by the 19th to the brightness of Vega and will be invisible after April 1st. This is the only period in 1965 when Mercury is visible in the evening.
• Venus: Remains invisible.
• Mars: Is in opposition to the Sun on March 9th, exhibiting formidable brightness, nearly matching Mercury's a few days later. On March 12th, Mars will be only 100 million km from Earth, its closest approach, which has led to an increase in observations.
• Jupiter: Is visible in the evening, setting between 10:30 PM and 12:00 AM. It will be close to the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) on April 4th.
• Uranus: Is in opposition to the Sun on March 3rd and should be visible around midnight.

The Sky in April

• Mercury, Venus, and Saturn: Remain invisible.
• Mars: Visible as the evening star, setting around 5:30 AM early in the month and 3:00 AM late in the month. Its brightness has decreased.
• Jupiter: Visible for short periods. By the end of the month, it sets around 9:30 PM, leaving limited viewing time as darkness falls around 9:00 PM. On April 4th, the New Moon, Jupiter, and the Pleiades will be very close together.
• Constellations: The 'winter sky' is receding. Constellations that form a ring around Orion are still visible, but their southern parts are disappearing below the horizon. Ursa Major (Great Bear) has reached its zenith, while Cassiopeia is nearing its lowest point in the northwest. In the southeast, Virgo is visible. Leo dominates the southern sky and is the constellation of spring. With a good telescope (80 mm or larger), the spiral nebulae M65/M66 and M95/M96 can be found in Leo. Careful adjustment of the telescope is needed to locate them, but it is worthwhile.

The Satellite Going the Wrong Way!

The U.S. Air Force has released information about the launch of a 45 kg ARS satellite (Aerospace Research Satellite) on January 21st from Vandenberg Base in California. The satellite is reported to contain instruments for measuring radiation and micrometeorite density. Notably, this satellite was not placed at the tip of the rocket but was attached to the side of the Atlas rocket in a capsule. It is believed to be the first satellite launched in opposition to Earth's rotation.

The satellite's orbit is between 560 and 2400 kilometers, with an estimated lifespan of approximately 3 months.

If this report is accurate, and if the Russians have also not launched satellites against Earth's rotation, the number of UFO observations is expected to increase significantly. This is because, in recent years, there have been observations of satellite-like objects moving at the same speed as known satellites and passing over the Danish night sky in regular orbits. Previous inquiries about satellites moving against rotation were met with the explanation that they were either Russian or American satellites launched against Earth's rotation.

Ufology: Continuation of John Petersen's Lecture

This section continues a lecture by John Petersen from SUFOI's evening school in winter 1963/64. It suggests that in ancient times, people could achieve harmony with greater forces. The text mentions a 'Brama weapon' from the book of Atlantis that only attacked metal and weapons, and could be neutralized by a similarly directed weapon, possibly a form of radiation weapon. It also refers to 'FOHAT,' the force of electricity, and ancient knowledge that delved into its causes, unlike modern approaches. The text questions the nature of electricity and mentions a projectile containing the 'power of the universe' (possibly nuclear energy), the secrets of which are unknown.

In modern times, some of these concepts have been 'rediscovered.' John Keely (1890) conducted experiments where he could make a 25 HP motor run without external power by playing a specific tone on his violin. Only Keely could achieve this, suggesting a unique vibrational frequency. The article draws a parallel to modern radio and television waves, which are imperceptible without specialized equipment, implying the existence of other energy forms that require specific apparatus to interact with.

The text then examines biblical accounts for potential UFO references. It notes that while the Bible can be interpreted in many ways, numerous passages describe events and phenomena that could be interpreted as UFOs. These include 'flying scrolls,' 'pillar of cloud by day,' 'pillar of fire by night,' and descriptions of beings with 'four faces' and 'hot breath.' An ancient Egyptian papyrus from 1450 BC (approximately 3400 years ago) describes 'luminous machines' that flew silently and exhibited colors similar to those reported in modern UFO sightings. This suggests that UFO models have remained consistent in appearance and characteristics for millennia, indicating a highly developed and ancient culture.

The article mentions that within UFO circles, there are at least 400 reports of UFOs or UFO-like objects dated before World War II, many from the Middle Ages and some even older.

Historical Sightings:

A medieval monastery report from Yorkshire dated 1290 describes a round, silver-shining object moving at high speed across the sky at midday. The object was observed by monks and described as a strange phenomenon. The article argues that modern 'debunking' explanations like balloons, satellites, car lights, airplanes, or zeppelins are impossible for this era, as these technologies did not exist.

An old copper engraving depicts residents of Devon in 1704 observing a V-formation of dark, solid objects moving across the sky. Danish reports from Absalon Petersen's diaries (1552-1572) mention observations over Oslo, Bergen, and Trondhjem that strongly resemble modern UFO sightings.

The article concludes that these reports, spanning centuries, show consistent patterns in object shapes, speeds, silent operation, maneuverability, and direction changes, indicating a recurring phenomenon.

Rumor: A humorous anecdote about a UFO landing in Congo, where the pilot asks to be taken to the leader of the land, and is offered names of prominent figures.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the nature and observation of UFOs, the scientific exploration of space (specifically the Sun and Mars missions), and the historical context of unexplained aerial phenomena. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of informing the public about UFOs, encouraging critical thinking, and presenting factual information. The magazine aims to be a platform for discussion and education on these topics, bridging the gap between scientific inquiry and the public's fascination with the unknown. There is a strong emphasis on presenting evidence, whether from contemporary scientific missions or historical accounts, and on debunking simplistic explanations for observed phenomena.