UFO-Nytt - 1991 No 4

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO-nytt
Issue: 4
Volume: 1991
Publisher: VÄSTERBERGSLAGENS UFO FÖRENING
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Date: 1991

This issue of UFO-nytt, published by the Västerbergslagens UFO Förening, is a Swedish-language magazine dedicated to the exploration of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). It is published four times a year and serves as a platform for members to share information and discuss sightings and related phenomena.

Table of Contents and Key Articles

The magazine features a table of contents outlining various sections:

• Kristider (Crisis Times): This section discusses the theory that UFO phenomena increase during times of crisis and societal unrest. It reflects on the past year and expresses gratitude to the active members and the board for their contributions, emphasizing the importance of their work in keeping the association alive. The editorial wishes readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, noting that 1992 marks the 20th anniversary of the Bärke UFO-förening, which later became VBU.
• Urklipp (Clippings): This indicates sections containing collected articles or news items.
• Tefatens Gåta (The Saucer Enigma): This article directly addresses the question of whether UFOs are extraterrestrial visitors, hallucinations, or natural phenomena. It asserts that flying saucers undeniably exist, having been observed and documented by a wide range of individuals, including astronauts, pilots, police officers, meteorologists, and farmers. The core mystery, dating back to the term 'flying saucer' coined in 1947, is their origin and nature. The article dismisses conventional explanations like unusual cloud formations, ball lightning, meteorites, weather balloons, light phenomena, or hoaxes, suggesting that the most rational approach is to acknowledge that humanity faces a series of inexplicable yet real occurrences. Ufologists, who study UFOs, often propose that Earth is under surveillance by intelligent beings from the universe.
• De Första Tefaten (The First Saucers): This subsection details the seminal event on June 24, 1947, when private pilot Kenneth Arnold observed nine disk-shaped objects flying over Mount Rainier, Washington. His description of their movement as 'flying like saucers skipping over water' led to the coining of the term 'flying saucer.' Arnold's credibility ensured his report was taken seriously by authorities, and the media widely reported the incident. The article notes subsequent waves of reports in the 1950s and 1960s that continue to this day.
• Undersökningsgruppen (Investigation Group): This suggests a section dedicated to the findings or activities of an investigation team.
• Nya Vittnen, Fortsättning (New Witnesses, Continuation): This indicates a continuing report on recent witness accounts.
• Stockholms Kvinna Berättar???? (Stockholm Woman Tells????): This implies a personal account from a woman in Stockholm.
• Nära På Men Inget Tefat (Close But No Saucer): This title suggests an account that came close to a UFO sighting but did not confirm one.

UFO Sightings and Encounters

The magazine presents several detailed accounts of UFO sightings and encounters:

• Astronaut Reports: The issue highlights reports from astronauts, emphasizing their training and reliability as observers. James McDivitt's sighting during the Gemini 4 mission in June 1965 is described, where he observed a cylindrical object with protruding spikes while in orbit. He photographed the object, which approached parallel to his capsule before disappearing. The official explanation later identified it as the unmanned Pegasus satellite, though it was reportedly 1,900 kilometers away at the time. The article mentions that approximately 26 astronauts have reported UFO sightings in orbit, with NASA taking these reports seriously and assigning a code word, 'bogey,' to them. Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, and Alan Bean also reported seeing a red UFO for ten minutes from Skylab 11. Professor James E. McDonald of the University of Arizona is quoted stating that UFOs are likely extraterrestrial craft conducting 'surveillance.'
• The Socorro Landing: A UFO landing was reported on April 24, 1964, in Socorro, New Mexico, by policeman Lonnie Zamora. He described a shiny, metal object resembling an upside-down car, with two small humanoids nearby. The humanoids entered the craft, and it then vanished.
• The French Lavender Farmer: In July 1968, a lavender farmer in Valensole, Provence, France, encountered two small figures next to a craft about the size of a Renault. One of the figures aimed an instrument at him, causing him to become paralyzed. The figures then re-entered their craft and flew away.
• The Pascagoula Abduction: On October 11, 1973, two shipyard workers, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker, claimed to have been taken aboard an egg-shaped UFO in Mississippi. They described being examined by three silver-skinned beings without eyes. They were held for about 20 minutes, 'photographed,' and then returned to a pier. Parker reported passing out upon first seeing the humanoids.
• The English Chase: Two police constables in Holsworthy, North Devon, England, engaged in a chase with an object resembling a shining cross that emitted light. They pursued it at speeds up to 150 knots. The object appeared to be aware of being followed and demonstrated incredible acceleration. The Ministry of Defence initially explained it as a large refueling jet, but this was later disproven.
• Warminster Phenomena: The area around Warminster in Wiltshire, England, has been a focal point for UFO sightings and unusual phenomena since the mid-1960s. Reports include a purely auditory phenomenon described as a 'thunder-like explosion' heard by a guard company in Wales on Christmas morning 1964. A woman was knocked down by 'sound waves' described as a 'dull, rhythmic hum,' causing houses to shake. Reports also mentioned animals suddenly collapsing as if struck by a beam. Some attributed these events to experiments with new weapons at a nearby infantry school.
• Pilot Reports: The magazine includes reports from pilots describing UFOs performing maneuvers impossible for conventional aircraft, such as sudden stops and incredible accelerations. Some incidents suggest a connection between UFOs and accidents, such as a DC-6 plane that disappeared after its pilot reported seeing objects in the sky, with wreckage and fatalities found later.
• Disappearing Jet: In 1953, two US fighter pilots in an F89 jet pursued a UFO over Lake Superior. The jet and the UFO merged on radar, and then the jet disappeared, while the UFO flew out of sight. Despite extensive searches, no trace of the jet was found.

Other Content

• Solar Activity: An article discusses recent solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which caused auroras and disrupted electrical equipment. Scientists are puzzled by a break in a centuries-old pattern of solar activity, noting that magnetic fields on the sun's surface are unusually strong. The article touches on the potential effects of plasma clouds on health and mentions that solar storms can cause rust on pipelines and disrupt satellite communication.
• Venus Exploration: The Magellan spacecraft has explored over half of Venus's surface, revealing vast volcanoes, lava flows, and strong winds. The mapped areas show signs of volcanic activity, including pancake-shaped volcanoes.
• Comics: The issue includes comic strips, one featuring characters named Felix and Gudrun discussing UFOs, and another with a character named Kung Tut commenting on flying saucers.
• Membership Information: Details are provided for membership in the Västerbergslagens UFO Förening for 1992, with fees and contact information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO-nytt are the persistent mystery of UFOs, the evidence supporting their existence, and the various theories attempting to explain them, with a strong leaning towards the possibility of extraterrestrial visitation and surveillance. The magazine presents a wide array of witness accounts, including those from credible sources like astronauts and pilots, to bolster its case. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, acknowledging the inexplicable nature of many sightings while encouraging further investigation and discussion within the UFO community. There is a clear emphasis on presenting factual reports and historical cases to support the idea that UFOs are a genuine phenomenon requiring serious consideration.

This issue of "Europa ~ Nytt" from 1991, titled "När en stjärna faller" (When a star falls), delves into various celestial phenomena and UFO reports. The magazine explores the origins of the solar system, the nature of comets and meteorites, and presents several witness accounts of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) from different locations.

Celestial Phenomena

The issue begins by explaining the formation of the solar system from a vast gas cloud, leading to the creation of planets and smaller celestial bodies. It describes the Oort Cloud, a reservoir of icy objects beyond the outer planets, and how gravitational disturbances can send these objects towards the inner solar system, forming comets with visible tails.

Comets are explained as icy bodies that sublimate when near the sun, creating a tail of gas and particles. When Earth passes through these trails, small particles burn up in the atmosphere, creating the phenomenon of shooting stars. The article also discusses the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, suggesting that asteroids might be remnants of a planet that never formed, possibly due to Jupiter's gravitational influence. It notes that some asteroids have been observed to emit gas, similar to comets, leading to speculation that they might be 'burnt-out comet cores'.

Halley's Comet is highlighted as a historically significant comet, with records dating back to 2500 BC. Its appearances have often been associated with panic and predictions of disaster. The 1910 sighting, for instance, led to fears of Earth being engulfed by deadly cyangas. The 1986 return of Halley's Comet also generated various superstitions.

A prominent theory discussed is the extinction of dinosaurs, attributed to a massive collision with a celestial body that ejected dust into the atmosphere, causing global cooling. The possibility that life itself might have originated on Earth through organic matter and amino acids found in meteorites is also raised.

Annual meteor showers, occurring in August, are explained as Earth passing through old comet tails.

UFO Sightings and Investigations

The magazine features several reports of UFO sightings and related investigations:

• Sten Lindgren and UFOs: The article introduces Sten Lindgren, who claims to have frequent contact with extraterrestrials ('Rymdbröderna'). He describes seeing UFOs and receiving coded messages. Lindgren's claims are presented through his own narratives and testimonials from others, including an alleged UFO wave in Dalarna, Sweden, which he claims to have influenced.

• Crop Circles: The phenomenon of crop circles, particularly those observed in Southern England over the past decade, is discussed. Researchers from SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) and FOA (Swedish Defence Research Agency) have begun a project to investigate if similar phenomena occur in Sweden. While some attribute crop circles to unknown magnetic phenomena, the investigation aims to determine how they are formed, not necessarily assuming an extraterrestrial origin. Erik Witalis from FOA notes that while some circles can be explained by human activity, others are more complex.

• UFO in Hungary (January 1991): A report details a mysterious flying object observed in central and eastern Hungary. Meteorologists described it as a 15-25 meter long object with a 50-meter long orange glow, causing confusion.

• UFO in Southern Belgium (February 1991): Reports indicate a 'UFO invasion' in Southern Belgium, with an organization receiving 600 reports from 3,000 people who saw self-illuminating flying objects of unknown origin. One incident involved a near-collision with a large metallic object emitting orange light. These objects are described as triangular, fast, and silent.

• Soviet Rocket Debris (November 1990): A bright light observed over Western Europe was identified not as a UFO, but as parts of a Soviet rocket burning up upon re-entry into the atmosphere. This was related to the launch of the telecommunications satellite Horizont-21.

• UFO in Uljanovsk, Soviet Union (March 1990): Hundreds of residents in Uljanovsk reported seeing a UFO, described as a self-illuminating greenish-blue ball, which was also noted by air traffic controllers at the local airport.

• UFO near Uritorco Hill, Argentina: The article mentions Uritorco Hill in Argentina as a location known for UFO sightings and energy phenomena, with claims of contact with extraterrestrials. The hill was reportedly for sale.

• Harry Gustavsson's Sighting (November 1988): Harry Gustavsson and his wife reported seeing a large, dark blue, disc-like object with a square fin gliding silently over a mountain near Nora, Sweden. They estimated its size to be 80-100 meters long. The object was observed in daylight, and the witness regretted not having a camera.

• Christina Redhe's Sighting (September 1991): Christina Redhe reported seeing a bright object in the sky above Borlänge, Sweden, around 4:30 AM. She described it as about twice the size of a full moon, emitting blinking lights of various colors. The object descended and disappeared behind a building. An alarm from a car on the street was active during the sighting.

Other Mentions

• UFO/Astro-magasinet: A new magazine from Värmland, Sweden, dedicated to covering the entire universe, is mentioned.
• Ingemar's Best: A short anecdote about 'Moster Rut' celebrating her 100th birthday and her sons being placed in a retirement home.
• How far is a light-year?: An explanation of a light-year as the distance light travels in one year, approximately 10 trillion kilometers, and the work of Ole Rømer in calculating the speed of light.
• Astronaut Facts: A list of key milestones in space exploration, including the first human in space (Gagarin), first American in space (Shepard), first woman in space (Tereshkova), first spacewalk (Leonov), moon landing (Armstrong), and the Challenger disaster.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents UFO phenomena as subjects of serious investigation, even when reporting on witness accounts that might seem fantastical. There's an emphasis on collecting and analyzing reports, with organizations like SMHI, FOA, and UFO-Sverige actively involved. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, seeking to understand these phenomena without necessarily jumping to conclusions about their origin, while acknowledging the public's fascination and the historical significance of such events. The recurring theme is the enduring human curiosity about the unknown in the sky and the possibility of life beyond Earth.

This issue of UFOSVENSKA, dated May 1991 (Nr. 277), features a cover story titled "NARAPA, MEN INGET TEFAT." (Narapa, But No Flying Saucer.) by Barry E. Taff, a parapsychologist and UFOlogist in Hollywood. The magazine includes a personal account of a UFO sighting and delves into the topic of alien abductions.

Article: A 1947 Encounter

The issue begins with a brief, anecdotal account from 1947, where a person named Anderson recounts an unsettling encounter. While standing with Gerald, he felt a strange connection as if a being was controlling his thoughts. Looking up, he met the being's large, dark eyes, experiencing feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and fear. Suddenly, soldiers appeared everywhere, and the only remaining 'creature' became agitated upon seeing them. The text indicates this is a continuation from a previous issue.

Article: A Terrifying UFO Encounter Near Trosa

This section details a dramatic experience reported by Sylvia Pernback, a 42-year-old woman from Stockholm. On a Friday evening in late August, while staying at her family's vacation home in Lökholmen, near Trosa in Södermanland, she had a startling encounter. After her children and husband had gone to bed, Sylvia was watching TV late into the night. Around 2 AM, as she was about to go to bed, she stepped out onto the veranda and noticed something unusual in the starry sky.

Initially, she saw a large, brightly lit object hovering silently over the treetops, about 300 meters away. The object emitted strong searchlights upwards, scanning the sky. Sylvia initially wondered if it was a helicopter but dismissed the idea due to its silent, stationary nature. She observed that the object was disc-shaped with narrow slots or windows along its sides, from which light emanated, temporarily blinding her. She described it as being several times larger than the moon.

As she stood paralyzed, the object began to move slowly and silently towards the house. Her fear escalated, thinking it might crash into their home or land. She fumbled for her keys to unlock the kitchen door and run upstairs to wake her husband, Kjell. As she turned off the kitchen light, the scene changed, and the object moved directly towards the house. She described its underside as being in shadow, while the 'windows' and searchlights illuminated the area with an eerie light. The object was approximately ten meters in diameter.

Just as she opened the door, a whining sound, like a starting motor, was heard, and then everything outside became dark and silent. The object disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Sylvia terrified and unable to wake her husband.

Article: UFOs and Abductions - A Shifting Perspective

This section, translated from "MUFON JORN" (Nr. 277 Maj 1991), discusses the evolving views on UFO abductions within the UFOlogy community. The author, Barry E. Taff, notes that between 1974 and 1977, many UFOlogists were skeptical about the idea of extraterrestrials entering human homes for investigation and experiments. Even after influential books and films on the subject, accepting the idea of aliens boldly abducting people was difficult for most researchers.

However, by 1990, the perspective had radically changed. Most UFOlogists now generally agree that abductions do occur and are increasing in frequency. The article mentions that 'Närkontakt IV' (Contact IV), specifically abduction, has become the most common type of contact reported, surpassing earlier categories.

The publication of Bud Hopkins' "Intruders" and Whitley Strieber's "Communion," along with numerous films and TV shows about UFOs and abduction reports, has made the UFO research community highly aware of these phenomena. The author suggests that these forces or beings often intrude upon our most private lives for their own purposes.

Case Study: Ann's Abduction Experiences

The article then presents two significant abduction cases, one from 1974 and another from 1977, involving a woman named Ann. Dr. A., a psychiatrist at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI), referred Ann to the author. Ann reported disturbing nocturnal visits from small humanoids who performed frightening acts, including making her pregnant and then removing her unborn fetus.

Initially, Dr. A. suspected paranoid delusions, but Ann's accounts had a peculiar ring of reality. The author, Barry Taff, was initially skeptical but spent many hours talking with Ann, exploring her background. His conclusion was that Ann suffered from acute trauma and fear caused by an unknown stimulus. Her background showed no signs of abuse or neglect that would explain such fantasies.

As Ann became more comfortable, she revealed more details. She described being abducted by small humanoids who appeared in her bedroom, rendered her semi-conscious with some form of paralysis, and then took her to a metallic room. She described the beings as approximately 1 meter tall, thin, with large, pear-shaped heads, no visible ears, and slit-like noses. Their skin was grayish-brown and leathery, and their hands had three fingers with an opposable thumb-like digit, which she found reptilian.

During the examination, the humanoids communicated telepathically, assuring her she would feel no pain and would not remember the events. She recalled a probe being inserted into various body orifices, causing her to scream and cry. The last thing she remembered was a humanoid placing its hand on her head and telling her to relax before she lost consciousness. This experience left Ann deeply disturbed and in a prolonged state of distress.

Barry Taff, initially skeptical, agreed to spend a few nights in Ann's room to ensure her safety, but no further visits occurred. He eventually convinced Ann that the events were likely products of nightmares, though she never fully recovered.

Ann's life was significantly impacted, marked by three failed marriages and numerous job changes. The author reflects that if he had been less judgmental and more open to her experiences, perhaps more could have been learned, and Ann's life might have been more stable.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores UFO sightings and alleged alien encounters, with a focus on personal testimonies and the psychological impact on witnesses. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these phenomena, acknowledging the growing acceptance of abduction reports within the UFOlogy community while also presenting detailed case studies that highlight the profound distress experienced by those involved. The magazine seems to advocate for a more open-minded approach to understanding these events, as suggested by the author's final reflection on his initial judgment of Ann's experiences. The issue concludes with a Christmas and New Year's greeting from the editorial staff.