Hi all,
I did something last night, which I haven't done for a long time. I sat outside in the back garden, in a chair, and took a long look at the night sky.
Doing so took me right back to age eight, when I lived in England in a fairly isolated hill top village. From there, the view of the night sky was excellent. I had really dark skies.
Today, living in Adelaide, the capital of the Australian state of South Australia, street lights cast a strong illumination across my nocturnal view. I can barely see third magnitude stars, with the naked eye. Binoculars are better, extending the limit to which I can see stars.
As an eight year old, I learnt my way around the sky. I memorised the names and outlines of the constellations, and the names of some of the individual stars.Those nocturnal views, back in the late 1950's created the background for my interest in Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP.) Having learnt of some of the wonders of the universe through viewing the heavens, I pondered on the possibility of life elsewhere. In those days there were no confirmed extra-solar planets and the first earth circling artificial satellite had only been launched in the year 1957. The Moon landings were eleven years into the future.
It wasn't until the mid 1960's that I read Jacques Vallee's first two books. These, combined with my developing interest in astronomy, triggered my interest in UAP, which remains with me today.
Sitting outside last night, and thinking about the distance between myself at age eight and my current sixty two years, reminds me that the enigma of UAP still remains unsolved.
Despite the fact that perhaps 95% of all incoming raw UAP reports can be explained in conventional terms, there still remains instances which truly puzzle me, e.g. the 1980 Rosedale, Victoria CE2 case. That's why I retain my interest, even after all these years.
Do you occasionally revisit the basis of your own interest in UAP? For some, it will have been a puzzling personal sighting. For others a sense of scientific curiosity about a case you have heard of. Yet other may have had an intimate encounter with the phenomenon. Whatever the cause, it seems to me that it is really useful to revisit the cause of your own interest, from time to time. Why? Perhaps to remind yourself that yes, that sighting really did take place and remains unexplainable to you. Perhaps to ponder yet again, that intimate encounter which has always puzzled you. Perhaps, simply to remind yourself that science still doe not have all the answers.
So, why not take a few minutes yourself, sit outside; look at the night sky and ponder what's out there and where your own interest came from?
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Follow ups to previous posts
Hi all,
I am emailed from time to time asking me whether or not there has been any further information on a particular post. I thought I would take the opportunity to update you all on a few developments.
1. The 1942 "Tromp" case:
In 1957, an individual named William Jan Methorst of Melbourne, reported a fascinating and oft Internet quoted ( e.g. click here) observation to the Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society. In a letter to the Society, Methorst told how he had been on board the Dutch cruiser "Tromp" when he had sighted a UAP circling the ship. Click here to read my original post with more details.
I wondered if by any chance Methorst was still alive and whether any original documentation from 1944 could still be found. An electoral roll check at the State Library of South Australia did indeed reveal that one William Jan Methorst lived in 1957 at the address shown on the 1957 letter. However, I failed to be able to trace him beyond 1959 when he and his wife disappeared off the Victorian electoral rolls.
Recently, I managed to locate William Jan Methorst in Preston East, Melbourne in the 1954 electoral rolls; then in Reservoir East, Melbourne in 1957 (already found,) then to Fortitude Valley in Brisbane in 1963. At each address up to that date, he was accompanied by a Ruth Methorst, and his occupation was shown as a carpenter.
In 1972, he and Ruth appear in the in the North Brisbane electoral roll with his occupation then listed as caretaker. There is also a Berend Jan Methorst shown as living at the same address as William and Ruth.
I couldn't track either William or Ruth beyond 1972 using the electoral rolls. However, Berend Jan Methorst turns up as late as 1980 in the electoral division of St Lucia, sub-division of Ryan in Brisbane, Queensland.
Using the electoral rolls for 2009, I located Berend Jan to an address is Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT.) I also found that he was listed in the Telstra electronic white pages. I decided to send a letter rather than telephone him. It has now been four weeks since I despatched the letter. Although I put my return address on the back of the envelope, and it has not been returned to me suggesting that he has indeed received it, I have had no reply from him. So, the trail has gone cold on this tantilising 1942 event.
2. 1964 Gum Creek, South Australia entity case:
A classic entity case was reported by a South Australian woman, Doris Player, in February 1964. Click here for my original detailed post. Recently, while watching a You Tube video (click here for video) I found to my amazement that there was a segment on Doris Player and a sketch of the 1964 entity at about the six minute five second mark in a segment mistakenly labelled "Tasmania 1964."
3. American contactee Valerie Ransone:
I ran as series of posts (click here, here and here) about a fascinating individual named Valerie Ransone who was involved with a number of people in he USA including the late US astronaut Gordon Cooper. I located her current whereabouts and sent her messages via Facebook and by direct email asking her if she'd be willing to update us on her research since the 1980's I never received a response.
4. Westall follow-up:
Following up on information given by Canberra based Westall researcher, Shane Ryan, at the May 2012 seminar arranged by the Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) I have been looking for some time for information on American projects which were based in Victoria, Australia in 1966. The purpose of this was to determine any relevance between such projects and the 6 Apr 1966 Westall case.
I recently located file in the National Archive of Australia, file series M1148 control symbol USA-General, barcode 31415823, located in the Melbourne office of the National Archives of Australia (NAA.) The file title was "USA- General (includes correspondence, articles, draft article, and photographs, draft articles include 'Australia's role in the tracking of satellites, and deep space probes; Project Hibal; Operation Crowflight and the significance of American scientific projects in Australia. Regretfully, nothing on the file throws any light on any American project which might have relevance to Westall, except for one possibility, Project Hibal.
This was a joint project between the US Atomic Energy Commission and the Australian Department of Supply; launched high altitude very large sized balloons; and had a chase aircraft which followed all flights. The several hundred kilogram scientific payloads which gathered radioactive particles in the stratosphere, came down under a 40 foot diameter parachute. Launched from Mildura, Victoria, these balloons sometimes drifted as far as Nowra, New South Wales; Canberra, ACT; Eyre Peninsula, South Australia,; and Bendigo, Victoria. A Project Hibal balloon, flight 292 was scheduled for launch on 5 Apr 1966, the day before the Westall incident. I attempted to learn the fate of flight 292, by interviewing five former members of the Department of Supply, Hibal launch team. However, none of them was able to tell me what happened to flight 292. Mysteriously, the chase aircraft's log book, which I located, contained details for flights 291 and 293 but none for flight 292. Was flight 292 somehow implicated in Westall?
I am emailed from time to time asking me whether or not there has been any further information on a particular post. I thought I would take the opportunity to update you all on a few developments.
1. The 1942 "Tromp" case:
In 1957, an individual named William Jan Methorst of Melbourne, reported a fascinating and oft Internet quoted ( e.g. click here) observation to the Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society. In a letter to the Society, Methorst told how he had been on board the Dutch cruiser "Tromp" when he had sighted a UAP circling the ship. Click here to read my original post with more details.
I wondered if by any chance Methorst was still alive and whether any original documentation from 1944 could still be found. An electoral roll check at the State Library of South Australia did indeed reveal that one William Jan Methorst lived in 1957 at the address shown on the 1957 letter. However, I failed to be able to trace him beyond 1959 when he and his wife disappeared off the Victorian electoral rolls.
Recently, I managed to locate William Jan Methorst in Preston East, Melbourne in the 1954 electoral rolls; then in Reservoir East, Melbourne in 1957 (already found,) then to Fortitude Valley in Brisbane in 1963. At each address up to that date, he was accompanied by a Ruth Methorst, and his occupation was shown as a carpenter.
In 1972, he and Ruth appear in the in the North Brisbane electoral roll with his occupation then listed as caretaker. There is also a Berend Jan Methorst shown as living at the same address as William and Ruth.
I couldn't track either William or Ruth beyond 1972 using the electoral rolls. However, Berend Jan Methorst turns up as late as 1980 in the electoral division of St Lucia, sub-division of Ryan in Brisbane, Queensland.
Using the electoral rolls for 2009, I located Berend Jan to an address is Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT.) I also found that he was listed in the Telstra electronic white pages. I decided to send a letter rather than telephone him. It has now been four weeks since I despatched the letter. Although I put my return address on the back of the envelope, and it has not been returned to me suggesting that he has indeed received it, I have had no reply from him. So, the trail has gone cold on this tantilising 1942 event.
2. 1964 Gum Creek, South Australia entity case:
A classic entity case was reported by a South Australian woman, Doris Player, in February 1964. Click here for my original detailed post. Recently, while watching a You Tube video (click here for video) I found to my amazement that there was a segment on Doris Player and a sketch of the 1964 entity at about the six minute five second mark in a segment mistakenly labelled "Tasmania 1964."
3. American contactee Valerie Ransone:
I ran as series of posts (click here, here and here) about a fascinating individual named Valerie Ransone who was involved with a number of people in he USA including the late US astronaut Gordon Cooper. I located her current whereabouts and sent her messages via Facebook and by direct email asking her if she'd be willing to update us on her research since the 1980's I never received a response.
4. Westall follow-up:
Following up on information given by Canberra based Westall researcher, Shane Ryan, at the May 2012 seminar arranged by the Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) I have been looking for some time for information on American projects which were based in Victoria, Australia in 1966. The purpose of this was to determine any relevance between such projects and the 6 Apr 1966 Westall case.
I recently located file in the National Archive of Australia, file series M1148 control symbol USA-General, barcode 31415823, located in the Melbourne office of the National Archives of Australia (NAA.) The file title was "USA- General (includes correspondence, articles, draft article, and photographs, draft articles include 'Australia's role in the tracking of satellites, and deep space probes; Project Hibal; Operation Crowflight and the significance of American scientific projects in Australia. Regretfully, nothing on the file throws any light on any American project which might have relevance to Westall, except for one possibility, Project Hibal.
This was a joint project between the US Atomic Energy Commission and the Australian Department of Supply; launched high altitude very large sized balloons; and had a chase aircraft which followed all flights. The several hundred kilogram scientific payloads which gathered radioactive particles in the stratosphere, came down under a 40 foot diameter parachute. Launched from Mildura, Victoria, these balloons sometimes drifted as far as Nowra, New South Wales; Canberra, ACT; Eyre Peninsula, South Australia,; and Bendigo, Victoria. A Project Hibal balloon, flight 292 was scheduled for launch on 5 Apr 1966, the day before the Westall incident. I attempted to learn the fate of flight 292, by interviewing five former members of the Department of Supply, Hibal launch team. However, none of them was able to tell me what happened to flight 292. Mysteriously, the chase aircraft's log book, which I located, contained details for flights 291 and 293 but none for flight 292. Was flight 292 somehow implicated in Westall?
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Rare Australian Department of the Navy UAP file digitised
Hi all,
The Disclosure Australia Project (2003-2008) located a few UAP files which were generated by the Australian Department of the Navy. These were:
NAA file series E499 control symbol C21/4/4 titled "Unidentified Flying Objects Sightings," barcode 4081230 held in the Darwin office of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) , has a date range 1959 to 1965. Courtesy of Melbourne researcher Paul Dean, who requested and paid for the NAA to digitise the file, we can now all go on the NAA website and read the file for ourselves.
What's on it?
The file cover shows that the original security classification was "Confidential." The file is 53 pages long and the cover is marked "Reference Papers Material Only." Beginning in 1959 someone in the Darwin area of the Navy decided, for whatever reason, to start keeping a file on UAP. The material on the file includes:
* A newspaper clipping about the formation of a Darwin branch of the Australian Flying Saucer Society by Darwin resident, Mr Duke Alley. (Uncited clip dated 25 Aug 1959.)
* A newsclip stating that RAAF Chief Group Captain Bolitho had considered sending a RAAF aircraft to investigate a reported sighting that a meteorite or possibly the nose-cone of a rocket had crashed near Howard Springs on Sunday. (Uncited clip dated 1 Sep 1959.)
* A copy of a telex dated 25 Sep 1959 from NOICNA to BASQNDAR which read "The following report was received via OTC from Mr Carter Mandorah. 'A large object 80-100 feet was seen last night at 6.30pm between Mandorah and Doctors Gully - it was a large black shallow object just above or close to the surface travelling at an approximate speed of 80-90mph. The object shot up towards Delissaville Creek. A green verey light shot off from the waters in the direction of north from Mandorah after the object was seen.
At 0715hrs on 25 Sep 1959 the same object was seen off Mandorah and shot up Middle Arm.
There was debate at that time, and with later sightings of what the papers named the "Mandorah Monster" in January 1960 as to whether or not the object was a fish! Marlin were aid to have weighed up to 1500lbs and to travel at speeds of up to 68mph. Another suggestion was that it was a large stingray.
* A 4 Nov 1963 newsclip reported a mystery orange coloured light 10 feet above the water at Racecourse Creek. Ted Moloney and Kevin Young saw it "...rise straight out of the water about 200 yards away...went straight up then travelled in a straight line for about 60 feet before disappearing." There was no sound.
* On 26 Oct 19666 at 1155z observers on the Motor Vessel Kabbarli in King Sound, sighted a conical shaped glow, some half a degree across angular size, bearing 242 degrees at 18 degrees elevation, moving fast to the north-east. The object was lost from view when it was overhead.
* An uncited newsclip dated 4 May 1967 about the USAF funded University of Colorado report.
* A RAN memo dated 13 Dec 1967 addressed to RAAF Darwin; NT Army; ASIO Darwin; Special Branch NT Police about a UAP sighted on 29 Jul 1967 at Munmalary Station, NT. Observers at 2015hrs reported seeing a bright light at 60 degrees elevation west of them, for 15 minutes.
* On 14 Mar 1968 RAAF Darwin sent the Darwin Navy Staff Office a summary of Unidentified Flying Object sightings which had been made to the RAAF Darwin "for your information" with a copy to Special Branch, NT Police; the Army and ASIO Darwin.
* An uncited newsclip dated 28 Feb 1974 where a newspaper photographer snapped a UAP. The UAP had been seen over Darwin over a few nights beginning 20 Feb 1974 at 0330hrs. It appeared as a cross shaped light and a half-moon shaped object, near the south-east corner of the RAAF base. The photograph is of a bright white light at 0530hrs and taken by a Beat Erismann.
Comments:
This is a rare file, where someone in the Department of the Navy at Darwin was collecting UAP reports. To my knowledge, although there are a scattering of reports from Navy ships on the RAAF's main UAP file series A703 control symbol 580/1/1, this is one of the few Navy files with reports on.
The Disclosure Australia Project (2003-2008) located a few UAP files which were generated by the Australian Department of the Navy. These were:
|
File title
|
Series number
|
Control symbol
|
Date range
|
Access status
|
Location
|
Barcode
|
Notes
|
|
Earth satellites, space vehicles, Unidentified Flying
Objects-general
|
A6826
|
1361/1/1-3
|
1959-1968
|
Open
|
|
|
3pp Department
of Navy. Summary. Digital copy
available.
|
|
Unidentified Objects
{Flying Saucers sighted by Navy Pilot over Goulburn} |
MP926/1
|
3079/101/1
|
1954-1954
|
Open
|
|
3173603
|
20pp Department of Navy. Digital copy available. Summary.
|
|
Unidentified objects [flying-report of] |
SP338/3
|
|
1954-1954
|
Open
|
|
938582
|
10pp Department
of Navy. Summary.
|
NAA file series E499 control symbol C21/4/4 titled "Unidentified Flying Objects Sightings," barcode 4081230 held in the Darwin office of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) , has a date range 1959 to 1965. Courtesy of Melbourne researcher Paul Dean, who requested and paid for the NAA to digitise the file, we can now all go on the NAA website and read the file for ourselves.
What's on it?
The file cover shows that the original security classification was "Confidential." The file is 53 pages long and the cover is marked "Reference Papers Material Only." Beginning in 1959 someone in the Darwin area of the Navy decided, for whatever reason, to start keeping a file on UAP. The material on the file includes:
* A newspaper clipping about the formation of a Darwin branch of the Australian Flying Saucer Society by Darwin resident, Mr Duke Alley. (Uncited clip dated 25 Aug 1959.)
* A newsclip stating that RAAF Chief Group Captain Bolitho had considered sending a RAAF aircraft to investigate a reported sighting that a meteorite or possibly the nose-cone of a rocket had crashed near Howard Springs on Sunday. (Uncited clip dated 1 Sep 1959.)
* A copy of a telex dated 25 Sep 1959 from NOICNA to BASQNDAR which read "The following report was received via OTC from Mr Carter Mandorah. 'A large object 80-100 feet was seen last night at 6.30pm between Mandorah and Doctors Gully - it was a large black shallow object just above or close to the surface travelling at an approximate speed of 80-90mph. The object shot up towards Delissaville Creek. A green verey light shot off from the waters in the direction of north from Mandorah after the object was seen.
At 0715hrs on 25 Sep 1959 the same object was seen off Mandorah and shot up Middle Arm.
There was debate at that time, and with later sightings of what the papers named the "Mandorah Monster" in January 1960 as to whether or not the object was a fish! Marlin were aid to have weighed up to 1500lbs and to travel at speeds of up to 68mph. Another suggestion was that it was a large stingray.
* A 4 Nov 1963 newsclip reported a mystery orange coloured light 10 feet above the water at Racecourse Creek. Ted Moloney and Kevin Young saw it "...rise straight out of the water about 200 yards away...went straight up then travelled in a straight line for about 60 feet before disappearing." There was no sound.
* On 26 Oct 19666 at 1155z observers on the Motor Vessel Kabbarli in King Sound, sighted a conical shaped glow, some half a degree across angular size, bearing 242 degrees at 18 degrees elevation, moving fast to the north-east. The object was lost from view when it was overhead.
* An uncited newsclip dated 4 May 1967 about the USAF funded University of Colorado report.
* A RAN memo dated 13 Dec 1967 addressed to RAAF Darwin; NT Army; ASIO Darwin; Special Branch NT Police about a UAP sighted on 29 Jul 1967 at Munmalary Station, NT. Observers at 2015hrs reported seeing a bright light at 60 degrees elevation west of them, for 15 minutes.
* On 14 Mar 1968 RAAF Darwin sent the Darwin Navy Staff Office a summary of Unidentified Flying Object sightings which had been made to the RAAF Darwin "for your information" with a copy to Special Branch, NT Police; the Army and ASIO Darwin.
* An uncited newsclip dated 28 Feb 1974 where a newspaper photographer snapped a UAP. The UAP had been seen over Darwin over a few nights beginning 20 Feb 1974 at 0330hrs. It appeared as a cross shaped light and a half-moon shaped object, near the south-east corner of the RAAF base. The photograph is of a bright white light at 0530hrs and taken by a Beat Erismann.
Comments:
This is a rare file, where someone in the Department of the Navy at Darwin was collecting UAP reports. To my knowledge, although there are a scattering of reports from Navy ships on the RAAF's main UAP file series A703 control symbol 580/1/1, this is one of the few Navy files with reports on.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Three classes of impossibilities before breakfast
Hi all,
I have been reading the 2008 book by Dr Michio Kaku, the well known physicist. (click here.) The book is titled "Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation and Time travel." The book was published by Allen Lane. London. ISBN 978-0-713-99992-1. (Click here.)
The work is divided into three parts, class I, class II and class III impossibilities. He defines these as:
Class I - "These are technologies that are impossible today but that do not violate the known laws of physics, so they might be possible in this century, or perhaps the next, in modified form..."
Class II - "These are technologies that sit at the very edge of our understanding of the physical world. If they are possible at all, they might be realized on a scale of millenia to millions of years in the future..."
Class III - "These are technologies that violate the known laws of physics...If they do turn out to be possible, they would represent a fundamental shift in our understanding of physics..." (pp.xvii)
Surprise:
It was therefor surprising that in part 1, class I impossibilities, that there is a chapter titled "Extraterrestrial UFOs."
Kaku covers the search for extraterrestrial life, SETI, where are they? Plus information on extra-solar planets, before touching on the topic of UAP.
UAP:
"Some people claim that extraterrestrials have already visited the Earth in the form of UFOs. Scientists usually roll their eyes when they hear about UFOs and dismiss the possibility because the distances between stars are vast. But regardless of scientists' reactions, persistent reports of UFOs have not diminished over the years." (p.147.)
Kaku then notes that "UFO sightings actually date back to the beginning of recorded history." (p.141) citing biblical and other sources. Mention is made of Project Blue Book and the 2007 release of French government files (click here.)
As to the cause of the majority of reports, Kaku lists Venus, swamp gas, meteors, atmospheric anomalies, radar echoes, weather and research balloons, aircraft and deliberate hoaxes. "At least 95 percent of sightings can be dismissed as one of the above." (p.150.)
"But thus still leaves open the question of the remaining few percent of unexplained cases." (p.150.) He cites as examples, the 1986 JAL flight 1628 case; (click here) the 1976 Tehran aircraft encounter (click here) and the 1989-1990 Belgium wave.
However, "What is frustrating to scientists is that, of the thousands of recorded sightings, none has produced hard physical evidence that can lead to reproducible results in the laboratory. No alien DNA, alien computer chip or physical evidence of an alien landing has ever been retrieved." (p.150.)
"Allowing for the moment that such UFOs might be real spacecraft.." (p.150) Kaku poses the question what propulsion system could they use?
Using the reported characteristics of unexplained cases he postulates "...a vehicle propelled by magnetism " (p.151) and goes on to examine potential nanotechnology.
This section concludes with "Given the rapid advance in SETI and discovering extra-solar planets, contact with extraterrestrial life, assuming it exists in our vicinity, may occur within this century..." (p.153.)
Comments:
It was interesting to find this piece in such a work. Unfortunately, it is a cursory overview, but at least if doesn't totally dismiss the topic out of hand, even noting that there remain unexplained cases.
I looked up the biography to see what books on UAP, that Kaku had referenced as the source(s) of his information. There aren't any. There are also no footnote references to the topic.
I have been reading the 2008 book by Dr Michio Kaku, the well known physicist. (click here.) The book is titled "Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation and Time travel." The book was published by Allen Lane. London. ISBN 978-0-713-99992-1. (Click here.)
The work is divided into three parts, class I, class II and class III impossibilities. He defines these as:
Class I - "These are technologies that are impossible today but that do not violate the known laws of physics, so they might be possible in this century, or perhaps the next, in modified form..."
Class II - "These are technologies that sit at the very edge of our understanding of the physical world. If they are possible at all, they might be realized on a scale of millenia to millions of years in the future..."
Class III - "These are technologies that violate the known laws of physics...If they do turn out to be possible, they would represent a fundamental shift in our understanding of physics..." (pp.xvii)
Surprise:
It was therefor surprising that in part 1, class I impossibilities, that there is a chapter titled "Extraterrestrial UFOs."
Kaku covers the search for extraterrestrial life, SETI, where are they? Plus information on extra-solar planets, before touching on the topic of UAP.
UAP:
"Some people claim that extraterrestrials have already visited the Earth in the form of UFOs. Scientists usually roll their eyes when they hear about UFOs and dismiss the possibility because the distances between stars are vast. But regardless of scientists' reactions, persistent reports of UFOs have not diminished over the years." (p.147.)
Kaku then notes that "UFO sightings actually date back to the beginning of recorded history." (p.141) citing biblical and other sources. Mention is made of Project Blue Book and the 2007 release of French government files (click here.)
As to the cause of the majority of reports, Kaku lists Venus, swamp gas, meteors, atmospheric anomalies, radar echoes, weather and research balloons, aircraft and deliberate hoaxes. "At least 95 percent of sightings can be dismissed as one of the above." (p.150.)
"But thus still leaves open the question of the remaining few percent of unexplained cases." (p.150.) He cites as examples, the 1986 JAL flight 1628 case; (click here) the 1976 Tehran aircraft encounter (click here) and the 1989-1990 Belgium wave.
However, "What is frustrating to scientists is that, of the thousands of recorded sightings, none has produced hard physical evidence that can lead to reproducible results in the laboratory. No alien DNA, alien computer chip or physical evidence of an alien landing has ever been retrieved." (p.150.)
"Allowing for the moment that such UFOs might be real spacecraft.." (p.150) Kaku poses the question what propulsion system could they use?
Using the reported characteristics of unexplained cases he postulates "...a vehicle propelled by magnetism " (p.151) and goes on to examine potential nanotechnology.
This section concludes with "Given the rapid advance in SETI and discovering extra-solar planets, contact with extraterrestrial life, assuming it exists in our vicinity, may occur within this century..." (p.153.)
Comments:
It was interesting to find this piece in such a work. Unfortunately, it is a cursory overview, but at least if doesn't totally dismiss the topic out of hand, even noting that there remain unexplained cases.
I looked up the biography to see what books on UAP, that Kaku had referenced as the source(s) of his information. There aren't any. There are also no footnote references to the topic.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Department of Civil Aviation file digitised
Hi all,
Paul Dean's program of paying for UAP files of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) to be digitised, has resulted in another file. This one is NAA file series B595 control symbol 21/1/387 PART 2 titled "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena." Its barcode is 9044809, Canberra office, with a date range of 1960-1965. The file is 70 pages in length, was opened on 10 Aug 1959 and closed on 11 Aug 1965. The file originated with the former Department of Civil Aviation (DCA.)
The file contains numerous reports of UAP, including:
* 29 May 1961, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. At 1125hrs two men, saw a passing Bristol Freighter aircraft in the sky. Near this aircraft they saw a white object. It generally travelled south, but at times appeared stationary. The Director General's office of DCA suggested "...scientific balloons released at Mildura...or one of the daylight visible planets."
* 17 Nov 1961. Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 1630hrs z. A bright flash lit up the sky. Looking up, witnesses saw vapour trails in the south-western sky.
* 17 Apr 1962. Policemans Point, South Australia. 2000hrs. A man sighted a fast flying, low down, soundless craft. It had three very brilliant cabin lights on it. 15 minutes later, and 125 miles away, a similar object was seen.
* 27 Apr 1964. 36deg 36mins South 127 deg 22 mins East. 1240hrs z. Report from a ship, MV Burwah. Starlike object seen near the star Sirius, about the same brightness. Originally stationary, it then moved south, then east, curved north then south. Duration 5 minutes.
* 7 Nov 1964. Rockhampton, Queensland. 2045hrs z. An observer at the aerodrome saw what they took to be a high flying aircraft and associated vapour trail. However, there was no known aircraft in the area. The vapour trail was inspected 10 minutes later through binoculars but no aircraft was visible. A check of adjacent air traffic control units failed to identify any aircraft in the region at the time.
* 5 Nov 1964. Bisbane, Queensland. 2000hrs. Mr M German on duty at the weather radar installation noted a return on the radar at 075deg T, range 140 mls. The return was travelling in a northerly direction. There were no known aircraft in the area.
In all these cases, DCA forwarded the reports of UAP on to the RAAF for further action.
Comments:
The Disclosure Australia Project (2003-2008) located a number of UAP files held by DCA. Material on these files are in the date range from the early 1950's to 1986. This means that the DCA was involved for a long a time as the RAAF, in collecting (but not analysing) UAP reports. Their role was to be a collection point for reports from airline pilots; air traffic controllers, other DCA staff, and members of the general public and then pass details on to the RAAF.
Through the Disclosure Project we are aware of the file numbers of several other DCA UAP files, which have not been located using the NAA's electronic database RecordSearch.
Paul Dean's program of paying for UAP files of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) to be digitised, has resulted in another file. This one is NAA file series B595 control symbol 21/1/387 PART 2 titled "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena." Its barcode is 9044809, Canberra office, with a date range of 1960-1965. The file is 70 pages in length, was opened on 10 Aug 1959 and closed on 11 Aug 1965. The file originated with the former Department of Civil Aviation (DCA.)
The file contains numerous reports of UAP, including:
* 29 May 1961, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. At 1125hrs two men, saw a passing Bristol Freighter aircraft in the sky. Near this aircraft they saw a white object. It generally travelled south, but at times appeared stationary. The Director General's office of DCA suggested "...scientific balloons released at Mildura...or one of the daylight visible planets."
* 17 Nov 1961. Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 1630hrs z. A bright flash lit up the sky. Looking up, witnesses saw vapour trails in the south-western sky.
* 17 Apr 1962. Policemans Point, South Australia. 2000hrs. A man sighted a fast flying, low down, soundless craft. It had three very brilliant cabin lights on it. 15 minutes later, and 125 miles away, a similar object was seen.
* 27 Apr 1964. 36deg 36mins South 127 deg 22 mins East. 1240hrs z. Report from a ship, MV Burwah. Starlike object seen near the star Sirius, about the same brightness. Originally stationary, it then moved south, then east, curved north then south. Duration 5 minutes.
* 7 Nov 1964. Rockhampton, Queensland. 2045hrs z. An observer at the aerodrome saw what they took to be a high flying aircraft and associated vapour trail. However, there was no known aircraft in the area. The vapour trail was inspected 10 minutes later through binoculars but no aircraft was visible. A check of adjacent air traffic control units failed to identify any aircraft in the region at the time.
* 5 Nov 1964. Bisbane, Queensland. 2000hrs. Mr M German on duty at the weather radar installation noted a return on the radar at 075deg T, range 140 mls. The return was travelling in a northerly direction. There were no known aircraft in the area.
In all these cases, DCA forwarded the reports of UAP on to the RAAF for further action.
Comments:
The Disclosure Australia Project (2003-2008) located a number of UAP files held by DCA. Material on these files are in the date range from the early 1950's to 1986. This means that the DCA was involved for a long a time as the RAAF, in collecting (but not analysing) UAP reports. Their role was to be a collection point for reports from airline pilots; air traffic controllers, other DCA staff, and members of the general public and then pass details on to the RAAF.
Through the Disclosure Project we are aware of the file numbers of several other DCA UAP files, which have not been located using the NAA's electronic database RecordSearch.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Was there a connection between the Westall incident and the Balwyn photograph?
Hi all,
Many Internet accounts seem to assume an automatic link between the 2 Apr 1966 Balwyn, Melbourne, Victoria UAP photograph (click here to see photo) and the 6 Apr 1966 Westall incident (click here.) However, almost none of the Internet sources provides the text of original documentation on Balwyn. This post provides such text.
May-Jun 1966 issue. APRO Bulletin:
Photographic analysis:
If any blog reader has a copy of the Balwyn analysis, would they kindly scan it and forward it to me at keithbasterfield@yahoo.com.au in order that I might share it with readers.
Many Internet accounts seem to assume an automatic link between the 2 Apr 1966 Balwyn, Melbourne, Victoria UAP photograph (click here to see photo) and the 6 Apr 1966 Westall incident (click here.) However, almost none of the Internet sources provides the text of original documentation on Balwyn. This post provides such text.
May-Jun 1966 issue. APRO Bulletin:
“Best Photo Yet – In Australia
Peter Norris has forwarded a print of
the clear colored photograph taken by a prominent Melbourne
2.20pm on the 2nd, the man
was in his garden using up the remainder of the film in his Polaroid color
camera. Suddenly, a bright reflection caught his eye, and he looked up and saw
a bell-shaped object hovering, on its side, over the house. The man snapped the
photo, whereupon the object accelerated at great speed and took off in a
northerly direction. He estimated the object was about 20 to 25 feet in
diameter, and at about 150 feet altitude.
If at all possible, the photo will be
included with this article [KB – it was.] In the black and white print the
bottom appears black but in actuality, in the color photo, it is pink,
reflecting the color of the roof over which the object hovered.”
Australian Flying Saucer Review (Vic
edition) July 1966:
“VFSRS member snaps a UFO
A Polaroid colour photograph of a UFO is
now under investigation by the VFSRS.
The photograph was obtained in Balwyn , Victoria
The member’s description of the incident
is as follows;
“It was a warm, clear day, and suddenly
the whole garden became lit up. It was like a reflection from huge mirror being
shone on the garden.
I looked up and saw an object bright and
shiny coming towards me. It would have been 20 feet to 25 feet in diameter and
was about 120 feet up in the air.
It seemed to float towards me. It
resembled a big mushroom with a stalk pointing towards the earth.
Then it spun through an 180 degree angle
on its vertical axis to take up the position in which I photographed it.
Then it turned slowly through another
180 degrees on its horizontal axis, to bring the stalk facing me.
From an almost stationary position it
shot off northwards at terrific speed, accelerating to what seemed to be
hundreds of miles an hour in seconds.
I ran and got a carpenter who was
working on the house. Seconds after took off we heard a boom, similar to the
sound jets make when going through the sound barrier.”
One interesting aspect of the photograph
is a shading of pink directly on the bottom part of the UFO. This appears to be
a reflection of the pink tiles of the roof over which the UFO was apparently
passing at the time the photograph was taken.
When details of the photographic
experts’ analyses are to hand they will be published in an issue forthcoming.”
Sep-Oct 1966 issue. APRO Bulletin:
“The Balwyn Photo
A complete photo analysis of the
photograph of a bell-shaped object hovering over a residential section of
Balwyn (Melbourne suburb), Australia
Along with the analysis which proves the
photo authentic (see page 1, May-Jun issue) was the identity of the
photographer, and the office was surprised to find that he is one of our many
Australian members.
Mr X has an extremely important position
in Melbourne
Mr X was in his garden of his home when
his attention was attracted by a brilliant flash, as if some huge mirror was
reflecting light to the garden. He looked up and saw the object coming in his
general direction. It appeared to be between 20 and 25 feet in diameter and
about 150 feet altitude. It resembled a big mushroom with its short stalk
pointed earthward.
Mr X ran to get a carpenter who was
working in the house so that he could watch the object also.
The object spun through a 180 degree
angle on its vertical axis ending up with its rim pointing down. Mr X who had
been using up film in his Polaroid color camera snapped the photo and waited
from the timing process before pulling it out. The object then turned slowly
through another 180 degrees on its horizontal axis, whereupon the “stalk” part
was facing Mr X.
From this almost stationary position,
the object shot off to the north at great speed. Seconds after it took off the
two men heard a boom, “similar to the sound jets make when going through the
sound barrier.”
Peter Norris, APRO’s Australian
representative interviewed both Mr X and the carpenter (who also wished
anonymity.”
The carpenter emphasised that he had Mr
X in sight when the photograph was taken and that Mr X was alone all the time.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder waiting for the photograph to process.”
McDonald
interview:
The following text is taken from the
book “Firestorm: Dr James E McDonald’s Fight For UFO Science” published in 2002
by Wild Flower press, Columbus ,
NC Australia
“On April 2, 1966 James J Kibel was
supervising alterations at his parent’s home in Australia
The film was so old, the witness told
McDonald, that it was of altered speed. “Kibel tried one shot, which turned out
badly. He adjusted the speed setting.”
Suddenly he noticed a bright flash on
the ground. Although it was full daylight, half of the garden lit up. Startled,
he looked up and a peculiar shiny object, descending downward. The top was shaped
like a bell, and a “stalk” projected from the bottom. The object bounced up and
down in “yo-yo” fashion. Kibel had difficulty describing how far the object
descended. “Two hundred to three hundred feet,” he estimated. “It’s terribly
hard to say.”
It was a warm, sunny day with a strong
northerly wind, gusting to 30mph, yet the wind seemingly had no effect on the
object’s bouncing motion. At one of its descents, the object’s bouncing motion
stopped and flipped up on its lower edge. It hovered a half second and Kibel
hastily shot a photo. In his haste and excitement, the camera hit his nose so
hard that it hurt afterwards.
He lowered his camera , he was unable to
shoot again immediately because the color Polaroid film demanded a 60 second
wait between pictures. McDonald’s journal continues
“Rolling to the north, it then seemed to
lose a bit of altitude, maybe 15-20 ft bottom of drop, it jerked violently
upwards 30-40 feet at an angle 30 degrees to horizontal. Then curved over and
accelerated at very great rate. Disappeared behind trees.
Kibel ran around the house trying to
find other witnesses, pulling the film in the Polaroid to start the developing
process. A worker, Mr D English, was bending down in the yard; he had seen
nothing. Kibel pulled the picture out, startled by the clarity of the photo. He
looked for other witnesses, but could find none. It was an exclusive
neighbourhood where not many people spend time outside, he explained. He told
McDonald that the object, in his opinion, was definitely “manufactured” and
that its motion were “mechanical.” He estimated its size as between 15-25 feet
diameter.
Jim Kibel had seen two other UFOs from
that same garden when he was still living at home. In late afternoon August
1954, at the age of 15, his mother had called him suddenly into the garden to
view a disc which was flipping in the sky, showing alternately a shiny side and
a dull, dark bottom. Its angular size was equal to an Australian ten cent piece
at arm’s length, very much larger than the moon.
Mrs Kibel reported the object to the
staff of a Melbourne
After a sighting in 1958 which was also
witnesses by his fiancée Jim Kibel reported it to Peter Norris of VUFORS, whom
he knew personally. Remembering his ridicule his mother had sustained, he
didn’t report it to anyone else. McDonald wrote in his journal “All Jim Kibel
knows is that the objects were definitely there.”
Photographic analysis:
If any blog reader has a copy of the Balwyn analysis, would they kindly scan it and forward it to me at keithbasterfield@yahoo.com.au in order that I might share it with readers.
Intelligence reports and early Australian UAP sightings
Hi all,
This post provides details on four more National Archives of Australia (NAA) UAP files which have recently been digitised at the request of Melbourne researcher Paul Dean. They show that RAAF Intelligence officers were at the forefront of investigating early sightings in Australia.
1952:
NAA file series A11066 control symbol 5/1/27 PART B is a file titled "(Eastern Area Headquarters - Intelligence) Report on unusual sighting 3rd May 1952 (includes news clippings of 'flying saucer')" Barcode is 3315433. Canberra office.
This is a 16 page file which starts with a clipping from the "Daily Telegraph" dated 6th May 1952 and describes three servicemen's report of a 'flying saucer' over Sydney on 3rd May 1952. Their reports were given to Dr J H Piddington, principal research officer of the radiophysics Division of the CSIRO, rather than to the RAAF.
Later documents on the file indicate that the object, a ball of light, was seen at about 6.10am; was a meteor-like object, which appeared in the south-eastern sky and travelled due east, as seen from Sydney.
What was obvious was that the object was also seen from widely separated places such as Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong and Melbourne.
Interestingly, a detailed report was prepared by Flt Lt W J Sadler and Sq Ldr M C Murray. This six page document gathered observations, and analysed them. Their conclusion was that "The light was probably caused by a meteor or similar body."
Notes:
For an earlier post on this case click here. A copy of the RAAF's report turned up in the USAF's Project Blue Book files, click here for a post on this. The USAF and the RAAF had some early interaction where RAAF reports ended up with the USAF, see here and here.
1959:
"Sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object by Mr L N Waldron" barcode 12254705 is NAA file series A.1945 control symbol 10/1/70. Canberra office. The file is eight pages long and belonged to the Department of Defence, Canberra.
It starts off with a hand-written letter dated 20 Sep 1959 from a Lloyd N Waldron of Waldrona, via Roma. Queensland which was addressed to the Department of Defence, Canberra.
He reports sighting a "rocket" at 6.15pm on 14 Sep 1959. It was an orange coloured streak in the south-western sky at about 10 degrees elevation. The object disappeared into heavy cloud and then re-appeared travelling horizontally to 45 degrees elevation. It finally was lost in the light of the Moon.
Notes:
Interestingly, the Department of Defence sent the letter on to the "Department of Supply which is the Department most directly interested in this kind of thing..." I have not come across such a report on any of the Department of Supply files located in the NAA.
The Department of Defence took no further action.
1959:
A rare Navy file was found at NAA file series A6826 control symbol 136/1/1-3. It was titled "Earth Satellites, Space Vehicles, Unidentified Flying Objects - General." Barcode 8220868. Canberra office. Owned by the Navy Office, Department of Navy.
It is three page file, which has two pages of what appears to be a file sheet. This has one relevant entry dated 1 Jul 1959, correspondence from the Department of Defence re "Reported sighting of fallen object. Territory of Papua and New Guinea 24 May 1959."
Notes:
I checked NAA file series A703 control symbol 580/1/1 Part 2 and found the following details about this May report:
24 May 1959 Baniaram Territory of Papua and New Guinea 1900hrs 75 mins duration
Object seen in the west, high in the sly. Descended erratically in a south-west direction. Colour was a brilliant blue "alternating at long intervals to a reddish glow and ending with a green flash."
(Source: Pages 84, 92, 182, 183, 187-188 on digital copy of RAAF file 580/1/1 part 2. Original reference Department of Territories 58/26 DOD 128.1.21 (20)
1960:
NAA file series A12639 control symbol 5/1/AIR is titled "Intelligence - Reports of Unusual Sightings." Barcode 7267079. Canberra office. It is a nine page file opened on 7 Apr 1960. It was held by the Department of Defence, Central Office.
It consist of:
* A telex dated 6 Apr 1960 about the re-entry of satellite Sputnik 3, and called for any sightings to be reported to the Department of Air. One sighting report is on file.
* A second telex dated 21 Sep 960 regarding the re-entry of Sputnik 5, and calling for any sightings to be reported. One sighting report is on file.
Notes:
It is unclear who was doing what with any observations of these re-entrys of Soviet satellites. It is possible that someone. somewhere was hoping to be able to retrieve pieces of these satellites to study, much along the lines of the US Project Moon Dust. Click here for a post on Moon Dust and its relevance in 1962 to Australia.
This post provides details on four more National Archives of Australia (NAA) UAP files which have recently been digitised at the request of Melbourne researcher Paul Dean. They show that RAAF Intelligence officers were at the forefront of investigating early sightings in Australia.
1952:
NAA file series A11066 control symbol 5/1/27 PART B is a file titled "(Eastern Area Headquarters - Intelligence) Report on unusual sighting 3rd May 1952 (includes news clippings of 'flying saucer')" Barcode is 3315433. Canberra office.
This is a 16 page file which starts with a clipping from the "Daily Telegraph" dated 6th May 1952 and describes three servicemen's report of a 'flying saucer' over Sydney on 3rd May 1952. Their reports were given to Dr J H Piddington, principal research officer of the radiophysics Division of the CSIRO, rather than to the RAAF.
Later documents on the file indicate that the object, a ball of light, was seen at about 6.10am; was a meteor-like object, which appeared in the south-eastern sky and travelled due east, as seen from Sydney.
What was obvious was that the object was also seen from widely separated places such as Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong and Melbourne.
Interestingly, a detailed report was prepared by Flt Lt W J Sadler and Sq Ldr M C Murray. This six page document gathered observations, and analysed them. Their conclusion was that "The light was probably caused by a meteor or similar body."
Notes:
For an earlier post on this case click here. A copy of the RAAF's report turned up in the USAF's Project Blue Book files, click here for a post on this. The USAF and the RAAF had some early interaction where RAAF reports ended up with the USAF, see here and here.
1959:
"Sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object by Mr L N Waldron" barcode 12254705 is NAA file series A.1945 control symbol 10/1/70. Canberra office. The file is eight pages long and belonged to the Department of Defence, Canberra.
It starts off with a hand-written letter dated 20 Sep 1959 from a Lloyd N Waldron of Waldrona, via Roma. Queensland which was addressed to the Department of Defence, Canberra.
He reports sighting a "rocket" at 6.15pm on 14 Sep 1959. It was an orange coloured streak in the south-western sky at about 10 degrees elevation. The object disappeared into heavy cloud and then re-appeared travelling horizontally to 45 degrees elevation. It finally was lost in the light of the Moon.
Notes:
Interestingly, the Department of Defence sent the letter on to the "Department of Supply which is the Department most directly interested in this kind of thing..." I have not come across such a report on any of the Department of Supply files located in the NAA.
The Department of Defence took no further action.
1959:
A rare Navy file was found at NAA file series A6826 control symbol 136/1/1-3. It was titled "Earth Satellites, Space Vehicles, Unidentified Flying Objects - General." Barcode 8220868. Canberra office. Owned by the Navy Office, Department of Navy.
It is three page file, which has two pages of what appears to be a file sheet. This has one relevant entry dated 1 Jul 1959, correspondence from the Department of Defence re "Reported sighting of fallen object. Territory of Papua and New Guinea 24 May 1959."
Notes:
I checked NAA file series A703 control symbol 580/1/1 Part 2 and found the following details about this May report:
24 May 1959 Baniaram Territory of Papua and New Guinea 1900hrs 75 mins duration
Object seen in the west, high in the sly. Descended erratically in a south-west direction. Colour was a brilliant blue "alternating at long intervals to a reddish glow and ending with a green flash."
(Source: Pages 84, 92, 182, 183, 187-188 on digital copy of RAAF file 580/1/1 part 2. Original reference Department of Territories 58/26 DOD 128.1.21 (20)
1960:
NAA file series A12639 control symbol 5/1/AIR is titled "Intelligence - Reports of Unusual Sightings." Barcode 7267079. Canberra office. It is a nine page file opened on 7 Apr 1960. It was held by the Department of Defence, Central Office.
It consist of:
* A telex dated 6 Apr 1960 about the re-entry of satellite Sputnik 3, and called for any sightings to be reported to the Department of Air. One sighting report is on file.
* A second telex dated 21 Sep 960 regarding the re-entry of Sputnik 5, and calling for any sightings to be reported. One sighting report is on file.
Notes:
It is unclear who was doing what with any observations of these re-entrys of Soviet satellites. It is possible that someone. somewhere was hoping to be able to retrieve pieces of these satellites to study, much along the lines of the US Project Moon Dust. Click here for a post on Moon Dust and its relevance in 1962 to Australia.
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