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On Wednesday, September 12th,
UFOData received an email from a
lady who wishes to remain
anonymous. Her message included
a small photograph, taken with a
camera phone. Here is the text of
her email and we thank her for
contacting us:
Dear Steve, Hello, I am writing in the hope that you will be able to help me and also take me seriously. I am 46 years old, I have never had any kind of UFO experience, I am not mentally ill, I don’t use drink and drugs, and I am not a liar. The following letter is 100% true, although I would not blame you if you did not believe me. I recently moved to a new area because of a job opportunity and one of the big attractions to the area was all the green land and woods as I love the outdoors, especially as I have a large dog which needs a lot of exercise. On Monday the 8th May,2006, I had been out for several hours with my dog and throughout the afternoon I took a series of photographs of the area to send to my sister who lives abroad. Later that evening I was downloading the images from my mobile phone to the PC [and] when I looked through the photos, I was very shocked to see that on one of the images there was what appeared to be a greyish figure either running or walking through the shot, all the other images were fine except this one. The photo I have sent you is the original photo downloaded straight from my phone; the phone is a Motorola Razr with a VGA camera. The photo is very low resolution (160X120, 4.40kb) this is because the camera was set to full zoom (4x) when I took the photo. The photo was taken at 14.20p.m on the afternoon of Monday 08/05/06. I showed the photo to my husband and asked him for his opinion, he said that the photo is a digital fault and shows nothing more than either a small child or a jogger, and because of the fault this makes the figure look unusual. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard from my husband. I pointed out that it took me about 2 seconds to take the photo and if anyone such as a child or jogger was in the area I would have seen them. I have very good eye sight and I can clearly say without any doubt that there was no one there when I took the photo, plus I pointed out to my husband that the figure does not look anything like a child or a jogger or neither does it look anything like a human. I haven’t shown the photo to anyone except my husband because I don’t think anyone would believe me, plus I don’t want to be the subject of ridicule. It was my husband’s sarcastic comments about "the aliens coming to get me” that sparked my interest in the unexplained, and over the last few months I have become very interested in the subject and carried out some extensive reading. A single day has not passed since I took the photo that I haven’t looked at the image. I look at the photo on a daily basis and I am just as baffled as to what the figure is in the photo. I am sending you the image to ask if it would be possible for you to carry out some analysis of it to see if you can extract some information from it. Under no circumstances am I trying to say that the figure is an alien, but I know 100% in my own mind that no one was visible when I took the photo and it does not show a child or a jogger. If the photo is nothing more than a digital fault then that’s fair enough, but even that explanation sounds utterly ridiculous as the figure is too well defined in my opinion, and also I have taken hundreds of photos with my phone and never once have I had any faults or errors show up. I hope you are able to help me and I also hope I am not wasting your time as I expect you are probably very busy. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely, [name withheld] (see enlargement below) Is it a photographic fault, a normal object (a human or tree branch etc.) under peculiar lighting conditions, something paranormal or a hoax? You decide.
http://www.ufodata.co.uk/index1.htm
http://www.ufodata.co.uk/pdf/An_Alien_in_the_countryside.pdf
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Hi B.J.,
Thank you for your interest in the Google Earth image of the apparent Black Triangle UFO over Australia. Attached you will find a zip file containing 4 images I captured from Google Earth, each one at a different "eye altitude", the file names reflect the altitude of each in feet. Also in the zip file are 2 more images of the same location, one from TerraServer and the other from Yahoo Maps. As you can see the triangle does not appear on either of these images. I am not the original "finder" of this image. I first saw this on a video that someone posted recently on LiveVideo.com. I often check YouTube and LiveVideo and other such sites as sometimes a few good eye-witness videos will appear on these sites, in addition to the usual flood of "junk", hoaxes, etc. My research so far has consisted of examining the images very carefully. As an engineer in high-tech for 30 years I naturally approach this subject in a scientific way, looking for "data" that might be hidden from, or overlooked by the casual observer. One such item here is the shadow of a "mast" or "antenna" that is visible emanating from the center of the triangle and extending in a WSW direction, ending at the edge of the triangle, but not showing on the ground adjacent to the triangle - this is very indicative of an airborne object. The direction of the shadow corresponds perfectly with shadows of ground objects - I used the shadows of some nearby buildings to verify this. In addition, the shadow on the triangle is perfectly straight, indicating that the triangle has a flat upper surface. In addition I have determined that the triangle is slightly tilted in relation to the image-plane. This can be determined by the fact that the apparent length of the sides of the triangle are not exactly equal. I have not yet myself determined the exact angle of tilt, but that should be a straightforward exercise for someone who wishes to do so. An "anomaly" can be found just off the tips of the two southerly points of the triangle - these "fuzzy patches" do not appear to be part of the triangle itself, but possibly some kind of energy field or emanation. I have searched the web for other satellite images of the same area. So far, I have not been able to find one that shows anything other than the ground itself in that same location. Since I am not the "holder" of the original image I feel no danger in telling you who I really am. The name on my email account is an alias for my own protection since I use it only to contact persons on the subject of UFOs, and I am myself a two-time UFO eyewitness and UFO researcher and as such I sometimes come into contact with potentially "sensitive information". For the purpose of your article on this matter you may use my real name, with which I have signed this message, but please do not reveal my email address nor alias. Thank you very much! All my best, Roger DiPaolo
{Click on images for full size}
source and references:
Submitted by Roger DiPaolo
UFO Casebook report
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The UFO Casebook received the following report with photograph on 03-07-07.
This photograph was taken off the southwest coast of Ireland during our vacation in April 2006. My wife and mother-in-law were taking a picture of the sunset. They both captured photos of the object and didn't know it until they showed me the pictures. My mother-in-law told my wife there was an airplane or something in the sky while they were taking the photos. By the way, my son and I saw the UFO reported over Austin, Texas, on 03-07-07. Reader wishes to remain anonymous Thanks to the sender for the report and a very interesting photograph.
source and references: Name withheld-UFO Casebook reader |
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We were 7 witnesses in Guara 1 quarter in Brasilia, in a house on an extension on the second floor, which is outdoor. We had clear sky with clouds passing over. Then one of the witnesses (woman) noticed a punctual object moving high in sky to the south-west and disappearing. During the event the witness called the attention of the other 6 (six) gathered in the same place of the house and we all could see the object moving away.Then right after that the same first witness noticed another object stationary high in sky, more than 1.000 meters above the passing clouds almost at zenith. The object remained stationery until a cloud passed over it. When the cloud was gone the object also was gone. The first object that moved in south-west direction had the speed evaluated to be at least 300 km/h or higher when it disappeared. After the second object disappeared after the cloud passing, the second object returned in a slower speed and stopped high in sky at an altitude evaluated to be of more than 1000 meters to the south at an angle to be estimated, but I believe it to be around 70 degrees in ascension. The object remained stationery until another cloud passing over hid the object. After the cloud moved away the object was gone. 13 photos ware taken with an SLRD camera, in 80mm and 300mm telephoto lenses, of the second object, the one that moved before and after. But as the camera is digital, APS sized CCD sensor, there are considerations to be taken for the true focal length, because the lenses were designed for a 35mm non-digital film. We thought the objects could be balloon probes from the Brazilian Air Force at JK Airport in Brasilia. We had contacted them by telephone and e-mail and they said that at that given interval of time on Saturday 03/03/2007 there were no meteorological balloons over Brasilia. They launch balloons at 9 o'clock in the morning and at 21 o'clock in the evening. Everyone was very excited about the sightings. Also the meteorological service in Brasilia (INMET) was contacted by telephone but they do not launch balloon probes. Thanks, Pedro Luz Cunha (Revista UFO consultant, CBPDV associate with A.J. Gevaerd).
{Click on images for full size}
Source & References:
Pedro Luz Cunha (Revista UFO consultant, CBPDV associate with A.J. Gevaerd
www.mufon.com
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10 years after sighting, UFO talk reignitedBetty Reid-The Arizona Republic
Bright lights hung over the Valley a decade ago this month. Libraries, theaters and college campuses are planning lectures and gatherings to observe the 10th anniversary of the lights. It appears to have sparked renewed discussion about the paranormal life, UFO sightings and aliens. The "Phoenix Lights" is derived from March 13, 1997, when severalresidents witnessed a string of lights and a large V- shaped formation of lights in the Valley night skies. Military officials explained the wacky lights as training flares, but some people are not convinced. Much of the activity started in the northwest Valley. Paradise Valley Community College plans a lecture titled "Coincidence or Communication?" on March 28. A similar presentation was given last weekend in Glendale, and others are scheduled around the Valley. The discussions feature Paradise Valley resident Lynne Kitei, a physician and health educator, who wrote a book about the sightings. She also co-produced an award-winning documentary, The Phoenix Lights... We Are Not Alone. Phoenix refuses to stop buzzing about the lights, Kitei said. "It touched people at a very deep level," Kitei said. She said her life changed as a result of the Phoenix lights. Kitei put aside her medical career to pursue an answer to her personal sightings outside her own bedroom window. Despite the mountain of research and data, Kitei said she has not found a logical answer. "If anything, my research has opened up a whole new world that I never knew existed, and trust that many others do not as well," she said. Kitei also believes there is renewed interest and curiosity about the unexplained. At Paradise Valley Community College, Kitei will share an updated version of her documentary followed by a discussion. Ed Rosenthal, an astronomy instructor at PVCC, said the college invited Kitei. "The purpose of the college is to provide a balance of information to the public so they can be self-reliant to enable them to make sound rational judgment for themselves," Rosenthal said.
Source & References:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/0309phx-lights0310.html
Source: The Arizona Republic - Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Richard JacquesRecord Staff Writer March 5th 2007-In the not so direct world of ufology, Dennis Balthaser is about as straight forward as they come. From the back den of his Roswell home, filled with books, awards, pictures and memorabilia from a life about as diverse the universe, Balthaser calls it like he sees it. "Always telling the truth means you never have to remember anything," says the well-known UFO investigator. But for a guy who prides himself on getting to the truth, he sure remembers a lot. A certified UFO investigator with the Mutual UFO Network, an editorial writer for 22 Web sites and magazines, and recently appointed to the advisory board for the Great Pyramid of Giza Research Association, he said he doesn't try to convince anybody about his research, "I show them and let people decide." Literally starting from scratch, the former Texas Department of Transportation worker of 33 years turned a one-time UFO hobby into a full-time passion. He said his fascination with UFOs began after reading a book written by Jacques Vallee about 20 years ago. "I would lay in the backyard and wonder what was out there." Now a full-time researcher of 11 years, Balthaser has done over 350 radio and television interviews and his award-winning Web site, www.truthseekeratroswell.com has had over one million visitors since 1998. He said one of the hardest things about his ongoing research is sifting through the growing number of untruths to get to the facts. "There are a lot of woo-woo's in the field of ufology," he said, again, to the point. When not battling Internet fraud, Balthaser remains extremely busy and continues to gain respect along the way. Featured in dozens of documentaries, including such projects as the Sci-Fi Channel's Roswell excavation, a guest internationally on a number of radio and television talk shows, and a frequent lecturer on UFOs, he said he believes that finding the truth is important. Also important is his determination to return the International UFO Festival to its former glory. Recently appointed by Roswell Mayor Sam LaGrone to the event's planning committee, the UFO expert said emphasis on community involvement will be stressed this year. Remaining firm in his conviction that the government isn't telling all about the incident that put Roswell on the map in 1947, Balthaser said he continues to document the living histories of Roswell incident witnesses before they are all gone. Actively involved in the First Baptist Church in Roswell, he said people sometimes question how such a person with strong religious conviction could believe in the existence of UFOs. For the straight-talking Balthaser, it's easy to explain. "They respect what I do and how I do it. I was a Christian before I started my research, and I'll be a Christian after I'm finished." An who's to argue. Some of his largest crowds can be found at his UFO lectures at the church.
Source & References:
Source: The Roswell Daily Record |
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The Phoenix Lights Gain International Interest www.thephoenixlights.net
Sunday, March 11th at 8 pm [ET/PT] Tuesday, March 13 at 8:30 pm [Mountain Standard Time] CNN Affiliate KTVK Channel 3 News half hour special The Phoenix Lights X www.azfamily.com Tuesday, March 13 at 9 pm &10 pm [Mountain Standard Time] The Phoenix Lights mass sighting 10th anniversary featured report FOX TV News affiliate www.myfoxphoenix.com for personal interview with Dr. Lynne Tuesday, March 13 at 10 pm [Mountain Standard Time] The Phoenix Lights mass sighting 10th anniversary featured report ABC TV News affiliate www.abc15.com
Tuesday, March 13 at 10 pm [ET]
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I am a 53 year old Social Worker that grew up in Puerto Rico. Since the age of 13,I have been surfing in the west coast of PR, and on many times UFO have been sighted by me and other surfers! At that time, we did not make much of it because we thought people would make fun of us, or say that we were high on drugs.Later in my life after realizing that other people came out to tell their stories, I have decided to come forward. On one occasion, around 6.30. A.M. that is the best time to surf by the way, several silver colored objects came out of the water about half a mile from were we where waiting to catch a wave. These objects were round and hovered in one position, then they took off straight up at a speed that I can not explain, but they disappeared so fast it was incredible. About a half hour later, the objects came back, I think it was around 6 or 7 of them, and went into the ocean. We never reported it to anybody, we just thought it was a military practice or other things that we did not know about. This all happened in the year of 1971, January, I do not remember the exact date. I am only reporting this one event but we had many more sightings of this kind since we surfed in the west coast of Puerto Rco. By the way, this event happened in Rincon in a beach known to surfers as Tres Palmas, and there were about 8 to 10 surfers that day.
Source & References:
Reader-www.ufocasebook.com
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I am writing to send along a pair of photos which I think you will find
interesting. My mother-in-law, a very successful and down to earth woman was
on vacation with her mother in New York in early 2006, and as part of their
trip they were taking the tour to the Statue of Liberty.
Before boarding the boat to cross the harbor, they were standing on the shoreline, taking in the sights. My mother-in-law is an amateur photographer with a very nice camera (I'm not sure what kind off-hand unfortunately, only that it is a very expensive camera, and has been used many times for family functions and such, so I know that the quality of photos it takes is extremely high, and the camera is in perfect working order). While she was taking photos of the harbor and the island across the way, she captured a metallic object hovering just above the water. Her goal was to take a photo of the statue from the shoreline and then take another photo of where they stood on the shore from the island once they crossed (she was playing with the idea of mirroring her position for fun). Once on the island, she took another set of photos, facing the spot they had stood before. In both photos the object can be seen clearly. It was a bright, almost entirely clear day, sometime in the early afternoon and the object was in nearly the same position as before. It appears to have hovered in place for at least the length of the crossing, and if you examine the photos you can tell that it is the same object. Oddly enough, this appears to be a chance UFO because she states that neither she nor anyone else saw anything the entire time (I don't know exactly how long the ferry ride is, but I'm sure it’s at least twenty minutes or so including the time between photos) In fact, as she was showing us pictures, she started to skip past these as “silly” because she was having fun with the camera, and never noticed anything unusual about them until I bolted upright in my chair and asked her to let me have them. Once I pointed out the object, she said that she thought they were buoys (which she still thinks) My mother-in-law is not very receptive to things outside the norm (like I said, she’s very grounded), so I think she is dismissing these photos for that reason. However, I have enlarged these photos many times, as far as I could without pixelating them all-together, and the object is not in any way connected to the water, much less floating in it. It is clearly metallic, and vaguely oval in shape, and as I said, it either stayed in place unnoticed for the length of the ferry ride, or reappeared, which seems less likely to me (but that is speculative). There seems to be an off-yellow/reddish “aura” or sheen around the object as well when the photo is enlarged. There doesn't appear to be a large disturbance in the water around it, and there are definitely not any disturbances or ripples like those that would show up if it were floating in the water, with the water splashing against it; further indicating that it is just above the surface. Also, if you look at the photos, you can get a sense of scale against the images in the background. I'm not an expert, so I don't want to hazard a guess, but if you look at the object as one point in a vector, or triangulate, it seems to be fairly small, but certainly not as small as a balloon or anything like that, and again, it remained in place far too long to be debris. As I mentioned the camera is in perfect order, and by the photos you can tell that this is not an imperfection in the lens or anything. Anyhow, those are some of my own observations using limited resources. I am sending scans of the original photos along for your inspection. The first photo is much clearer, and easier to distinguish details in, but the second provides an interesting view of the object against the city in the background, and if you look you can see the dock where they took the first picture off-center to the right for perspective. These are completely untouched, and un-cropped. I would be very interested in knowing your opinion of these pictures. Speaking for myself, as someone who has studied the UFO question for over twenty years, I am convinced that this is some sort of UFO, but I'm curious about it because it is very small, and it’s odd for it to be there for so long in the first place, much less without being noticed on such a clear day. It does look somewhat like other objects I've seen captured on film, but those have usually seemed larger. Anyhow, if you have another explanation, please let me know. Thank you, Sincerely, Zachary
{Click on images for full size}
Source & References:
Reader-www.ufocasebook.com
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RE: Statue of Liberty PhotographsAm I just seeing things or are there other objects in these photos? Could be the two dark ones are aircraft (one on each side of the Statue) and in the upper portion of the picture there are some white objects especially the ones near the centre at the very top. Just another note here, I love your site. I am an avid reader and unfortunately I am obsessed with UFOs. I have had a couple of sightings of unexplained objects in my lifetime and another time where I believe something was in my bedroom while my husband slept. Never have told anyone about the bedroom thing because I think they will commit me. Anyway, wonderful site, keep up the good work.
Source & References:
Joanne-Reader-www.ufocasebook.com
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RE: MIB & UFO Organizations Hi BJ, many people are coming out of the closet about their experiences and knowledge of our existence. I would like to thank you for posting Art Champoux,"Men in Black and UFO Organizations". As an Experiencer, I fully agree with Art's comments-Bulls-eye. This is a solo flight for each one of us here in this 3D realm. If you can love yourself, of the accomplishments of caring and sharing of one's self in TRUTH. The aperture of love should radiate to others around, through you. While we exist in hostile times, the continued conditioning to hate and destroy, manifest within each other and thrives within. Through this trait, we destroy our Mother--EARTH. To appreciate divine love's beauty, you must be open to truth [knowledge] of being "part of this matter". The demise of profit is to gain from another. Maybe, we should listen within to real prophet from within ourselves. The simple way is to question ? Who is controlling your emotions of love and hate?. Do you dare to question of what one would like to share of truth [knowledge]? In the biological world, there are Hosts and there are Parasites. The energy around us is positive and negative. Who sets the tone of these distinctive energies-How are the masses feeling today ? Sad and mad**** Call on yourself,as you are part of creation****
Paul
Source & References:
Joanne-Reader-www.ufocasebook.com
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The Phoenix Lights, 1997, Arizona
UFO researchers and writers today are tantalized by the increasing reports of alien abduction, possible photographs of alien beings, physical trace cases, and implant removals. In a way we have become spoiled-expecting the sensational. This desire for ultimate proof has caused us to overlook the seemingly mundane, everyday reports of night lights, which were at one time sensational in their own right. With the ever growing technology of our era, pictures and video are often times called into question because of the ease of manipulation and creation afforded computer graphics experts. Called into question, that is, by those who are waiting in the wings to debunk any and all visible proof of UFOs as suspect of being hoaxed.
This is especially true in cases with one or two photos taken by one witness. This has always been a pitfall to researchers who scratch and claw for authentication of a particular photograph or video. There are, however, those cases which have multiple photographs of the same object, taken by many witnesses. This type of case carries the heaviest weight for those who remain on neutral ground on the subject of UFOs. One of the best of these is the Phoenix, Arizona lights case of 1997. Supported by many photographs and videos, this fantastic event is still discussed and analyzed today.
Evidence points to March 13, 1997 as the onset of this extremely compelling account of various and sundry phenomenal lights which moved over the state of Arizona. These lights, though referred to as the "Phoenix Lights," were actually witnessed in at least five other cities. Phoenix has the distinction as the first Arizona city to report the unknown light sources, which were initially spotted over Superstition Mountains, east of the city, at about 7:30 PM. The first reports indicated an object of six points of light, immediately followed by a report of eight connected lights, with a separate ninth, which moved in unison with the eight.
The formation was seen again over the Gila River just before 10:00 PM. In a matter of minutes, the enormous, lighted structure had made its way over the southern part of the city of Phoenix. At this time, literally thousands of people witnessed the object or objects. It was at this time, that the first photographs and videos were taken. The final sightings of the night were in Rainbow Valley. Witnesses there reported a very distinct "V" formation. This sighting occurred at about 2:00 AM on March 14.
It is important to note that there are various descriptions of the lights from the Nevada border throughout Arizona. Some witnesses described a very clear "V" shape, while others said that the lights were circular or cresent-shaped. It is only common in night light cases for these differences to come to light. Many factors can attribute to these varying descriptions. One specific object can be seen from different angles, with the angle of the object only reflecting part of its light system, depending on atmospheric or weather conditions, or the very way a witness looks at the object can make this difference. It is very possible that two witnesses can see the same object at the same time, and give two completely different accounts. This fact has been proven in scientific studies of eye witnesses accounts in crime cases. Another possibility in the case in point is that there may have been several different objects of different shapes and sizes. In my own research into this case over the years, I have come to the personal conclusion that the main object over Arizona was of a circular shape, and this is corroborated by the various still and video film taken. There were other shapes observed, but it appears that the "mother-ship" was circular.
Though the huge lighted formation seemed to move in a tauntingly slow speed over Arizona, it was reported that strange lights had sped from the Henderson-Las Vegas, Nevada area toward Arizona, and seemed to slow down as it entered the Arizona area. Initial reports described anywhere from 5-7 points of light, and ultimately 8 with a trailing ninth. The enormous object was extremely low, and mountainous areas could be seen behind the craft in pictures, therefore giving photographic experts scale to approximate the elevation from the ground, and the distance from the camera. This would enable an estimate of the craft being a whopping one mile or more in length! The color of its lights were described as "blue-white," to "yellow-white," to "amber." Again, these differences of description do not necessitate there being more than one object. During the crafts fast moving period, it was estimated to be moving at Mach 2-3. As it slowed down as if posing to be filmed, the speed dropped to an estimated 10-15 MPH. At one point over Sky Harbor, it reportedly hovered for several minutes. The object was also reported to change shapes, speeds, and colors, as it made its way across the skies of Arizona.
The Evidence
The Lights Appear
The Mothership
Eyewitness Accounts
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Various photographs of the Phoenix Lights
(click on pic to view larger image)
There were also, about this same time, several reports of two round objects which seemed to detach from the larger "V" shaped object, only to later rejoin the mother-ship. One witness described the "V" shaped mother-ship dividing itself into two separate craft as it moved toward the city of Tucson.
Another dramatic description of the mother-ship was made by a group of real estate agents who had subdivided property over the northern part of Phoenix. They would also get a close-up view of the gigantic disc. They estimated the craft to be a staggering two miles wide as it flew at a low altitude near Phoenix. They could see dozens of bright lights along the leading edges, and also a row of windows with "silhouettes of people." It also seems highly probably that for some reason, the giant craft turned off its lights, as observers could see only the windows with what appeared to be people shadowed in the glow of the inside. Another family got a brightly lit view of the unknown object, and described its color as "flat blue-black, like the color of a shotgun barrel."
Among the most reliable witnesses of the craft's movements that first night were two airplane pilots, one retired from an airline, and another from Vietnam, who was also a U. S. Marshall. Though seeing the object at different times and places, both men described a craft of "immense size," measuring up to a mile long. The Marshall could also see the city lights of Phoenix reflecting from the bottom of the massive object, while it "blocked out the stars." One of the pilots also videotaped the UFO, but had the tape confiscated in a "men in black" encounter. In a completely separate incident, a group of witnesses had reported a "huge discoid" craft which was "larger than Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University." This object was hovering just above tree tops at the west end of Sky Harbor runway between 2:00 and 3:00 AM about two weeks prior to March 13.
It was almost inevitable that the United States Air Force would become involved in an event of this magnitude, and the Phoenix lights mystery would be no exception. While driving down Interstate-I-17 from Camp Verde, a truck driver had been seeing two amber colored UFOs moving ahead of him southward for two whole hours. His destination was a materials plant near Luke Air Force Base. Upon arriving there, the two UFOs hovered nearby. While his truck was being loaded, the driver walked upon a pile of materials to get a better look at the two UFOs. He could make out two identical "toy, top-like amber orbs" with a white glow to them. A band of red lights pulsated on the craft as it hovered near the Luke AFB runway. Suddenly, two F-16s "blasted out of Luke with their afterburners on full." Soon, a third plane followed, and all three made a direct run toward the hovering UFOs.
As the first two jets were about to reach the UFOs, the unknown objects shot straight upward, and disappeared "in an instant." The two jets flew right through the exact spot the UFOs had previously occupied. A Luke ground crewman later confirmed to NUFORC that the driver's account was true. He also stated that upon returning to the base runway, one of the pilots had to be helped from his cockpit. He was visibly shaken from what had just happened.
According to Peter Davenport of the NUFORC one of the more intriguing reports was submitted by a young man who claimed to be an Airman stationed at Luke Air Force Base, located to the west of Phoenix in Litchfield Park. He telephoned the National UFO Reporting Center at 3:20 a.m. on Friday, some eight hours after the sightings on the previous night, and reported that two USAF F-15c fighters had been “scrambled” from Luke AFB, and had intercepted one of the objects. Although the presence of F-15’s could never be confirmed, the airman provided detailed information which proved to be highly accurate, based on what investigators would reconstruct from witnesses over subsequent weeks and months. Two days after his first telephone call, the airman called to report that he had just been informed by his commander that he was being transferred to an assignment in Greenland. He has never been heard from again since that telephone call.
The Phoenix lights case is not without its controversy, much of which originated from the Air Force. In May of 1997, Luke AFB Public Affairs Office stated that Air Force personnel had investigated the so-called "UFOs," and had solved the case. They claimed that flares dropped from an A-10 "Warthog" had caused the numerous reports of night lights. This explanation is totally unfounded for several reasons. First of all, flares do not move in unison, fall toward the ground, and then fly back up into the air, and move across many miles without changing their relative positions. Secondly, many witnesses had made reports of the giant lights hours before the reported time of the launch of the flares.
This would not be end of the Phoenix lights. Sightings over the Phoenix area have continued to this day, supported by eyewitness accounts, photographs and video.
Military Involvement
The Flare Theory
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Article from The Arizona Republic.
May 11, 1997.
X-Files is Opened Into Phoenix "UFO", BarWood asks staff to investigate lights By Susie Steckner and Chris Fiscus. It's not exactly the kind of made-for-tv case those X-files agents would investigate. But, says Frances Emma Barwood, those strange lights in the Phoenix sky should be checked out by city staff, at the very least. "I asked them to find out if it's a hoax or what," the Phoenix councilwoman said Friday. "I did not see it. I wish someone would have called me. "Apparently, people all over the city got video of it. They all said it was as big as a football field." So Sculley -Sheryl, the assistant city manager, not X-files FBI Agent Dana Scully - has asked police to look into the sightings, at Barwoods request. "I guess they'll ask Sky Harbor, ask the military, look at videos, I'd love to see all the videos," Barwood said. In March, callers from Prescott Valley to Tucson flooded the National UFO Reporting Center in Seattle to report the appearance of a boomerang-shaped, lighted object. The center called it "the most dramatic sighting" reported in the past two or three years. In the following weeks, it drew hundreds of calls - even one from Las Vegas - and resulted in an inch-thick stack of written reports, center Director Peter Davenport said. Then, in April, the sighting was featured on the out-of-this world radio program called The Edge of Reality, which is produced in New York City. "Personally, I think it's something the Air Force is working on, some sort of large transport," Barwood said. Does she believe in UFOS? "That's a good question," she said. "I guess I have an open mind." Since God created the universe, she said, "Why couldn't he have created others?" UFO researchers so far say they have no explanation, despite asking questions around Luke Air Force Base and local airports. Davenport, meanwhile, is thrilled to hear that a public official is taking the sightings seriously. "As far as I know, this is the first time I've ever heard of a local or state body taking an official stand," he said. "I'm encouraged. I'm heartened by that." At a City Council meeting this week, Barwood said she was "a little curious" about the recent sightings. She said a television news crew asked her about the lights, and piqued her curiosity. The crew was from the show Extra, which aired a segment Thursday about the "Phoenix UFO mystery." Barwood said the main reason she asked the city to look into the matter is because the TV crew asked why no one was investigating the reports. "I said, 'I'll ask.'" "I don't know why they (the government) don't check it out and if it was nothing, say it was nothing," Barwood said. "Being there were videos of it, it has people's curiosity. Why not check it out and see if it's a hoax?"
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Article from The Arizona Republic.
3-11-98 Steve Wilson - Republic Columnist 'Phoenix Lights' witnesses credible, hard to dismiss: When the "Phoenix Lights" were reported last year, I yawned. I didn't see them, and breathless TV broadcasts were underwhelming. It seemed easy enough to dismiss the lights as flares or military aircraft. UFOs? You've got to be kidding. Still, as the March 13 anniversary of the sightings approached, I was curious enough to seek out some witnesses. I suspected most would turn out to be UFO devotees. My skepticism was heightened by a New Times story last week that debunked the extraterrestrial theorizing and discredited a leading local theorist, Jim Dilettoso, as a "quack scientist." I found several people with credible credentials who witnessed the lights. At the least, their stories are interesting. Even if you regard their accounts dubiously, as I do, they raise legitimate questions. Enough questions, says Peter Davenport, director of the National UFO Reporting Center in Seattle, that what happened that night "may rank as the most dramatic UFO event in the past 50 years." First, a little background. The lights were spotted between 7:30 and 10:30 in the evening over a 300-mile corridor from the Nevada line through Prescott Valley and Phoenix to the northern edge of Tucson. Some reports indicate that a single "V" formation traveled across the state, while others suggest multiple UFO events. The lights were seen by hundreds of people. Here are four: Dr. Bradley Evans, 47, is a clinical psychiatrist from Tucson. He and his wife, Kris, were driving north on Interstate 10 to a swimming meet in Tempe. They watched the lights for 20 minutes or so move slowly south in a diamond formation and pass over them at an estimated 1,500 feet. Even then, with the car's moon roof open, they heard not a sound from the sky. He was "awed" by the experience and has no idea what he saw. Kris said she couldn't explain it either and guesses it was "something military." Trig Johnston, 50, is a retired commercial airline pilot who lives in north Scottsdale. His 22-year-old son was looking for Comet Hale-Bopp that night when he noticed the lights and told his dad. "I looked up and remember saying out loud, "I'm going to chalk this up to an illusion.' It was the size of 25 airliners, moving at about 100 knots at maybe 5,000 feet, and it didn't make a sound. I've flown 747s across oceans and not seen anything like I saw that night," Johnston said. "I don't expect anybody to take my word for it," he added. "This was something you had to see for yourself to believe." Max Saracen, 34, is a real estate consultant who lives in north Phoenix. He and his wife, Shahla, were driving west on Deer Valley Road when they saw a huge triangular craft. They pulled off the road, got out and watched it pass overhead. "It was very spooky -- this gigantic ship blocking out the stars and silently creeping across the sky. I don't know of any aircraft with silent engines." Dr. X is a physician who lives near Squaw Peak in Phoenix and asked to remain anonymous for fear of ridicule. Her home has an elevated, panoramic view of the Valley, and she has some of the best known videotape and photographs of the lights. Though she had no prior interest in UFOs, the episode prompted her to begin her own investigation. "I think what happened is mind-boggling," she said. "I'm trying to be as scientific as I can, and a number of things just don't compute." I'm not given to an otherworldly answer. But neither do I think these four people and so many others who saw the lights are all exaggerating or delusional. Of all the explanations, a U.S. military operation of some sort, maybe testing experimental aircraft, seems most likely. Mitch Stanley of Scottsdale said he could clearly see several planes when he pointed his telescope at the lights. But if it was a classified operation, why conduct it directly over the nation's sixth-biggest city? And if it wasn't, why hasn't the military simply acknowledged it? You don't have to be a ufologist to be puzzled about what lit the sky that night. Steve Wilson - Republic Columnist - e-mail: steve.wilson@XXXXX ~end of article~
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Source & References:
www.cnn.com
Arizona Republic
www.nicap.org
(last update, 03-09-07)
UFO Casebook News Feed.
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03-01-07-Witnesses were driving along when suddenly a gold flash of light came through the sky. They could first see the light through their sunroof, and thought it might be a shooting star. The object was shaped like a boomerang, and moved very fast in a zig-zag pattern. Several witnesses in the car saw the object as it simply and suddenly disappeared from sight.
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03-05-07-Witness was in hot tub after 8:00 PM, and looking up into the eastern sky saw two objects flying in an echelon pattern. Objects were heading northerly. Objects traveled from the constellation of Leo's throat to the handle of the Big Dipper in about 10 seconds. The objects were a dim, fuzzy orange color. They eventually faded from view.
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January, 2007-From an about.com reader-About two months ago I pointed my 6.2 mp digital HP 717 camera at the night sky in my back yard and took three photos a minute or so apart. I didn't see anything... I was just testing the camera and checking out what it would do.
About two weeks ago I had the photos on Picasa2 and they were 'black'. I moved the 'lighten' bar and objects 'jumped' into view. I then used Picasa2 to adjust the shadow and light... but NOT the color. Every color you see just came into being as I adjusted the shadow and light. Because of this experience, that is photographing 'something' in the night sky, I'm going to get a 12 mp camera. What might a 12 mp camera have shown? |
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03-03-07-Witness was waiting for a phone call while on the second story of his house. He looked out the window, and saw a very bright light, which at first he thought was a star. But, the object was so bright and moving that he thought it was a UFO. It made abrupt moves upward and to subjects left. Object then descended below a line of trees, and never was seen again.
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After 11:00 PM, witness was watching television with his girlfriend. The television was at a medium volume when the witness' attention was drawn outside by a very deep, loud, hum. The hum was continuous, so the witness went outside to check it out. Soon, he saw the source of the sound, it was a cluster of lights, multi-colored and shaped like a hat. The object was slowly descending. He called his girlfriend who also saw the objects. Before long, the lights all merged into one, and the sound stopped. The sighting was reported to the Del Rio Police department.
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03-01-07-Witness was visiting Christopher Newport University campus on March 1st. He later met up with his friends, and they decided to go to a local park and play flashlight tag. About an hour into the game, witness looked up into the sky because of the Moons brightness. Witness then noticed that it was not the Moon, but an unknown object giving off the light. Going to tell his friends about his sighting, he realized they too were watching the object. The object was cigar-shaped. The witnesses felt strangely tranquil as they watched the UFO. It finally disappeared.
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Editor; B. J. Booth.