UFORA Research Digest - No 02 - Aug 1989

Magazine Overview

Title: RESEARCH DIGEST
Issue: 1
Volume: 1989
Date: July 1989
Publisher: UFO RESEARCH AUSTRALIA
Country: AUSTRALIA
Compiler: Keith Basterfield

This document is the first issue of the Research Digest, compiled by Keith Basterfield and published by UFO RESEARCH AUSTRALIA. It serves as a central record of UFO reports from within Australia, intended for use by the UFORA network. The digest details numerous sightings that occurred primarily between January and July 1989, with one report from 1984.

UFO Reports

The digest presents a series of UFO reports, each assigned a unique UFORA identifier, date, location, time, and a brief description of the sighting. The reports are primarily from Tasmania (TAS), New South Wales (NSW), and South Australia (SA).

Tasmanian Sightings:

• UFORA89025 (14 Jan 89, Strahan TAS): A group observed a bright blue/white light, possibly with vapor, described as up to half Moon size. It descended towards their boat for three minutes and then blinked out. One witness was a weather observer, and no explanation was found.
• UFORA89026 (25 Jan 89, Launceston TAS): Two witnesses reported a light falling in the northwest, which then stopped for 15 seconds before moving horizontally off to the southeast, stopping two more times en route. No explanation was given.
• UFORA89027 (5 Mar 89, Bruny Island TAS): A couple on holiday reported watching a series of four nocturnal lights that blinked on, moved to the southwest, or returned from that area, pulsing during flight for about 30 minutes. No other witnesses were found, though an aurora was evident later that night.
• UFORA89028 (22 Mar 89, Swanston TAS): Two shooters observed a dull orange light approximately 150 meters distant. It silently passed through the trees towards the south, and dogs were uneasy. The report notes 'Investigating'.
• UFORA89029 (6 Jun 89, Kingston TAS): Several witnesses saw a light dropping in the northwest sky, which then went back up, performed a ninety-degree turn, and headed off to the south. The bluish light seemed to have a sparkle behind it. The report notes 'Investigating'.
• UFORA89030 (11 Jul 89, Vinces Saddle TAS): A motorist returning home noticed a bright light to the driver's side of the car, situated over a roadside paddock. The bright oval light mass had some blue/white lights beneath it. The witness slowed down but lost sight of the object after 10-15 seconds due to the road's curve. The weather was overcast with cloud at 800m and some hill fog. No other reports were found, and the report notes 'Investigating'.

New South Wales Sightings:

• UFORA89031 (1984, Terrigal NSW): A woman and her daughter observed a number of point-source sized lights crossing the sky at night. The possibility of satellites was mentioned.
• UFORA89032 (5 May 89, Gloucester NSW): A woman and her nephew, while collecting cows for milking, saw a large, very bright light appear in the sky southward. It travelled straight downwards and was lost to view behind a mountain.

South Australian Sightings:

• UFORA89033 (19 Jul 89, Brighton SA): Three people observed a bright yellow/orange object in the sky. Using binoculars, they noted what seemed to be a shape going around what looked like an aircraft. The entire object was travelling west to southeast and lasted for five minutes, moving quite slow. The possibility of an advertising aircraft was raised.
• UFORA89034 (23 Jul 89, Eyre Peninsula SA): This entry compiles several reports of a light in the sky: 1. An Australian Airlines pilot reported a brilliant red-orange light travelling in a south-westerly direction that appeared to burn up. 2. Mr Ross Buckley described an orange-red object that lit up the surrounding area for 10 seconds. 3. Mr George Moore said the object had a sparkling effect and a tail, appearing brilliant red and lighting up trees. 4. An object described as red/orange with a tail was seen travelling westwards for 6 seconds. The report notes that there were no radar tracking reports or reports of any object hitting the ground, concluding it was 'Most likely a meteor'. This report is attributed to UFOR(SA) and the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper.

Corrections to Previous Digest

The digest includes a section for corrections to a previous digest, mentioning two cases:

• UFORA89022: UFOR(Qld) advises they are the primary investigator, assisted by Bill Chalker.
• UFORA89023: UFOR(Qld) advises they have referred this case to Bill Chalker for follow-up with one witness.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the documentation of unexplained aerial phenomena observed across Australia. The editorial stance, as expressed by Keith Basterfield, is to establish a comprehensive record of these events, emphasizing the importance of such a digest for the UFORA network. The publication aims to be a neutral repository of witness accounts, with many cases marked as 'Investigating' or noted with possible conventional explanations like meteors or aircraft, while others remain unexplained.