Pages
▼
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
UFO Humor
Sometimes you just have to laugh...
*
A flying saucer landed at a gas station on a lonely country road. The two space aliens inside seemed completely unconcerned about detection; in fact, the letters "UFO" were emblazoned in big, bold letters on one side of their shiny craft. As the station owner stood and gawked in silence, paralyzed with shock, his young blonde attendant nonchalantly filled up the tank and waved to the two aliens as they took off.
"Do you realize what just happened?" the station owner finally uttered.
"Yeah," said the blonde attendant. "So?"
"Didn't you see the space aliens in that vehicle?!"
"Yeah," repeated the blonde attendant. "So?"
"Didn't you see the letters 'UFO' on the side of that vehicle?!"
"Yeah," repeated the blonde attendant. "So?"
"Don't you know what 'UFO' means?!"
The blonde attendant rolled his eyes. "Good grief, boss! I've been working here for six years. Of course I know what 'UFO' means. 'Unleaded Fuel Only.'"
********************************************
Unidentified Object Creates Cloud Vortex - Boston, Massachusetts
A resident of Boston, Massachusetts witnesses a spinning object in the sky as it interacts with a cloud, then disappears.
MUFON Case # 31321
Date: 2011-08-30
Time: 14:40
City: Boston
State: Massachusetts
Shape: Sphere
Distance: Over one mile
Summary: Spinning Unidentified Hovering Object creates Vortex in passing cloud.
Report:
I had just completed a yearly physical with my Primary Care Physician. Upon exiting the medical building I turned left towards my parked automobile. It is a beautiful day outside with extremely pleasant conditions. I simply glanced up into the sky in appreciation when I immediately noticed a clear and unmistakable object stationary and flashing brightly in the sky... I paused because it required NO momentum to stay air borne.
My first thought was is it a "star"? But at 2:00pm in the bright afternoon, no way. Not like this. What really caught my attention was the objects spinning motion. I watched for minutes. It just hung there spinning. I thought, how can anybody not see this? I had enough time to observe that the bright flashing was created by the reflection of the sun to my right.
Looking up, the spinning was clock wise. As it rotated about, certain sections of it were angled slightly differently. This created a varying degree of brightness per flash and size. I took all this in. Very fascinating...
Now the remarkable part. I watched as a passing cloud slowly began to approach the object. They seemed to be at the same elevation. Suddenly, as the cloud got nearer, the leading edge of the cloud began to be "pulled forward", like a "whipping towards". The closer the cloud approached the more of it was pulled or effected rather by the spinning of the object. The cloud was violently stirred clock wise into a whirlpool around the object. Amazing!
When I say violently I mean that the interaction of the cloud and the object began slow then increased as more of the cloud entered its area. It was incredible to see the cloud so peacefully floating along with the leading edge being swirled so fast. The leading edge of the cloud swirled around the object as the cloud engulfed it.
I watched several more minutes for the whole cloud to pass in anticipation of observing the object again but it was gone. Seems that once in the cloud it disappeared, at least from my view.
I checked today's weather and the cloud elevation is 12000 feet. Meaning this object was big and so was its effect.
[Editor's Note: To see the original report, click on the case number. Please also note that the depiction is by me and not the witness. - SW]
*********************************************
NASA NEWS and Commentary
Space Station Crew Closely Watching Russian Rocket Crash Investigation
Space.com- Astronauts on the International Space Station are keeping a close eye on the investigation into the recent crash of a Russian rocket in order to learn how it will impact their mission in orbit.
The Soyuz rocket was carrying Russia's Progress 44 supply ship for the International Space Station, which was expected to deliver 3 tons of supplies to the orbiting lab's six-man crew. Instead, the rocket and cargo ship crashed in eastern Russia after a malfunction in the booster's third stage forced an engine shutdown.
"It's a pity the launch of Progress resupply vehicle didn't go well. Experts have worked on the investigation of its various impacts," station astronaut Satoshi Furukawa of Japan wrote on Aug. 26, two days after the crash, on Twitter, where he posts updates about his mission as @Astro_Satoshi. "But, as there are plenty of supplies to support the crew, we'll be fine for a while."
Since Russia's Federal Space Agency uses similar versions of its Soyuz rocket design to launch unmanned Progress vehicles and its crewed space capsules, officials want to make sure that they are safe to carry astronauts and cosmonauts. The next Soyuz to ferry a crew to the station was slated to launch Sept. 22 to replace three astronauts who are due to return home on Sept. 8.
Those plans may now change, the astronauts said. It's possible that the launch of the new station crew will be delayed until the crash investigation is complete, and that may force the three returning crewmembers to stay in orbit longer than planned.
"We don't have a lot of decisions made yet because we want to make sure we have the right course of action," station astronaut Ron Garan, of NASA, told SPACE.com from orbit Thursday (Aug. 25). "So we're going to take a little bit of time to think about it and make sure we have all the facts together before we go on and have a game plan." [Video: Station Crew Discusses Rocket Crash with SPACE.com]
Garan is one of the three astronauts who would have to extend their stay on the space station. They were due to land next week to end a six-month spaceflight.
"Up here, we're in kind of a wait-and-see mindset," Garan said. "We're fully prepared to support whatever decisions are made."
NASA will hold a press conference today at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) with the latest on the crash's impacts on the space station crew.
Russian rocket inquiry
Before the Progress 44 crash, Russia was expected to launch four Soyuz rockets —two carrying new crews and two with unmanned Progress cargo ships — as part of the regular flight schedule.
If the investigation into last week's rocket crash isn't completed quickly, NASA and its space station partners may consider cutting the orbiting lab's crew size in half, from six people to three, or even leaving the space station unmanned for a time until flights can be resumed, station managers have said. Space station flight planners have until October to decide to shift down to a three-person crew, they added.
[Photos: Building the International Space Station]
"If things extend too long, which we don't have any indication today that's the case but given the anomaly we have to be prepared, there is an ability to operate station with less than six crew if that becomes necessary," NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffering told reporters last week just after the rocket crash.
With NASA's space shuttle fleet retired (the final flight was in July), Russia's Soyuz space capsules are the only vehicle currently ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Robotic cargo ships built by Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency also make deliveries to the orbiting lab.
NASA currently has contracts with two private U.S. spaceflight companies, SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, to provide unmanned cargo deliveries to the station in the next few years. Test flights for those vehicles are expected in the coming months. NASA also plans to eventually use commercial spacecraft for astronaut launches, too.
However, Russia's string of rocket and satellite failures in the last year that has caused some concern among U.S. lawmakers and experts since the country is also the sole avenue for American spaceflight until the new private spaceships become available.
Suffredini said he is confident NASA's Russian partners will find the cause of the Soyuz rocket malfunction and resume flights as soon as it is safe to do so.
"We're trying, right now, to give our Russian colleagues time to collect the data," Suffredini said. "Really, what you need right now is time."
Space station crew size cut ahead?
The space station currently has enough supplies to support a full, six-person for about 50 extra days beyond the scheduled Sept. 8 return of Garan and his crewmates, Suffredini added. There are enough supplies to support a smaller crew through at least March 2012, when the next European space freighter is due at the station, he said.
Suffredini also said that, barring an unforeseen major system or equipment failure, the space station could be even be flown without a crew for up to a year. Such a move, however, would be unprecedented.
The $100 billion space station has been continuously inhabited by crews of various sizes, from two-person skeleton crews to a full complement of six, since the first crew took up residence in 2001. The space station was completed earlier this year after more than a decade of orbital construction. It is larger than a football field and can be easily spotted by observers on Earth at night if they have clear skies and know where to look.
Space station officials are hopeful Russia's Soyuz rocket crash will be solved in time for the next scheduled launch of a Progress cargo ship, which is slated for late October.
On the space station, the astronauts said they, too, are confident that Russia's rocket issues will be solved, and that they are ready for any challenges, be it a decision to extend the current crew's mission or cut the station crew size in half temporarily.
"Obviously, I would have mixed feelings … I mean I've been away from home for a long time. But a lot of people are away from home doing things that they believe in," Garan said, adding that at the very least he'd have more time to share his spaceflight experience with people on Earth. "So there's an upside and a downside and whatever the decision is, I think it will be what's best for the program and we'll fully support it."
Read more here.
* * *
'Suitcase' Nuclear Reactors to Power Mars Colonies
Image credit: NASA |
Discovery News- Nuclear power is an emotive subject -- particularly in the wake of the Fukushima power plant disaster after Japan's March earthquake and tsunami -- but in space, it may be an essential component of spreading mankind beyond terrestrial shores.
On Monday, at the 242nd National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Denver, Colo., the future face of space nuclear power was described. You can forget the huge reactor buildings, cooling towers and hundreds of workers; the first nuclear reactors to be landed on alien worlds to support human settlement will be tiny.
Think less "building sized" and more "suitcase sized."
"People would never recognize the fission power system as a nuclear power reactor," said James E. Werner, lead of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory.
"The reactor itself may be about 1 feet wide by 2 feet high, about the size of a carry-on suitcase. There are no cooling towers. A fission power system is a compact, reliable, safe system that may be critical to the establishment of outposts or habitats on other planets. Fission power technology can be applied on Earth's Moon, on Mars, or wherever NASA sees the need for continuous power."
Tumbleweed WATCH VIDEO: New concepts for Mars-probing rovers would use Martian wind to move around the planet.
Obviously, this will be welcome news to Mars colonization advocates; to have a dependable power source on the Martian surface will be of paramount importance. The habitats will need to have a constant power supply simply to keep the occupants alive. This will be "climate control" on an unprecedented level.
Water extraction, reclamation and recycling; food cultivation and storage; oxygen production and carbon dioxide scrubbing; lighting; hardware, tools and electronics; waste management -- these are a few of the basic systems that will need to be powered from the moment humans set foot on the Red Planet, 24 hours 39 minutes a day (or "sol" -- a Martian day), 669 sols a year.
Fission reactors can provide that.
However, nuclear fission reactors have had a very limited part to play in space exploration up until now. Russia has launched over 30 fission reactors, whereas the US has launched only one. All have been used to power satellites.
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), on the other hand, have played a very important role in the exploration of the solar system since 1961.
These are not fission reactors, which split uranium atoms to produce heat that can then be converted into electricity. RTGs depend on small pellets of the radioisotope plutonium-238 to produce a steady heat as they decay. NASA's Pluto New Horizons and Cassini Solstice missions are equipped with RTGs (not solar arrays) for all their power needs. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), to be launched in November 2011, is powered by RTGs for Mars roving day or night.
RTGs are great, but to power a Mars base, fission reactors would be desirable because they deliver more energy. And although solar arrays will undoubtedly have a role to play, fission reactors will be the premier energy source for the immediate future.
"The biggest difference between solar and nuclear reactors is that nuclear reactors can produce power in any environment," said Werner. "Fission power technology doesn't rely on sunlight, making it able to produce large, steady amounts of power at night or in harsh environments like those found on the Moon or Mars. A fission power system on the Moon could generate 40 kilowatts or more of electric power, approximately the same amount of energy needed to power eight houses on Earth."
"The main point is that nuclear power has the ability to provide a power-rich environment to the astronauts or science packages anywhere in our solar system and that this technology is mature, affordable and safe to use."
Of course, to make these "mini-nuclear reactors" a viable option for the first moon and Mars settlements, they'll need to be compact, lightweight and safe. Werner contends that once the technology is validated, we'll have one of the most versatile and affordable power resources to support manned exploration of the solar system.
Sadly, I suspect the biggest hurdle facing space fission power won't be the viability of its technology, but the bad press nuclear power receives, on Earth and in space.
Read more here.
************************************************
Strange Object Photographed Over Auckland, New Zealand
Witness' sketch |
*
At least 3 people in Auckland, New Zealand witness and photograph a strange object in the sky.
Here is that unedited report, which was submitted to MUFON.
*
MUFON Case # 31293
Date: 2011-08-05
Time: 17:15
City: Auckland
Country: NZ
Shape: Egg, Fireball, Oval, Other
Distance: Unknown
Summary: object appeared as steak of light then changed opacity/shape/orientation, then disapeared behind clouds
Report:
initially when i first noticed it, it was a streak of light above a cloud bank i thought it may have been a contrail caught in the sunlight or something atmospheric so i didn?t pay any attention to it even thought it was completely stationary it didn?t cross mind at all, until i took another look, at that point it was partially transparent but still stationary, i yelled out to my partner and my friend and we watched it for a while (my partner was taking photos of it). it gradually began to resemeble a star but it was so far away we had trouble identifying it without camera zoom assistance, we took 11 photos some of which the object we observed seemed to change shape, opacity, orientation and position in the sky. In the last photos we took before it went behind the clouds were clear enough that you could see that the object was spherical in shape and had a shadow underneath it also had a sort of disturbance around it. the object was observed north west of my apartment and was viewed from my apartment window. i have observed similar things in the sky 5 times over the last few years this is the second time during daylight hours (once in the morning and once in the evening). the camera lens had a spec of dust on it which is apparent in the photos but in no way does it obscure the view of the object
Original Witness Sketch
Original Photo 1
Original Photo 2
************************************************
Monday, August 29, 2011
CNN Asks "Why Is The Government Covering Up UFO Sightings?" also, History Channel's Best UFO Evidence- "Secret Access: UFOs On The Record"
CNN recently interviewed Ufologists Nick Pope, Fife Symington, James Fox & Leslie Kean.
Video Link
Video Link
* * *
History Channel's Secret Access: UFOs On The Record (Full length version)
If you missed it, you should watch this video.
The History Channel did an excellent job; providing first hand accounts, photos, video and audio. A must see.
Video Link
***********************************************
Strange Lights In The Skies Over Florida & Georgia
Witnesses in Florida and Georgia report bright lights, that they can't identify.
Here are those unedited reports submitted to MUFON.
MUFON Case # 31272
Event Date: 2011-08-28
Time: 20:46 GMT
City: Crawfordville
State: Florida
Distance: Unknown
Summary: Very bright light similar to iridium flare; went out and came back on twice.
Report:
Was in the yard with the dog; rural area, good dark sky conditions. The sky was cloudless. Saw a very bright (est. -8 magnitude) light almost over-head in eastern sky. The light disappeared and then re-appeared 4 to 5 seconds later further north. It disappeared a second time for 8 to 10 seconds, and re-appeared again further north. It did not re-appear over the next five minutes.
There were no noticeable airplanes in the area and no blinking lights, no sound. The light did not appear to be aircraft landing lights being turned on and off. It really appeared most like an iridium flare. I am quite familiar with them and have observed "double flares" on several occasions. The first light was easily a -8 magnitude, the second perhaps a -6, and the 3rd maybe a -3.
I check Heavens-Above daily for satellite traffic and did not recall an iridium flare forecast for the date and time I observed this. I went back in the house and rechecked Heavens-Above. There were no iridium flares projected to occur here last evening at that time--and certainly no doubles. (I have not heard of any triples?) I further checked the web site for any other satellite traffic projected for that time last night and found nothing?
Please note: this sighting is quite similar to 31265 from Georgia.
*
MUFON Case # 31265
Event Date: 2011-08-29
Time: 21:30 GMT
City: Atlanta
State: Georgia
Shape: Sphere,Star-like
Distance: Unknown
Summary: bright light pulsated disappeared then reappeared in another spot got bright and disappeared
Report:
i was walking out of my building just happened to look up and I saw what i at first thought was a really bright star. i was facing east and saw this very bright white light in the sky. It disappeared then moved north pulsated bright again faded out and I didnt see it again. I literally could not believe what I was seeing. I was jaw dropped. I spent 10 years in the military 6 of those as an aviation electrician ive never seen anything in the sky like that before. I am also in close proximity to dobbins afb I know aircraft. my phone was at the pool which is where i was walking to. by the time i realized what i was seeing I ran to get my phone to try and get a picture but was gone by then. I am definitely a tad disturbed by what i saw because i cannot find a logical explanation for what i saw. Jupiter is close to the same position but is not visible until much later in the evening. I KNOW WHAT I SAW, but i cannot find a logical reason.
*
[Editor's Note: I am assuming there is a typo and that the witness in Georgia actually saw the lights on the evening of August 28, 2011, not today's date of August 29, 2011. -SW]
********************************************
Alien in Campfire Light? Tillamook, Oregon
Jpeg version of submitted photo. Original photo is in Bmp format. |
Could this be an alien entity? Cropped and enhanced by SW/LITS Click on image to enlarge. |
*
A young woman submitted a report and photo of an supposed "alien", to MUFON. The date of the event: September 9, 2010.
[Note: Tillamook is near the coast of Oregon, west of Portland.]
Here is that unedited report.
MUFON Case # 31270
Event Date: 2010-09-30
Time: 00:00 GMT
Status: Submitted
City: Tillamook
Region: Oregon
Country: US
Longitude: -123.8177287
Latitude: 45.4191756
Summary: Alien, appears to be wearing metallic garmet w/ symbols
Report:
I actually did not see this creature until later when I took the memory stick out of my camera & put on my computer. And even then I didnt notice it but an old school chum noticed it on the photo on my Facebook page. I never even was sure I really believed in aliens. It looks like a gargoyle to me almost. It is facing a fire we had built between our families 2 travel trailers & we did compare against the flames & its is NOT the flames. This things was right next to me but I did not see it. When we arrived at the Sand Lake Dunes in Tillamook there was an odd noise that started that everyone thought was a cat. It was the weirdest experience as all my family & friends have really been unsettled by this photo. I might still have it on the original memory stick if it needs to be analyzed. I have photos of the exact area taken in daylight with nothing there. There is also a blue orb in the photo but orbs are often in my photos. This evening my boyfriend did some photoshopping playing with the lights of the photo & it appears to be solid as the light reflects off of it. There also appears to be some sort of symbols/insignia on the metallic part of the garmet this "alien" is wearing. I am not into aliens at all. In fact, my boyfriend watches so many programs about aliens that Im fairly weary of anything having to do with aliens. This is not my field of interest at all. I kept thinking of it as a demon. But in the interests of science & because this does appear to be a genuine...otherworldly creature, I thought perhaps I should share it. This happened in October of 2010 when I was attending the jeep club races of my boyfriends family.
Submitted Photo
Editor's Note: Could this be a real alien entity, or is it hoaxed? The photo submitted (according to the young lady who reported this), has been altered in Photoshop.
As I do not have the original photo to examine, we can only wonder.- SW
*********************************************
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Recent UFO Sightings In Texas - August 25-28, 2011
Here are unedited (as is) reports submitted to MUFON, of UFO sightings in Texas, between August 25, 2011 and August 28, 2011.
MUFON Case # 31193
Event Date: 2011-08-25
Time: 21:00
City: Manor
State: Texas
Shape: Boomerang,Triangle
Duration: 00:01:00
Distance: Unknown
Summary: triangle three sets of light all sets red and white
standing on the patio I notice a large triangular formation of lights traveling from 110 degrees east to 270 degrees west at an alarmingly slow rate of speed. over the coarse of one minute I watched the vehicle travel across my back yard at at impossibly slow speed for a typical aircraft. The vehicle was silent as it passed by under the clouds until it was nearly out of site. At that time i could hear a faint roar. A plane this size flying this low would have been extremely loud and most likely would have been heard coming and going. The object had three distinct sets of lights which seemed to be on three corners of the craft. All three sets of lights were in pattern as such below and flashed in a back and forth pattern with a slight curve to them as if the traced around a rounded corner.
..............
..............
I would say the lights would resemble the red lights on the front of the Night Rider Firebird a.k.a Kit. However these light were much longer and and as mentioned above white and red.
I know this was not a conventional airplane. It just didn't add up. I can assure you my husband and I are very curious as to what this was and would loved to know if there were any other sightings in the area on the date in question. We have found some evidence of a UFO around the same time in Laredo Texas.
*
MUFON Case # 31206
Event Date: 2011-08-26
Time: 23:30
State: Texas
Shape: Unknown
Distance: Unknown
Summary: Exceedingly slow large object. Lit white, and faint slow and random led-like red blinks
Approximately 11:30pm, while sitting in reclining lounger on porch, at home, surfing on iPhone while occasionally glancing up for periods hoping to catch a meteor, I looked up to see a normal aircraft about 70 degrees eastward, heading from a NE to S direction. I then noticed a large (perhaps twice, maybe three times size of passing original aircraft),totally silent object "floating" to the right of the plane. The distance from the aircraft was maybe two outward held "fist- lengths" from the plane. Initially I thought "Whoa, really large bright satellite pass!", but immediately realizing that it was too late in evening to view any passes. And it was larger than the ISS. Object path was, for lack of better word, " meandering".
I then tried to justify object being an airplane, and again, quickly dismissed the thought due to the following: it had absolutely no sound. There were no airplane lights - the white illumination was steady, no fluctuation at all. And even if one considered that my view could have been from odd angle, the largeness of object dictated that I would have had to see the airplane strobe. It was floating uncannily slow, in no particular flight path and was not blimp-shaped. In fact. would be hesitant to actually assign a shape. While watching it wander so impossibly slow and while trying to make up my mind what I was looking at, I saw some faint led-like red flashes randomly coming from object. These faint red strobes occurred several random times, as I watched.
While I watched it move in a slow, irregular flight path, in a northerly direction, I turned on the iPhone camera but was unable to capture image. I thought, "well heck, it's moving so slow, I'll run in the house and grab the binoculars", which were just a few feet from the back door. However, returning back to the porch, the object was absolutely gone. This was not possible, given rate of speed and direction heading, it absolutely could not have travelled from my field of view. I am very confident of this fact. I thouroughly scanned the sky, then ran to thru the house out the front door, in order to view the eastern and northern horizon ( central Texas horizon - no obstructed horizon view) the night was clear, no haze. On this kind of evening I'm able to easily view up to 2.6 mag. and a bit fainter satellites. However after scrutinizing every inch of sky, even looking through binoculars, even veiwing whar i knew to be stars & planets; I kept thinking that I would see it fading to a faint point into the distance. Illogically, the object had completely vanished from the sky. Lest the investigator thinks otherwise, I spend countless hours viewing sattilite passes, studying the night sky, and watching for meteors. So, I am not quick to jump to conclusions concerning objects that I see: I am not going to mistake Jupiter ( it had not even risen yet), or a sattilite flare for a " flying saucer". This object was impressive and may well have been a new military creation, but it certainly was not following any of the rules with which I am familiar.
Editor's Note- North and south don't mean much, if the witness won't list where they are located (town, or at least county). Central Texas is pretty darn big. -SW
*
MUFON Case # 31208
Event Date: 2011-08-27
Time: 01:30
City: Arlington
State: Texas
Shape: Triangle
Distance: One mile or less
Summary: There were 3 triangular objects that appeared out of nowhere flying in a triangle pattern...
Report:
I was laying on my sisters car at 1:30 a.m. (central time) on the the 27th of august on a clear night. As I was looking at the stars suddenly three triangle objects materialized and flew silently from the east and headed north at the same altitude that small planes or helicopters would normally fly at. They were huge and flying in a triangle pattern.... if i were to hold my thumb up at arms length they were about as big as a basketball....massive! Each craft had 3 orange amber lights, one on each point, and the lights were constant but also seemed to leave a trail as they flew. The event lasted 2 mins and they left as quickly as they appeared.
*
MUFON Case # 31211
Event Date: 2011-08-27
Time: 02:00
City: Haslet
State: Texas
Shape: Unknown
Distance: Over one mile
Summary: I noticed a stationary light, maybe 1/2 mile from home, in the sky above one of the local farms.
Report:
I'm at home staying up late as usual when I look through the open shutters of my living room to notice a flying red light about half a mile away. It was hovering over a neighbors farm. They have dozens of cows in my small Texas city and my home is surrounded by them from the west, NW, N, and NE. For about two seconds I thought it was a plane or a helicopter but I quickly noticed that it was silent. I live near many small airports so I know exactly what a plane, helicopter, even chinooks sound like. My neighborhood is very quiet. It is not fully developed and we have tons of empty lots so we're not a big group. I instantly go into a mode that I've never been in before and I document the time to 2am. It is extremely dark in my town at night. We are away from the big cities so it was very hard for me to see the shape of the object. I could only make out the lights. There were a few colors flashing but sometimes there would only be a red light, not flashing, just still and in the shape of a line. I watched this object for 10 minutes before I grabbed my binoculars and then for 35 more minutes. Sometimes a house would be in the way, but it would always rise back up. It flew pretty low. If I saw a plane flying that low I'd expect it to crash. I was just very freaked out by the flight pattern. It would sometimes fly straight up or straight down or stay still or fly away or fly straight towards my way, but it would change patterns quickly. For the most part, it was circling in the air about 2-3 miles away, very near the local airport. I wish I was good at figuring out how large it was or how high it was and I also wish that I could've gotten a better look at the shape of the object. Even with my binoculars, it was difficult to see. I could only make out its lights because they were so easily noticed. The object did not disappear or give off any light explosions when it went away. It just simply went away. It started moving East till I could no longer see it. About 20 minutes later I hear a helicopter fly over and I saw a plane flying at the appropriate altitude and the usual flight pattern. So, that really confirmed that I did not see an airplane or helicopter and I'm definitely considering buying night vision binoculars.
***********************************************
Possible UFO crash near Evarts, Kentucky
*
A MUFON Field Investigator observes a possible downed UFO. Here is that unedited report.
MUFON Case # 31203
Event Date: 2011-08-26
Time: 21:00
City: Evarts
State: Kentucky
Shape: Circle,Disc
Duration: 03:00:00
Distance: 500 feet or less
Summary: Multiple lights coming from a hillside, and a small amount of smoke. Lights were flashing solid beams into the sky.
Report:
Witness contact FI [name redacted] on August 27, 2011 via email. I, [name redacted] FI 10332, am submitting his account as this could be a crashed or a landed UFO.
Last night(8/26/2011) I was outside locking my truck up and my neighbor told me about an extremely bright beam of light shining through a window in her house that she noticed through her curtains about 30 minutes prior to my walking outside. Initially, I tried to ignore her, which is typically easy since her house is about 50 yards from my own and upon a small hill. However, she just wouldn't stop trying to get me to check it out from her vantage point so I walked up to her house and sat out on her 2nd story deck waiting for the lights to reappear. I didn't see anything for several minutes but in the mean time I noticed a dozen planes fly over the area in a matter of about 5 minutes; which to me is an unusually high amount of air traffic, as I frequently "star gaze". Sure enough though after several minutes I, too, saw this incredible, bright flash of a greenish-blue color. No beam, just a super bright flash that went away in seconds. After seeing this flash two more times in orange and white, my brother, neighbor, and myself decided to drive through our small town to see if we could get a closer look. Upon arriving at a local gas station approximately 1 mile away we noticed one police officer and a HAZMAT coordinator(who is also the chief of the fire dept.) looking at the same light that was now more than a mere flash. The lights were now located across the valley and about halfway up a small ridge, only accessible by an old logging road, and it had become six to eight smaller flashing lights which were red,blue, green and white and aligned in what looked like a semi-circular pattern.There was also a small amount of smoke coming from the scene, but not as much as you would typically see from a brush fire; and the amount of smoke also fluctuated with time. We asked the officers what they thought it could be and the HAZMAT guy said "no power lines had been reported down by KU" and "he wasn't sure", while the uniformed policeman jokingly said, "maybe it's E.T. with a blow torch". Both of which seemed to be more than a little stumped by this situation. There were also 6 other people who we talked to that confirmed the bright flashes. For the next 2 1/2 hours the three of us sat in the parking lot of this gas station and kept our eyes fixated on these lights which were now randomly flashing the colors i mentioned, but were dimming and then emitting powerful beams into the sky and through the trees in all directions periodically, and even went completely dark on 3 or 4 occasions. There was also a clearly audible "humming" sound coming from the area, that made more of a "wah-wah-wahhh" sound. There were power lines stretching in front of the lights that were completely visible due to the bright flashing of the lights and they appeared to be intact.The strangest thing to me though was we could spot a single light traveling up the logging road, which took about 30 minutes to get from the bottom of the hill to around the vicinity of these brighter lights, but before this light could get all the way up there, it promptly turned around and came back down in a matter of minutes. Dogs were also barking incessantly through this whole experience. After the lights finally quit flashing about 3 hours in, the lights went totally dark for about 20 minutes, at which time all the other spectators left, and then a single small,white light reappeared that was too bright to look at directly without causing pain or discomfort. We witnessed all of this through a pair of binoculars but due to the trees on the hill side the only thing we could clearly see was the colors and pattern of the lights. The police came back several hours later and told us it was, "in fact", a downed power line that had been arching and causing the bright flashes. Soon thereafter a KU truck came by, circled a short back road off KY-38, and left again without fixing this alleged down power line.
Also, this morning(8/27/2011) at about 9:00 am while on my way to class at the local community college I saw four KU trucks parked at different spots on KY-38, just parked there, sitting with no one doing any kind of work to power lines. Only a single person in the truck, the driver. Also in the gas station parking lot were two white Ford pick up trucks with the standard diamond shaped NFPA chemical hazard label, unfortunately, I did not think to stop by and take down the numbers within the diamond. There were so many things about this situation that didn't make sense to me and cause me to question it all. Here are a few of my most relevant questions:
Can a downed power line create a beam of light so bright that it can be seen in a house through the curtains, one mile away?
If it were a transformer that exploded, would it not create a single bright flash of a single color and then go dark? Why would the lights continue to reappear and go black?
Why would several blinking lights consolidate into one solid light?
If it was a downed power line, and KU knew about it, wouldn't they be obligated to fix the problem immediately? It could have potentially caused a forest fire.
In this area, small storms cause localized blackouts frequently, yet there was no blackout to be seen anywhere near this downed power line or blown transformer. Why?
What was the loud humming sound?
Why would KU trucks be parked on the side of the road, but not have anyone working on the power lines?
End of report.
Evarts, Kentucky Satellite image courtesy of Google Maps. |
************************************************
Thursday, August 25, 2011
"Flying Square" Near Lemoore Naval Air Station
Note: These reports are "as is", with no corrections.
MUFON Case # 31131
California
August 23, 2011
"Walking to the corner store. Looked up and had seen strange object in night time sky. "
On Aug 23rd evening 10:17 pm I was walking to the corner store.I like to look up at the stars all the time. I figure that, Not alot of people ever do.Anyways, I looked to the NW direction ,the sky was partly cloudy and a slight cool breeze the temp was about 70 degrees.
I thought the craft that I'd seen was a huge plane at first, but it had no sound what so ever and the city lights you could see that it had a non shiny surface the strange thing is..it looked like a square not a box, but a messuring construction square. The lights looked so way wierd like the size basket balls 500 ft in the sky, and had another outter ring around the lights slowly getting brighter then slowly getting dim.
I stopped to look at it to see if it was going to move in some other direction but didn't. it stayed on a NW direction..Like it was flying towards Castle AFB. which is a Federal prison now..About 3 minutes later..I think these jets came from Lemoore Naval Air Station, because they were 2 QF-A18's Hornets / the Nationl Guard base near me..nothing was flying out of their..and the only planes that they have are QF-16's and these jets were hot on it's tail..
I waited near the store for over 15 minutes to see if maybe the craft would come back..but never did...
*
MUFON Case # 28634
California
February 28, 2011
Box shaped object with green and red lights at lower perimeter. Moving East, low and slow over backyard.
I awakened to use the bathroom. I went downstairs,turning on no lights, then returned to my room, upstairs, in short order. I went to the window to look out at the moon and the Orion constellation (I often look out at the night sky before returning to bed). The night was crystal clear and cloudless and I looked to my left at the stars and moon.
I was immediately distracted by moving lights to my right and turned and saw a flying craft unlike any I have ever seen.
It was shaped like a box,square at the front with rectangular sides and underside. The sky was very dark blue and the object was black against it. The perimeter of the underside was lined with lights,red and green (alternating),that sequentially turned on and off,giving a rotating effect similar to that of the lights bordering a theater marque.
This object was large and very low. I estimate the front to be thirty feet square and the length ninety feet. The surface of the object was absolutely smooth,featureless and non reflective. There were no windows. The lights circling the lower perimeter were numerous. I estimate one hundred. They were not circular but shaped like footballs standing on point and as large.
The window through which I was watching this object was closed but The left side of my face was against the glass and I heard no sound. This was curious because this thing was so close.I estimate the altitude at about two hundred feet but heard nothing. Equally as curious was the speed at which it was moving forward. Maybe fifteen miles per hour and no variation. Its motion forward and level attitude also did not vary.
There was nothing above the object holding it up and nothing below supporting it. Nothing was ahead of it and nothing trailing.
The object passed out of my view over the back of the house and I turned,stepped to the center of the room, paused, and then sat down on my bed. Looking back, this inaction and loss of curiosity is out of character for me. I sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, eventually laying down, and slept until morning.
*
Editor's Note: I am presently working on a case here in North Texas, where the witness has recently been seeing a square shaped UFO.
The witness has seen this object 5 times in one week.
The object stays low, traveling at tree top or below treetop level, with red/green lights on the craft.
If you have seen such an object, specifically in the area north of Dallas, please contact me. Thanks- Sunny
*****************************************
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
"Moving Stars" Over Conroe, TX- 8/23/2011
MUFON Case # 31138
Date: 2011-08-23
Time: 21:45
City: Conroe
State: Texas
Shape: Circle,Star-like
Distance: One mile or less
Summary: The Stars Were Moving
Report:
I was sitting outside my patio as i usually do and gazing up into the stars. I see many planes pass by every night although last night was a different story. As one small white star like object caught my eye, I followed it in what I thought was going to be a typical straight path into the distance.. It turned. I stood up in a cold sweat as I noticed it had 3 "friends". I put it like this because these 4 objects were.. playing. I watched at what appeared to be over a mile away from me as these star like objects zipped through the sky at very high speeds. There were no clouds in the sky for some sort of laser to be reflecting on to it and these things roamed so far as to go directly above my home. I nearly went straight through my glass sliding door trying to get my video camera. I taped these events for around 2 hours, as they would not let up. The footage is so dark you can't even see anything. At exactly 11:50, opposite the events i was watching, the brightest meteor i have ever seen illuminated then fizzled out in to sparks. That put the shakes on me. I don't how i removed my self from the patio, but something inside of me told me to get inside. As I was picking up my scattered camera equipment at 12:30, the strange lights were still there roaming the sky. Some one please tell me these were birds in the moon light or something. I have been studying and looking at ufo footage for years and I have never seen objects move like this before in my life. They darted so fast that they seemed to blur, it was very strange. This sighting was over Montgomery County in Texas. If i enhance this video to see what i was seeing, MUFON will be the first to know.
Editor's Note: Report is "as is", with no corrections. -SW
********************************************
Date: 2011-08-23
Time: 21:45
City: Conroe
State: Texas
Shape: Circle,Star-like
Distance: One mile or less
Summary: The Stars Were Moving
Report:
I was sitting outside my patio as i usually do and gazing up into the stars. I see many planes pass by every night although last night was a different story. As one small white star like object caught my eye, I followed it in what I thought was going to be a typical straight path into the distance.. It turned. I stood up in a cold sweat as I noticed it had 3 "friends". I put it like this because these 4 objects were.. playing. I watched at what appeared to be over a mile away from me as these star like objects zipped through the sky at very high speeds. There were no clouds in the sky for some sort of laser to be reflecting on to it and these things roamed so far as to go directly above my home. I nearly went straight through my glass sliding door trying to get my video camera. I taped these events for around 2 hours, as they would not let up. The footage is so dark you can't even see anything. At exactly 11:50, opposite the events i was watching, the brightest meteor i have ever seen illuminated then fizzled out in to sparks. That put the shakes on me. I don't how i removed my self from the patio, but something inside of me told me to get inside. As I was picking up my scattered camera equipment at 12:30, the strange lights were still there roaming the sky. Some one please tell me these were birds in the moon light or something. I have been studying and looking at ufo footage for years and I have never seen objects move like this before in my life. They darted so fast that they seemed to blur, it was very strange. This sighting was over Montgomery County in Texas. If i enhance this video to see what i was seeing, MUFON will be the first to know.
Editor's Note: Report is "as is", with no corrections. -SW
********************************************
Monday, August 22, 2011
UFO NEWS- Around the World
*
Scorpion-shaped UFO seen in the skies over Los Cristianos, Spain [photos]
Examiner.com- In one of the most unusual recent UFO sightings, a scorpion-shaped object was spotted in the skies above Los Cristianos, Spain on Saturday, August 21, 2011. Jamie O'Rourke saw the unidentified flying object near his home around 8:00am and managed to snap several photos before the object disappeared.
An Internet search for scorpion-shaped kites did not reveal anything like the bizarre object seen in the photos on the left side of this page. A similar search for scorpion-shaped UFOs also revealed nothing. The strange unidentified flying object photographed in Los Cristianos seems to defy logic or explanation at this time.
You can see from the photos that this UFO was elongated in shape and dark in color. It had two protruding appendages on one end that resembled the pincers or claws of a scorpion. On the opposite end, the UFO had a long tail that looked like the tail or stinger of a scorpion.
UFO Global Reporting Center has the scoop on this UFO sighting on their blog. They reported: "One of our [UFO Global Reporting Center's] subscribers Jamie O'Rourke (FaceBook) sent us these images. Jamie took these images near his house around 20th Street, about 8:00am on August 21, 2011."
*
‘There was never any UFO’, official says about Chongqing airport shutdown
Paranormaloldpueblo.com- There was never any UFO involved in the shutdown of Jiangbei International Airport, according to an unnamed government official in Chongqing.
Want China Times reports that the official told a reporter that the incident was only “an airspace control exercise.” When the reporter further probed the official about airspace control, the official replied : “I am not authorized to share this and it is inconvenient for me to say.”
Want China Times is the English news website of the Taiwan-based China Times News Group.
Shanghai Daily initially reported on August 18th that a UFO shut down operations at Jiangbei International Airport in Chongqing. To ensure safety, planes were “dramatically diverted away from the airport”, their report said. Their report also stated that airport workers thought the object in question was a sky lantern or a large balloon.
eChinacities.com reported on August 19th that the initial reports of the UFO in Chongqing originated from the microblogging site Sina Weibo. The blog reports were accompanied by a photo of an object in the sky, which does not resemble a sky lantern or large balloon in any way.
According to their website, eChinacities.com “is privately funded and is in no way affiliated with government agencies in or outside of China”.
The photos that originated from Sina Weibo were later examined in the United States by Benjamin Radford, deputy editor of the Skeptical Inquirer. It was Radford’s conclusion that the object indicated in the photo was “just an unusual cloud”.
No report has yet been offered to explain the initial opinion formulated by airport workers, and relayed via Shanghai Daily, that the object was either a sky lantern or large balloon. On a related note, it has not been addressed why these same airport workers were not informed of any airspace control exercises that required the diversion of several flights.
Video Link
UFO Spotted Over Chinese Airport
Foxnews.com- CHONGQING, China – Planes were dramatically diverted away from a major Chinese airport after reports of a UFO circling a runway, the Shanghai Daily reported Thursday.
The mysterious object was spotted Wednesday afternoon floating high above Jiangbei International Airport in the city of Chongqing, an important aviation hub for southwestern China.
Worried officials diverted several flights to other airports before it disappeared about 50 minutes later and air traffic was allowed to return to normal.
The Chongqing government has not offered any explanation for the UFO, Shanghai Daily said. However, skeptical airport workers believe it was a sky lantern or a large balloon, the newspaper said.
Wednesday's scare mirrors an incident in July last year when Xiaoshan airport in the eastern city of Hangzhou was closed after baffled air traffic controllers spotted a UFO on their radar screens.
The object vanished but footage of a strange glowing orb streaking across the night sky was posted on YouTube, sparking global interest in the supposed close encounter.
*
UFO sparks search on shores of Loch Ness
STV.tv- Emergency services were called out to investigate reports of a 'round, balloon-like' object falling from the sky near the village of Dores.
A mysterious flying object above Loch Ness sparked a large-scale search by emergency services.
Police, coastguard officers, a lifeboat crew and an RAF search and rescue helicopter scoured the around Dores, on the southern shore of the loch, following reports of an object falling from the sky at about 8pm on Saturday.
Northern Constabulary said the object was described as being "round, balloon-like in shape and blue in colour".
The search was carried out amid fears that a parachutist or hang-glider could have crash-landed in the remote area, but after three hours no trace of an aircraft or parachute could be found and the search was stood down.
One local resident, Denise Rooney, told STV's Facebook page she had noticed an object in the sky while having a barbecue in the hills above Dores.
She said: "I pointed out a white globe that I thought was a star initially but it moved across the sky. It was very far away. Could have been anything and it was on a steady path.
"I just remembered thinking I could see it but not hear it and it was an unusual flight path from that direction."
Rescue workers said the alarm was raised in good faith and commended members of the public who called out the emergency services.
Loch Ness RNLI crew member Martin Douglas said: "A member of the public reported seeing a hang glider or microlight descending into the loch.
"The RNLI lifeboat crew spoke to people on the shoreline who stated that they had seen a balloon-like object just above the tree line near Dores."
His colleague Vivian Bailey added: "Speed of arrival on scene was essential and we were able to link our search efforts with those of the Coastguard and RAF, something we practice regularly.
"We believe the reports were based on sightings causing genuine concern and we commend the actions of the members of the public that contacted the emergency services."
A police spokeswoman said: "Northern Constabulary and HM Coastguard responded to a report of an object falling from the sky on the south side of Loch Ness approximately two to five kilometres south-west of the village of Dores.
"The object was described as being round, balloon-like in shape and blue in colour.
"An extensive search was carried out by police, coastguard, Loch Ness lifeboat and RAF search and rescue helicopter 137, with nothing untoward being found."
*********************************************
UFO/Abduction Research Pioneer Budd Hopkins Passes Away
Budd Hopkins June 15, 1931 - August 21, 2011 |
From Intrudersfoundation.org
I’m very sad to announce that Budd Hopkins died today, August 21, at 1:35 pm. Budd had been under hospice care for about three weeks, at his home in New York. The combination of liver cancer and pneumonia led to his death. His daughter Grace Hopkins-Lisle and I were with him almost continuously during these past weeks. He was not in any pain throughout any of the process, and he received the best possible care and loving support from those closest to him. Today he gradually slipped away, and simply quietly stopped breathing. He died peacefully and without any struggle, with Grace, Grace’s husband Andrew, and me by his side.
Thanks to all of you for being such strong supporters of this extraordinary man, who has contributed so much to our lives, in so many different ways.
- Leslie Kean
Over a decade ago Budd Hopkins founded the Intruders Foundation as a nonprofit organization with four basic goals:
- To provide sympathetic help, understanding and personal investigation for those reporting UFO abduction experiences.
- To carry out systematic research into the abduction phenomenon through a careful study of its patterns and resulting physical and psychological evidence.
- To mount an extensive program of public education about the phenomenon.
- To develop a cadre of trained professionals in various fields to carry out all of these projects.
Click here to read more
*
Editor's Note: My deepest and most sincere condolences go to Budd's family and friends. He is sorely missed by all. - Sunny
*******************************************
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Tampa Bay Area Residents Report Unusual Sightings - August 20, 2011
Depiction- Radar tower and... ? |
Map showing location of Radar Tower and possible sighting. Click on image to enlarge. |
*
So far, MUFON has 3 UFO sightings reports from the Tampa Bay Area, for the evening of August 20, 2011.
While driving North on Veterans Expressway on the evening of August 20, 2011, a young woman and her boyfriend witness a very unusual sight.
On that same evening, separate witnesses view something strange in the skies over Bradenton, Florida.
Here are those unedited reports.
*
Tampa, Florida, August 20, 2011- Was it a UFO, an aircraft in suspended animation, or mistaken identity?
MUFON Case # 31067
Date: 2011-08-20
Time: 20:40
City: Tampa
State: Florida
Shape: Triangle,Other
Distance: Unknown
Summary: Less than 100 ft away, huge craft hovering next to the Veterans Express Way in Tampa! Tons of cars witnessed this!
Report:
My boyfriend and I were heading North on the Veterans Express way. The International Airport was close by. We passed exit 4 or so before the toll both. We saw a light up in the skye that was heading along the interstate in our direction. It was bright white light that looked pretty low to be flying where it was. (The airport was a few miles back). As we got closer, it descended lower along the highway. We were both very curious as to what it was. Once we got closer, to my disbelief it was literally right next the highway. We were going about 60mph and it didn't move! It was just hovering to the right. There was NO sound and it was suspended in the air. The only way I could describe it, was shaped similar to a normal airplane but had a long almost crane like appendage coming off the right side of it with a flashing blue light at the tip. The main lights were yellow and white. It had a bright light on the front. It was metal, silver-ish/gray/black (it was dark outside). It was the wildest thing we have ever seen. Even though it was "disk" shaped, and it looked man-made... I've never scene such a large object hover like that, with no noise. almost like it was frozen in time!! I'd like to know if anyone else saw this or reported this. There were plenty of cars on the highway. We headed back on the other side of the highway a half hour later and it was gone.
Editor's Note: Is it possible that what the Tampa, Florida witnesses saw was simply a commercial jet and the radar tower? Or is it possible they did see an alien craft, or even a jet in suspended animation, a time dilation, etc.? -SW
Tampa Airport Radar Tower next to Highway. Click on image to enlarge. |
*
Bradenton, Florida, August 20, 2011- Jets appear out of nowhere.
*
MUFON Case # 31066
Date: 2011-08-20
Time: 20:49
City: Bradenton
State: Florida
Shape: Star-like
Distance: Over one mile
Summary: Bradenton sighting
Report:
Went outside after my son asked if the Space Shuttle launched. After I told him that the Shuttle had its final launch, he said that he saw 2 airplanes flying side by side. I went outside to look and saw a bright light traveling east to west on a straight flight path that disappeared in the clouds.. Then another one came from the same direction and again disappeared in the clouds. We witnessed this 7 times. Very strange. As one disappeared, another appeared traveling very fast out of nowhere.
*
Bradenton, Florida, August 20, 2011- Lights appear and disappear in sky.
MUFON Case # 31049
Date: 2011-08-20
Time: 20:50
City: Bradenton
State: Florida
Shape: Star-like
Distance: One mile or less
Summary: 5 different lights appeared all were separate moving and hovering differently then dissapeared up into a cloud
Report:
My son and I went outside to look for something in my car and he looked up into the sky to the northwest of my house. In front of the clouds was two bright white lights moving around that we had never observed before and I have lived here for 11 years. They were moving very slowly and very much separate from each other. Then a third one joined them from the north. The first two went up and disappeared into the cloud. The third one moved around slowly and was a different color form the first two it was orange. It also went up into the clouds. As we stood there dumb founded looking at an empty sky two more came out of the north and moved around slowly and also went up into the clouds. The last two were white like the first two. We did not observe any more as we went inside.
Editor's Note: The Bradenton, Florida witnesses report almost the exact same time frame for their sightings. Could they have seen the same thing and just what was it that they saw? -SW
********************************************
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Hunter Has Close Encounter With UFO In Mountains Near Silver City, New Mexico
Photo courtesy Google Earth, Flying Tour. |
In 1990 a young hunter has a close encounter with a UFO, while camped in the mountains near Silver City, New Mexico.
Might it have been more than just a UFO encounter?
Here is that report, edited for spelling only. -SW
*
MUFON Case # 31033
Event Date: February 28, 1990
Time: 00:00
City: Silver City
State: New Mexico
Distance: Unknown
Summary: bright light in mountains
Report:
When on a spring bear hunt just northwest of Silver city N.M., i was awakened by something moving past my sleeping bag. Where we hunt you have to pack in everything you need, so we had no tent. We were at about 11,000 feet.
Something had kicked dirt into my sleeping bag. I noticed that the ground was quite bright, brighter than day light. I sat up to see what it was, and noticed the light was coming from above. I tried to wake my dad, but could not speak or move. I sat there for what seemed to be an hour, but not sure how long. There was no sound, or wind.
I was with my dad, cousin, and his dog, and they did not notice anything in the night. We had horses, and mules, and they made no noise. In the morning I saw no signs of any of this, and we finished hunting.
Now I know I have a vivid imagination, but I do not think I was dreaming. Not sure what happened, but it was real to me, and I remember it like it was yesterday. There are no roads, or electricity there.
****************************************