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telescope eyepiece only provides a_ driver and passenger in a car saw an narrow-angle view, and of a very small object a few feet above the ground as fraction of the sky. they rounded a curve in the road. The Astronomers do, however, sometimes object was spherical and seemed see UFOs—although what may be _ transparent, with what looked like tall reported or discussed in public is not the figures inside it. The car radio failed same as what may be admitted in more suddenly. Three astronomers at the guarded statements. observatory described the object as a In 1976, over a thousand members of _ brilliant sphere with a swirling centre. It the American Astronomical Society approached the observatory before were asked in a survey if they had making a 90-degree turn, moving away experienced any UFO-type at speed. The astronomers could not observations. A small but significant explain the object, which was seen from number, amounting to about five per the observatory for several minutes and cent of the members, responded that by other eyewitnesses near Galdar for they had in fact seen an object which — up to half an hour. they were unable to explain and which — During a scientific conference at the they would classify as a UFO. Shemakha Observatory at Baku on the Caspian Sea coast in October 1999, Sightings by astronomers scientists including astrophysicists There have been several noted reports observed a large disc-shaped object from astronomers and from which was overhead for several observatories. minutes. The object was also recorded As far back as 1949, Dr Clyde on videotape. Following a study of the Tombaugh, famous for his discovery of _ results, the scientists were reported to be Pluto in 1930, was at his home in New unanimous in concluding that the object Mexico with other members of his was not of terrestrial origin and could family when they saw a very strange not be explained in terms of any known object in the sky. He was so astonished atmospheric phenomenon. and concerned that he reported the matter to the FBI, on the understanding Research and reporting that details would not be revealed to the Reports of UFOs are on a worldwide public. Later, the astronomer did not basis, with many reliable accounts reveal other sightings of unknown coming from aircraft pilots, police objects when he found that details of the earlier incident had been released. Another astronomer who experienced Lh Bore an unexplained sighting was Dr H. P. L BOUGHT 4 Wilkins, a highly respected observer and an authority on the subject of the lunar surface. It was in 1954, during a lecture tour of the United States, that he saw three unknown objects while travelling by air over West Virginia. The objects were oval and well defined, and moved against the wind direction. Two of the objects moved slowly, while the third one dived quickly behind the clouds. In 1976, an incident was reported from GAldar in the Canary Islands, involving astronomers at the Monte Izane Astrophysical Observatory. The 1 Phone. officers and military personnel. The reports are helping to build up a pattern with a degree of consistency. Many of the best cases do not involve just visual sightings but instances of objects interacting with the environment, producing apparent effects on vehicle, aircraft and radar-tracking systems and leaving physical traces. In 1997, a team was set up by Professor Peter Sturrock of Stanford University, a leading science research centre in the United States, to conduct a scientific review of UFO evidence. The team examined a sample of significant UFO cases and concluded that the subject deserved more serious scientific study. When it comes to media reporting, the UFO subject is usually ignored—except when it comes to a more significant report which may not always be dealt with in a serious way. Then, of course, there are the debunkers. These are people who do not study the evidence carefully to arrive at a reasonable explanation, but prefer any seemingly easy answer regardless of the evidence. In this way, you can have a daylight sighting explained as a magnified image of the planet Jupiter or Venus being put forward to explain almost anything. It is well known that many scientists Research and reporting Reports of UFOs are on a worldwide basis, with many reliable accounts coming from aircraft pilots, police Ten a Semery NEXUS ¢ 59 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2009 www.nexusmagazine.com