Under stjarnorna - 1998 No 4

Magazine Overview

Title: UNDER STJÄRNORNA
Issue: Number 4
Date: March 1998
Publisher: UFO-Karlskrona
Type: Member magazine for UFO-Karlskrona.

Editor's Column: Redaktören har ordet!

The editor, Anders Sjölander, reflects on the challenges of writing the editorial column for each issue. He introduces the content of this issue, including an article on the 'Silverman' photograph and a summary of the Sydostträffen meeting by the organization's chairman, Paulo Lewenhagen. Sjölander shares his childhood fascination with Mars, sparked by seeing images of the planet at age 11, and his dreams of walking on its surface. He expresses anticipation for potential discoveries of life or ruins on Mars.

Project: Flyg ditt namn) till Mars! (Fly your name) to Mars!)

This section details NASA's 'Kids, send your name to Mars' project. NASA plans to send an unmanned spacecraft to Mars carrying a CD-ROM with one million children's names from around the world. Children can submit their names via NASA's website to be included. The project aims to send the names along with the Planet Surveyor probe and hopes the mission will reveal many of Mars' secrets. A link to the project website is provided.

Article: Silvermannen (The Silver Man)

This article examines the famous 'Silverman' photograph, depicting a small, cape-wearing figure looking up at a man in a trench coat. The photo has been attributed to various origins, including a crashed 'Martian pilot' near Mexico City or a survivor of a downed spacecraft in Arizona, captured by FBI agents. The article cites Donald Keyhoe's book "Flying Saucers from Outer Space" and a 1950 article from "Talk of the Times." It also mentions that Gordon Allen, in the book "Space-Craft from Beyond Three Dimensions," compared the figure to descriptions by Emanuel Swedenborg.

The article then presents the analysis of Ole Henningsen, a Danish ufologist, who suggests the 'Silverman' image is retouched. Henningsen points out that the figures' feet are not aligned as they would be if standing together, and the 'Silverman' appears to be floating. He concludes that the original photo likely showed two people walking in a park with a baby carriage, with the figures' attention directed towards the carriage, and their hands holding the carriage handles.

Incident Report: Skillingaryd 6/5 1971

This brief section mentions a well-known Swedish UFO photo taken by Lars Thörn at Stora Spännberget. Despite expert opinions labeling it a hoax, Lars Thörn maintains its authenticity.

Event Report: Sydostmötet i Björkedahl (The Southeast Meeting in Björkedahl)

This report covers the fifth UFO-Sverige meeting, held in Björkedahl, Småland. The author describes the journey and arrival at the meeting venue. The event was opened by Jennie Svensson from UFO-Högland, followed by Irre Bredin, who explained UFO-Sverige's work and clarified that 'UFO' stands for 'Unidentified Flying Objects.'

Richard Svensson presented a lecture comparing modern 'flying saucer' sightings with ancient folklore about trolls, raising questions about historical encounters. Mikael G Petersson, a religious studies scholar, discussed UFO cults and religious psychology, delivering a well-received lecture despite some disruptive audience members.

Following lunch, Richard Svensson gave a presentation on vampires, intended as a lighter topic. The day concluded with Ingalill Wallin discussing the 'Marteboljuset' phenomenon on Gotland, which has puzzled people for about 70 years. Wallin explained that it is mostly billight, but acknowledged some cases that remain unexplained.

Meeting Continuation

The report continues on the next page, stating that the meeting included lectures, lunch, lotteries, a quiz, and coffee. The event is summarized as a "HIT!" by Paulo Lewenhagen.

Image: En vy av Mars taget av Viking 1 1979. (A view of Mars taken by Viking 1 in 1979.)

A caption identifies the image on page 4 as a view of Mars taken by the Viking 1 probe in 1979, credited to NASA.

Contact Information

The magazine provides contact details for "Under Stjärnorna" (published monthly, editor Anders Sjölander) and "UFO-Karlskrona" (contact person Owe Ekhav, chairman Paulo Lewenhagen, secretary Johan Enqvist, treasurer Anders Sjölander), including phone numbers and email/website addresses.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, historical cases, and current events related to ufology. There is an emphasis on critical analysis, as seen in the debunking of the 'Silverman' photo, while also acknowledging unexplained phenomena like the 'Marteboljuset.' The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging discussion and investigation into UFOs and related topics, while maintaining a grounded approach to evidence. The inclusion of NASA's Mars project suggests an interest in space exploration and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.