RESEARCH DIGEST

Magazine Overview

Title: RESEARCH DIGEST
Issue: 22
Date: June 1991
Publisher: UFO RESEARCH AUSTRALIA
Compiler: Keith Basterfield

This issue of the Research Digest, published by UFO RESEARCH AUSTRALIA, covers a period of relative quiet in UFO reporting, with no digest being published in May 1991 due to a lack of new cases. The publication focuses on cataloging recent sightings and reviewing relevant literature and events in the ufology field.

Cases from the Network

The digest presents several cases from the network, categorized by location and date.

Victoria (1989-1990)

UFORA91044: A letter and subsequent interview with a Victorian woman detailed several unusual episodes involving her family. These included her six-year-old son reporting small men with a 'torch' in his bedroom, a physical attempt to pull her out of bed, her fourteen-year-old daughter seeing a luminous object floating up the driveway, and a recalled childhood 'dream' of 'pixies' taking her away.

South Australia (January - April 1991)

UFORA91045 (Jan 30, 1991, Brighton SA): An amateur astronomer took a full roll of film of the Moon through a telescope. While no unusual phenomena were observed during photography, one developed shot showed an unusual coloured sphere of light. Investigations suggested the most probable cause was an out-of-focus insect within the telescope tube.

Low Level Events (S2/P4) from UFORSA:

• UFORA91046 (Mar 5, 1991, Berri SA): Police contacted the organization regarding lights in the sky that were moving.
• UFORA91047 (Mar 7, 1991, Port Augusta SA): A light travelled from south-south-east to east within seconds, consistent with space debris re-entering.
• UFORA91048 (Mar 20, 1991, Murray Bridge SA): A white light, described as being like a satellite, travelled north-east in a straight line.
• UFORA91049 (Mar 28, 1991, Adelaide SA): A bright white light was observed travelling north, with aircraft suspected as the cause.
• UFORA91050 (Apr 3, 1991, Glenelg SA): A tall, thin pillar-like cloud was visible, described as a "Huge shaft of gold" after sunset.
• UFORA91051 (Apr 29, 1991, Lonsdale SA): An orange/yellow light travelled east to west over 1-2 minutes, appearing to be a quarter the size of the Moon.
• UFORA91052 (Apr 29, 1991, Brighton SA): An orange/yellow light was seen travelling westwards, appearing close and without noise. It was also seen again on April 30th.

Australian Capital Territory (April 1991)

UFORA91053 (Apr 28, 1991, Swinger Hill ACT): UFORA associate John Jensen and his wife observed a round, white to metallic coloured, shiny object floating upwards at a high altitude. Estimated to be 1000m up and the size of a five cent coin, it moved against the wind, soundlessly, and flashed intermittently (intervals of 5 to 18 seconds). John Jensen took photographs.

South Australia (May 1991)

UFORA91054 (May 20, 1991 SA): An extremely bright meteor passed over central South Australia, visible from multiple locations. It was reported to have turned night into day, generating dozens of calls to the RAAF and Adelaide airport.

New South Wales (May 1991)

UFORA91055 (May 19, 1991, Young NSW): A 16-year-old youth reported seeing a green, car-like object (no wheels, no glass, no wings) approximately 20m away and 1m off the ground. The object was shaking rapidly, appearing blurred at the edges, and had a 1m long green light causing it to glow. After 20 seconds, it ascended vertically and changed colour to silver.

UFORA91056 (May 19, 1991, Blacktown NSW): A woman reported sighting a large, dark, rectangular prism in the sky that was approaching. The object oscillated from side to side, approached overhead, tilted, and seemed to vanish. It appeared to have raised round circles in two vertical rows on either side. The woman later took photographs of what seemed to be the same object.

From the Literature

This section reviews recent articles and publications related to ufology.

1. "The Crop Watcher" (Jan/Feb 1991): An English publication featured a four-page article on an old Australian crop circle case investigated by Peter Horne and Stephen Bolton in Wokurna, South Australia, in 1973.
2. "Skeptical Inquirer" (Vol 15 No 2): A book review by Phillip Klass of Howard Blum's "Out There" questioned the confirmability of details in the book's central UFO case.
3. MUFON Journal (January 1991): This issue contained several articles:
* "An Interview with Professor Jean-Pierre Petit" (7 pages) discussing the Belgium flap and French Government UFO research.
* "Analyzing the Roswell Debris" (3 pages) offering an alternative explanation for materials found at Roswell.
* "New Revelations about Roswell Wreckage: A General Speaks Up" (7 pages), featuring an account from a USAF personnel present at Roswell.
4. "The Southern Skeptic" (Number 28): Provided a one-page commentary on events from a meeting of the Australian International UFO Flying Saucer Research Society in Adelaide.
5. International UFO Reporter (Mar/Apr 1991): Featured:
* "An Australian Abduction" (4p) by K. Basterfield, a case study of an Australian abductee.
* "I Remember Blue Book" (7p) by Zeidman, recalling early ufology.
* "UFO activity in the Soviet Union" (2p) by R.F. Haines, reviewing events in the USSR.
* "Debunking, Soviet Style" (2p) by P. Stonehill.
* "Harvesting Useful Date from Crop Circles" (4D) by C. Rutkowski, discussing crop circle study.
* "Airships: Part 2" (review) by J. Clark, covering the 1896-97 US airship episode.
6. MUFON Journal (274, Feb 1991): Included:
* "The Kecksburg UFO crash" (5p) by S. Gordon, discussing the 1965 event.
* "Gulf Breeze Update" (2p) by D. Wright, on the Gulf Breeze saga.
* "The Paranoia Temptation" (3p) by B. Hopkins, on paranoia in ufology.
7. "UFO Universe" (Vol 1 No 2, April/May 1991): Featured:
* "Aliens Implants-The Richard Price Story" (7p) by A. Huneeus.
* "What We Now Know About the ‘Intruders'" (5p), an interview with Budd Hopkins.
* "UFO Crash At Roswell: No earthly explanation" (6p) by K. Randle & D. Schmitt.

Research Notes

Australian Government Archives Search

The compiler has previously gained access to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UFO files related to policy (1953-59) and sightings (1955-59). Access has now been obtained for the year 1960, including:

• File 554/1/30 Part 1 (Policy): 51 pages, dated between 14 Nov 1959 and 24 Dec 1960.
• File 580/1/1 Pt 2 (Sightings): 98 pages, dated between 4 Feb 1960 and 8 Dec 1960, including the Cressy, Tasmania case.

Copies of these 149 pages are available for $14.90 plus postage. The compiler notes that under the thirty-year rule for government document release, RAAF files will become publicly available around 2006.

Conferences and Events

Tucson, Arizona

The First World UFO Congress was held from May 3-7 in Tucson, Arizona. Stan Deyo, an American author living in Perth, Australia, was scheduled as the only listed Australian speaker.

Sydney, Australia

A major UFO conference is scheduled for Sydney in September 1991, featuring international speakers such as Brian O'Leary (NASA astronaut), Jenny Randles (UK), and Jerry Clark (USA), alongside local speakers including Bill Chalker and the compiler. Details are available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

MUFON Journal (Feb 1991)

This journal reported on the Jan 1991 First National Conference on Anomalous Experiences, where a $200,000 grant was announced for abduction research, with Budd Hopkins and David Jacobs as project directors.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Research Digest consistently focuses on documenting UFO sightings and related phenomena, particularly within Australia. It serves as a repository for case files, providing detailed accounts and preliminary analysis. The publication also plays a crucial role in disseminating information about ufological research, literature, and conferences, acting as a hub for enthusiasts and researchers. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent record-keeping and information sharing, with a focus on empirical data and a critical review of available literature, as evidenced by the inclusion of both sighting reports and literature reviews, as well as notes on archival research.