A hiker in Portugal took some photos of an odd object recently. The witness submitted the photos and report to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) yesterday. According to the report, the sighting took place on August 20, 2017.

Picture submitted by witness. Click to enlarge.

(Credit: MUFON)

Second picture submitted by witness. Click to enlarge.

(Credit: MUFON)

The witness says the object appeared to be the size of a helicopter. The witness described it as an “irregular sphere” in the title of the report, and as a spherical object in the description. However, the odd shape that can be seen in the photos is difficult to describe.

Close-up of object in first picture.

Close-up of object in second picture.

The witness wrote, verbatim:

I was hiking on the mountain and taking pictures when I observed a spherical object the size of a helicopter. It flew silently and too fast, so I immediately started shooting. While doing this I lost the visual reference of the object. When I returned to look at the sky in search of the first object appeared a second object at the same speed and following the same path. The objects traveled from SE to NW at a speed of over 300 km / h, at an altitude of 100m to 200m and at a distance of less than 3km from the observation point.

Map of area submitted by witness. Click to enlarge.

(Credit: MUFON)

Mylar balloons can look odd floating around and are often reported as UFOs. However, they are typically a regular shape and smooth. Could this one be a half deflated balloon? If so, it would not have been as large as a helicopter as the witness describes, and it does look to be rather large in the photo.

The marker shows the location of Vila Real, the area the witness says the sighting took place.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The vast majority of UFO sightings turn out to be mundane objects, but once in awhile there are sightings that are much more difficult to explain. MUFON conducts investigations on sightings submitted to their website, and if they share their conclusions, we will let you all know. Meanwhile, others will likely chime in and we will try to keep you up to date with any discoveries. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the object in the comments below.

A witness in Arizona submitted a video to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) of lights dancing around the night sky. The video is very impressive, but the lights are most likely drones.

Screen shot from UFO video submitted to MUFON.

(Credit: MUFON)

The witness submitted the video on September 10, 2017, indicating the sighting had taken place on the evening of September 3. The witness wrote that the UFOs were witnessed while driving in the Oro Valley, a suburb of Phoenix. The witness stopped the car to take a look and film the objects.

Marker indicates approximate location of witness. The objects were likely around the park at the bottom of this image.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The witness described the objects as “3 balls of light with glimmer of red and blue hovering, flying near tangerine rd and copper spring dr.”

The witness stated the objects were seen for about 10 minutes. The video lasts almost 2 minutes, and can be downloaded here.

The park where drones were most likely launched.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The lights dance around the sky, and the video is impressive, but so are modern day drones. Another giveaway is that the objects seem to launch from a park in the distance.

Drone technology has come a long way. In fact, drone racing has become a popular sport. Drone racers can don a virtual reality goggles and view the race first person. It is like a real-life video game. Check out this great video below of drone racing from GoPro. The drones are very maneuverable, and because Phoenix enjoys great weather, it is a hot spot for nighttime drone racing.

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A witness in Arizona submitted a video to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) of lights dancing around the night sky. The video is very impressive, but the lights are most likely drones.

Screen shot from UFO video submitted to MUFON.

(Credit: MUFON)

The witness submitted the video on September 10, 2017, indicating the sighting had taken place on the evening of September 3. The witness wrote that the UFOs were witnessed while driving in the Oro Valley, a suburb of Phoenix. The witness stopped the car to take a look and film the objects.

Marker indicates approximate location of witness. The objects were likely around the park at the bottom of this image.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The witness described the objects as “3 balls of light with glimmer of red and blue hovering, flying near tangerine rd and copper spring dr.”

The witness stated the objects were seen for about 10 minutes. The video lasts almost 2 minutes, and can be downloaded here.

The park where drones were most likely launched.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The lights dance around the sky, and the video is impressive, but so are modern day drones. Another giveaway is that the objects seem to launch from a park in the distance.

Drone technology has come a long way. In fact, drone racing has become a popular sport. Drone racers can don a virtual reality goggles and view the race first person. It is like a real-life video game. Check out this great video below of drone racing from GoPro. The drones are very maneuverable, and because Phoenix enjoys great weather, it is a hot spot for nighttime drone racing.

 { http://www.openminds.tv/ }

On several occasions in 1975, Yugoslav Air Force jets saw a strange multi-colored glowing orb, but every time they tried to investigate, it would outrun their jet fighters. Finally, after failed attempts to get a closer look, and facing ridicule for reporting the incidents, they chose to ignore it.

This is according to General Zvonimir Jurjevic, former commander of the Air Force and Air Defense of Yugoslavia. The story was first revealed in 2011 in a book on the 172 Aviation Regiment, which was lead by Jujevic. He recently discussed the UFO encounters again in an interview with Sputnik International.

According to Jujevic the UFO encounters began in January, 1975 and lasted for several days. Every night, 50 minutes after take off, he would see the object.

Soko J-21 fighter jet. This was the type of aircraft flown at the time of the incidents. The Soko J-21 Jastreb is a single-seat, light attack and reconnaissance aircraft designed in Yugoslavia in the 1960s.

(Credit: Dennis Jarvis/Wikimedia Commons)

“The object looked like a glowing orb, very well visible, maybe ten times lighter than the brightest star at that moment,” Jurjevic told Sputnik International. “Color constantly changed: white, yellow, light red, orange, again white, and so on. It appeared from nowhere, unexpectedly.”

“It was attracting attention on purpose,” Jurjevic speculated.

Jurjevic was not the only one to see the object, many of the pilots in his regiment also reported it. However, it never turned up on radar.

Jurjevic recalls that on January 25, he decided to attempt to get a closer look. However, once he headed towards the object, it took off and was gone. Soon after, Jurjevic devised a better plan to catch the object off guard. He recruited the pilots of three other aircraft to join in him the hunt.

On that night, in late January, Jurjevic and another aircraft took off unannounced. Two other jets took off soon after. They had decided not to inform anyone of their plans, nor discuss it on radio, just in case the object was related to some sort of monitoring of their movements by a foreign country.

“I only just stabilized the flight somewhere over Cetinje, when suddenly the object flashed over Budva, and Lieutenant Machec saw it above Niksic,” Jurjevic recalled. “I ordered Machec to stay in place, and took a course parallel to the Adriatic coast, where I tried to establish at what distance the object was: it turned out that it was at about ten kilometers.”

10 kilometers was as close as Jurjevic could get. The object continued to match his speed and movements to stay the same distance away no matter what Jurjevic tired. Two supersonic Soviet MiG-21s were dispatched to the area from Belgrade. During the entire incident, the object could not be seen on radar, until the MiGs arrived. However, it was no help. The object was able to outmaneuver the MiGs as well.

Soviet MiG-21s

(Credit: U.S. Department of Defense)

Jurjevic was met with a lot of curiosity by his colleagues, but also ridicule. He denied the object was of no danger, and since he did not want to deal with the ridicule, he decided to ignore it from there on out.

UFO blogger Billy Cox got ahold of a translation by Giuliano Marinkovic of the 2011 book in which Jurjevic first told the story. He gave this account of their last encounter with the unusual object.

“People watched me suspiciously and squadron commander approached and told me that 100 people at the apron are watching UFO and that I am only person who can’t see it. I replied loudly so other could hear me that I can’t see anything because I don’t want to see it so everyone should stop commenting and do his job as usual. After appearing above airport, UFO turned off its lights and vanished forever.”

U.S. acquired MiG-21 being tested near Area 51.

(Credit: DOD Defense Intelligence Agency)

Jurjevic told Sputnik International the last encounter was on February 12, 1975.

This story is a great example, and a common one I have heard from military UFO witnesses. Often it is not a grand conspiracy that makes people in the military sweep UFO encounters under the rug. It is ridicule or the uneasiness of being associated with a UFO event.

One retired Navy radar tech told me that he faced a lot of ridicule for reporting UFOs they caught on their ship’s radar. When he asked fellow radar techs if they also observed extremely fast unidentified aircraft on their scopes, sometimes they said they had. When asked why they they did not report them, they said they didn’t want the headache of dealing with the fallout of reporting them.

You hear this same sentiment from commercial airline pilots, police officers and many others. It makes one wonder how many other extraordinary sightings go unreported and investigated.

Open Minds UFO Radio: Rich Hoffman has been investigating the UFO phenomena for over 52 years. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio, the home of Project Blue Book, the US Air Force Project that was in place from 1952 to 1969. At age 15 he appeared on a Phil Donahue show in Dayton and became known as the local UFO expert which quickly propelled him into presenting to associations, churches, and many other organizations and appeared on TV and radio. When the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) first formed, he quickly joined and held numerous positions, including the State Director for Alabama, Director of MUFON Strategic Projects and served on the MUFON Science Review Board’s Top 10 case review committee. Rich is also a member of NARCAP, the Planetary Society, and although he is no longer with MUFON, he continues UFO investigations on his own and with the Scientific Coalition for Ufology (SCU). The later is known for their thorough report on a UFO video captured by Homeland Security in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Rich is an IT professional working for a defense contractor firm supporting the Army Materiel Command HQ located at Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama.

One of Rich’s current projects is the investigation of mysterious balls of lights that appear in Alabama. In this interview, we talk to Rich about this light phenomenon, its history, and Rich’s ongoing investigation.

For more about Rich and the Scientific Coalition for Ufology (SCU), visit: www.ExploreSCU.org

For more about the Cloverdale lights, read his article on OpenMinds.tv: Cloverdale UAP Project: Investigating the “Spooklights” UFO phenomenon in Alabama

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The total eclipse that will be visible in parts of the U.S. is an exciting celestial event. That has people, such as the ones who made today’s Google search animation, thinking about aliens. Many are wondering if UFO sightings will increase, and some have suggested aliens may be coming to check out the event themselves.

Google search animations are always fun, and several have included aliens or UFOs. However, why they decided to use aliens in today’s eclipse animation is anyone’s guess. As you can see above, the aliens are playing bouncy ball with the Moon. Although it is a fun animation, it is not an educational one. This is not how eclipses occur, but if you click on the image from the Google search page, you will find actual facts about eclipses.

What makes today’s total eclipse special is that it can be seen in the U.S., which is great for those of us in this country who might live in areas where there will be a total eclipse, or those who can take some time off and get to one of those areas.

While eclipses are not created by aliens bouncing the Moon in front of the Sun, some do believe aliens are responsible for the Moon. One of the strange anomalies that give people the idea that the Moon is too peculiar to be natural is the incredible coincidence that makes a total eclipse possible.

(Credit: NASA)

An eclipse is created when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, partially blocking its light. Big deal, right? We have all seen a shadow, so that is nothing special. However, the Moon is very small compared to the Sun, so why does it appear to be the same size during a total eclipse? The Sun is actually 400 times larger than the moon. The amazing coincidence is that it is also about 400 times further away as well. This allows it to perfectly block out the sun when it passes in front of it.

This illustration depicts a rare alignment of the Sun and Moon casting a shadow on Earth.
(Credits: NASA)

Because the Moon perfectly covers the Sun, it allows scientists an opportunity to study the Sun’s atmosphere in a manner that would otherwise not be possible.

Although I am not so sure aliens brought the Moon into Earth’s orbit, I got to admit, this is a weird coincidence.

As for UFO sightings, Nick Pope, former UFO researcher for the Ministry of Defense, recently told the Daily Express UFO sightings do increase during an eclipse.

“Past experience suggests there will be an upsurge in UFO sightings during the total eclipse,” Pope explained. “I suspect many of these will turn out to be news helicopters filming the crowds, or drones flown by amateur photographers, and maybe the sightings occur simply because more people are looking at the sky.”

He predicted there will be hundreds of sightings.

Another UFO researcher, Cheryl Costa, examined UFO sighting reports in an ideal eclipse watching location in her recent blog for the Syracuse New Times.

“Any seasoned sky watcher will tell you that the high desert is where you want to be to observe such a celestial event,” Costa wrote. “For this specific solar eclipse event, the city of Madras, Oregon, is going to be an ideal place. Madras is positioned close to the centerline of the solar eclipse path of totality. At an elevation of 2,242 feet (683 meters), the high desert environment in August is regularly clear skies.”

In order to estimate the possibility of UFO sightings in the area during the eclipse, she ran some numbers.

“According to the UFO Sighting Desk Reference, from 2001-2015, Oregon ranked No. 13 of all 50 states and the District of Columbia with 3,013 reported UFO sightings,” Costa noted.

However, UFO reports are not the only unusual reports we may get from the eclipse. Of course you had my off-the-wall suggestion the Moon was brought here by aliens, but according to Pope, this may be only the tip of the iceberg.

“Sadly, there’s a dark side – pun intended – to the eclipse,” Pope explained to the Daily Express. “Such events bring out the crazies, and I confidently predict that there will be an upsurge in nutjobbery at the time of the total eclipse. I’ve already seen predictions that the world will end, along with suggestions that we’ll see more sightings of Bigfoot, demons, and all manner of other weird stuff.”

Here at OpenMinds.tv “weird stuff” is our specialty, so stay tuned and we will let you know if we come across any noteworthy “nutjobbery” or legit UFO sightings. Until then, enjoy the eclipse.

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A video was submitted to a UFO investigation organization showing something zipping in front of the camera during a shot of the U.S. capital building on Fox News.

The video was submitted earlier today to the Mutual UFO Network’s (MUFON) UFO reporting database. The witness did not have much to say. The report simply says, verbatim: “It flew infront of the capital building while I was watching Fox News.”

A video and a screenshot from the video were also included. The witness did indicate the sighting took place in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, presumably the city where the witness lives.

Screenshot of video provided by the witness.

(Credit: MUFON)

In the video, the object appears to be cylindrical and shiny. It moves quickly and steadily from the bottom left of the screen to the upper right. The shape of the object might not indicate the true shape and size of whatever passed in from of the camera. The object was likely close to the camera, making it seem very large. Since it was moving so quickly, the object’s shape could also appear more elongated than it actually is.

Closeup of object in video.

In many cases such as this, birds and bugs are mistaken for something more mysterious. Motion blur cause the object to appear elongated and large, like a giant flying saucer. However, often in those cases wings flapping cause the object to look like it has ridges or multiple appendages. That effect cannot be seen in this video. I uploaded a version of the video slowed down to 10%, seen above.

So what is it? I dunno. I suppose it could also be a hoax or maybe a yellow frisbee. Take a look at the video yourself and let us know what you think.

A video was submitted to a UFO investigation organization showing something zipping in front of the camera during a shot of the U.S. capital building on Fox News.

The video was submitted earlier today to the Mutual UFO Network’s (MUFON) UFO reporting database. The witness did not have much to say. The report simply says, verbatim: “It flew infront of the capital building while I was watching Fox News.”

A video and a screenshot from the video were also included. The witness did indicate the sighting took place in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, presumably the city where the witness lives.

Screenshot of video provided by the witness.

(Credit: MUFON)

In the video, the object appears to be cylindrical and shiny. It moves quickly and steadily from the bottom left of the screen to the upper right. The shape of the object might not indicate the true shape and size of whatever passed in from of the camera. The object was likely close to the camera, making it seem very large. Since it was moving so quickly, the object’s shape could also appear more elongated than it actually is.

Closeup of object in video.

In many cases such as this, birds and bugs are mistaken for something more mysterious. Motion blur cause the object to appear elongated and large, like a giant flying saucer. However, often in those cases wings flapping cause the object to look like it has ridges or multiple appendages. That effect cannot be seen in this video. I uploaded a version of the video slowed down to 10%, seen above.

So what is it? I dunno. I suppose it could also be a hoax or maybe a yellow frisbee. Take a look at the video yourself and let us know what you think.

Depiction of triangle UFO at night.

(Credit: OpenMinds.tv)

So perhaps researchers need to take a step back and look into the darkness—into the far more rare cases of nighttime sightings of craft flying completely dark, without any lights. It’s impossible for skeptics to consign such cases to the “Venus Files” if they are solid, unlit objects. These cases also present a more enticing element, which may or may not be warranted—a somewhat sinister aspect as these craft obviously don’t want to be seen as they are cruising silently just over your head.

The subject of “Dark UFOs” came up recently when I interviewed Lorraine M. about her early 1980s sighting in Putnam County, NY, which was the scene of a major flap in the Hudson Valley which lasted several years.

“I was leaving a party with my friends,” Lorraine explained in a detailed email. “It was 1am and we had parked our cars in an elementary school parking lot. There were about six of us, laughing, having fun. I looked up into the sky to take in the beauty of this clear, starlit night when all of a sudden I noticed an area straight up without stars! ‘What the hell?!’ was my first response! I elbowed my boyfriend and pointed to the sky without saying a word. Immediately he elbowed and pointed upward to the next friend, and so on! We all stood there dumbstruck, looking up, amazed at the sight before us.”

This is a great description of the immediate reaction to such a sighting—no words, just each friend nudging one another and pointing successively on down the line. Lorraine explained that there were no streetlights, and the field of stars was very bright that night. The “colossal craft” had no lights or other form of illumination, so “The only way you could see its triangular shape was how it blotted out the stars!”

“We all stood there, staring upward, mouths agape, bewildered… scared yet amazed…It passed over us at a height that it could nick its bottom on the point of the Empire State Building. And its speed was as slow as a balloon in the Macy’s Day Parade. It passed slowly. Creeping along. Then all of a sudden it shot out from view, then reappeared what seemed like ten miles down further and continued its sloth-like pace.

“We ran to our cars! The next day we learned through the local newspaper that others had witnessed this craft as well! I would say that experience far exceeded any party that night!”

Just to further emphasize her story, Lorraine later emailed me this:

“All of this is the darn truth! I’ll never forget it!!”

Book cover to Linda Zimmerman’s Hudson Valley UFOs.

This craft exhibited many of the characteristics described by witnesses during the 1980s flap—triangular, the size of a football field, and the ability to go both incredibly slow and impossibly fast. However, whereas most of the other craft witnessed were often described as being lit up like Christmas trees, this one was flying dark.

Around the same time frame of the late 70s and early 80s, a “black disk” was spotted one night in Brentwood, NY, which is on Long Island. A witness reported to MUFON that she went outside to call her cat in for the night when she looked up and saw “a black disk the size of a stop sign at arm’s length” and about the height of a radio tower. It moved very slowly, diagonally over her house and she had time to observe it from both the back and front yards.

Again, there were no lights, and the shape was only able to be determined by the “sky glow” from the neighborhood lights, as the object was silhouetted against the dark sky. There was one other unusual feature the witness described with this craft—“The bottom didn’t appear smooth, it looked like it had sections that were raised, with sharp edges.” Unlike the previous case, however, where the UFO shot off in the blink of an eye, this black craft just quietly floated out of sight.

Yet another different shape of dark object appeared even earlier in the area, a rectangular craft as described in a 1978 NUFORC report from Avon, Connecticut. This case was also different, as what first drew the attention of the witness was a bright light, which apparently shut off as the witness approached.

“I was driving back to where I was staying that night after dropping off a friend. I was driving up a road in Avon, CT, when I saw a bright light up ahead; I thought this was unusual for this time of night [1 am]. I proceeded up the road and when I got to where the light basically was coming from, there was no light present. I looked around in curiosity and discovered an object the size of a house hovering about fifty feet in the air. There was a half moon and visibility was good, this object was very dark and large, there were no lights on and it made no noise whatsoever.

“I parked my car in the middle of the road and left it running with the lights on, hoping someone would come down the road to witness this as well. I stood still in one spot staring at this object for about 5 minutes, fearing what it would be capable of doing. I looked around and saw a house that had its lights on, so I ran over to it and knocked on the door. I waited for a couple of minutes, but nobody answered.

“I ran back to where my car was and the object was still there. I became so scared I jumped in my car and drove off quickly. As I went to the stop sign at the end of the road, I looked up and the object had followed me all the way down the road. I turned to the left and saw the object was still following me, so I floored the gas and never looked back again.”

As if this case isn’t bizarre enough, there was a final twist.

“It took me over a month to tell anyone else, but eventually I told my parents. We ended up moving to an area right where this event occurred, and a neighbor saw the same thing almost one year to the date later. She described the exact same event I witnessed.”

Depiction of triangle UFO at night.

(Credit: OpenMinds.tv)

What were the chances that this witness would actually move to the location of her intense encounter, and then find a neighbor who saw the same black, unlit object around the same day the following year?

Another black triangle with no lights was seen by at least three men in 1985. It was around midnight when “Jerry” and his friend, “Matt” were driving from Danbury Hospital toward Brewster, NY on Route 84. The sky was overcast, but not completely dark, due to the sky glow from all the street and building lights. Had it been a clear night, the two friends may not have seen the incredible silent object they witnessed, silhouetted against the clouds.

“It was a large solid, black triangle with no visible sign of propulsion,” Jerry told me. “No exhaust, no propellers. It was low enough that the altitude itself was notable and striking as it appeared to be very low relative to the highway for such a large craft. In terms of speed, I would say somewhere around 80 miles an hour. I am guessing that because we were driving on I-84 and the craft stayed ahead of us during the time we were on the highway, but was not pulling away at great speed. There were no lights that I recall and the craft was a triangle, not the V-shape that I know some others have seen. It would have been travelling at well below stall speed for any conventional aircraft of its size.

“We pulled off the highway at Exit 4 (west bound) and pulled into what I believe was an empty lot where a McDonald’s now exists. There was another motorist who had pulled off for the same reason. He was standing outside his car when we pulled in and we spoke briefly. The three of us; my friend, the other motorist and I, all watched the craft head toward Ridgefield [Connecticut]. The time was likely around midnight, but I don’t know the exact time. It was after 10:00 PM because I called the tower at Danbury Airport the next day to see if they had any idea what it was. They said the tower closed at 10:00 so they had no information at all to offer.”

The most startling case I have had involving a dark craft has to be the one sighted by Jim in Howells, NY, in 1995, if for nothing else, the sheer enormity of the object.

Jim was in his twenties and living at his mother’s house. He went to take the garbage out one night, so he turned on the front porch light. This was no ordinary light, as his mother had installed an extremely bright spotlight that did not aim down, it aimed straight ahead, so the angle of its beam went up into the sky, as well. Without that powerful beam of light, Jim never would have seen what passed overhead.

“It was like something out of Battlestar Galactica! It was an enormous, metallic triangle and I could see a lot of detail.”

The craft did not have any lights on, but as it was only at an altitude of a couple of hundred feet, the spotlight illuminated the underside.

Depiction of triangle UFO seen in Illinois.

(Credit: Michael Schratt)

“It wasn’t moving really fast, but it was going along at a good clip. Even so, it took many seconds to pass completely overhead.”

I asked Jim what he would compare the size to: a house, a plane, a football field?

“At least three football fields,” he replied without hesitation.

As he began by making a science fiction spaceship comparison, I mentioned the opening scene of Star Wars where the Imperial Star Destroyer just keeps coming and coming across the screen.

“I never thought of that, but that’s what it was like. It was just enormous.”

“Any sound?” I asked.

“Absolutely silent,” he stated. “Had that spotlight not been on, I don’t think I would have even noticed it.”

I asked what his immediate reaction had been to the sighting, and how it made him feel. In the spirit of a picture being worth a thousand words, rather than trying to describe it, he struck a pose and expression of extreme surprise and amazement. That said it all.

What else is in the skies above us that we don’t notice because it has absolutely no form of illumination? Why are some craft brilliantly lit, clearly wanting to be seen, or at least not caring if they are seen? Can we assume that dark UFOs are rare, or are just the sightings of these craft rare because the conditions have to be just right to see them?

Whatever is going on, these cases present researchers a valuable opportunity to sidestep the numerous excuses for lights in the sky and concentrate on the indisputable facts: for reasons we can only imagine, enormous triangles, disks, and rectangles are in our skies displaying no lights, not wanting to be seen. Based upon the cases with which I have personally dealt, and others I have come across in the MUFON and NUFORC databases, I know I will now be starting a new file labeled “Flying Dark.”

Watch Linda’s presentation on Hudson Valley UFOs here.

The UFO files of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have been declassified. There are 20 pages in the files, and although there is a dubious claim about the construction of a secret alien base and an unconvincing UFO photo, there is an interesting UFO report from U.S. Air Force personnel at a radar station in Montana.

The Forest Service UFO files were obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by John Greenewald. Greenewald runs TheBlackVault.com, a site that houses over one million declassified files obtained via FOIA requests.

Greenewald says he made the request in November, 2016 and received the files in February, 2017.

UFO Photo in Bighorn National Forest

The first report in the file is a letter and photographs from a man who says he caught something “very strange” in a photograph he took while visiting Lost Twin Lakes in Bighorn National Forest. The witness says he did not see or hear anything unusual while taking the picture, but he noticed an odd object in one of the photos when he reviewed them later. He speculates that perhaps it is a drone, but also says he did some research and did not find any drones that looked like the object in the image.

The marker shows the location of Lost Twin Lakes in Bighorn National Forest.

(Credit: Google Maps)

The photograph was taken at about 2:30 pm on September 12, 2015.

Images of unidentified object at Bighorn National Forest provided to U.S. Forest Service.

(Credit: U.S. Forest Service)

It is hard to make out what exactly the object in the image is, but the USFS files did not include a high resolution image. Greenewald says he did inquire if higher resolution images were available, but they were not.

Enlargement of object in photo.

(Credit: U.S. Forest Service)

Without better images, this blob of light and shadows could be anything, and is likely a bird in flight. Often vacation photos with weird objects that were not noted at the time of their taking turn out to be birds or bugs that look strange in photographs once they are reviewed back home.

The USFS did not include their response to the UFO photog, or if they responded at all.

UFO Sighting at Yaak Air Force Station in Kootenai National Forest

Following the UFO photos letter and was a copy of an article regarding Yaak Air Base. According to the article, Yaak Air Base was in operation from April, 1952 to July, 1960, as part of a number of stations throughout the country that served as an early warning system during the cold war in case of a potential Russian attack. The base was near Yaak, Montana, in the Kootenai National Forest.

Location of Yaak Air Base as described in the article.

(Credit: Google Maps)

For our purposes, the most interesting paragraph in the article is the last, and in the file provided to Greenewald, is highlighted in yellow.

It reads:

The Yaak Radar Station also had its share of mystery, on Sept. 1 , 1952, Yaak, Montana. 4:45 a.m: Two USAF enlisted men, and three men using AN/FPS-3 radar set. Report visually sighting two small, varicolored lights becoming black silhouettes at dawn, and flying erratically for one hour. The crew at the radar station saw a, “dark, cigar shaped object,” right where the radar had the UFO pinpointed. What these people saw is a mystery to this day.

This is my favorite part of the USFA UFO files. Unfortunately, no further information is provided.

Alien Base Construction in Tonto National Forest

The most sensational claim in the files, and the one picked up by silly UK tabloids, is a report of a secret government installation being constructed that has something to do with aliens. The subject of the report is “Secret govt installation being built in the Salt River Canyon area on the TNF [Tonto National Forest].”

Area of alleged construction of secret government base that has some relation to aliens that eat people.

(Credit: Google Maps)

What is scary is that this is not far from my house. However, it does make it less scary for me that I do not believe an alien base was actually built there.

Here is a report regarding the call that was taken by David of the Forest Service on the morning of December 30, 2013 regarding UFOs, aliens and one detached head.

David received a call this morning at the front desk from a male caller reporting the construction of a secret government installation upstream from the Salt River Canyon past Pinal Creek (upstream from Roosevelt Lake). Aliens and at least one detached head are involved.

Caller claims to have seen construction cranes coming out the side of the cliffs, miniature stealth planes and UFOs, aliens and people working together at the site, aliens eating people. He found a severed head and claims to have pictures of some of this stuff.

Caller reported that he is 60, not crazy, and doesn’t do drugs. He said he had already called the “office at the lake,” but he didn’t know if those people were turning the other cheek or maybe those people have been paid off.

David had him leave a message with Bray.

Please let me know if t here are any Talking Points to be developed. I’m sure the Phoenix media will be all over this.

Thanks.

P.S. David and I aren’t doing drugs either.

The only other item in the files was a report in 2012 of a meteor or space junk that landed in George Washington & Jefferson National Forests and caused a fire. It was determined the fire was caused by a lightning strike. The report states, “Witnesses saw flaming space junk or satellite crash land in these mountains [Massanutten Range, Virginia] which may have caused the forest fire of last year: June 24, 2012, at around 1150PM Sunday.”

You can check out the files yourself at TheBlackVault.com.

A former security officer at the Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville, Nebraska reported seeing a UFO over the plant sometime in the late 80s. The report was found in documents recently declassified as a result of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for UFO files.

The files were posted today on the website TheBlackVault.com. The website is a repository for millions of pages of declassified documents. It is ran by John Greenewald, who says he requested the NRC files in late February, and was surprised how quickly they responded. He received the UFO files today.

Cooper Nuclear Power Plant on the edge of the 2011 Missouri River Floods on June 15, 2011.

(Credit: U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/WikiMedia Commons)

There are 43 pages of documents, although some of those pages are copies, or have very little information on them. The majority of the pages are correspondence dealing with an incident described as, “unidentified flying object violated the protected area at Cooper Nuclear Station.”

According to the documents, the report was received in June of 2010 by a former security officer. The event actually took place sometime in the late 80s.

The report’s short description reads: “An unidentified flying object violated the protected area at Cooper Nuclear Station between 1986 and 1989, but the event was not reported to the NRC as required.”

The detail section of the report reads (reproduced unedited):

The CI [Confidential Informant] described an event that occurred during his employment as a security officer at Cooper Nuclear Station. He was employed there from 1986 through 1989 and did not remember specifically when during that time the event occurred.

While posted at the intake structure one night, he observed an “unidentified flying object” fly down the Missouri River about 150 feet in the air and hover in front of the intake. He observed it for a few moments and then contacted a fellow security officer who also observed it (he could not recall the individual’s name exactly but his first name was [REDACTED] and his last name was either [REDACTED ]. After they together observed the UFO, it turned and went back up the river and did not come back that shift. He and the other officer shared their observation with their peers who did not believe them.

The next evening he again was posted at the intake and observed the UFO return again. This time he didn’t call anyone until the UFO had traversed into the protected area and hovered above the protected area just north of the Reactor Building. He said it was roughly triangular in shape with a circle of rotating lights on the bottom. He could not hear any propulsion noise from the UFO. He believes that it was roughly 1/3 the size of the Reactor Building. Once the UFO hovered in the protected area. He called the security break room and most of the officers on shift observed the UFO. These individuals included [REDACTED] (both of whom were security officers), all of whom still work at the plant today. After hovering there for a few minutes, the UFO exited the protected are [sic] and returned back up the river to the north as it had the previous night. The CI said that he never saw the UFO at the plant again after that evening.

The CI believes that this incident should have been reported as a violation of the protected area space but was not reported.

In the report, Nick Taylor, the NRC Senior Resident Inspector, searched for corroborating documents from the time, but found nothing. However, he cautioned, “I’d be careful about concluding that if an even wasn’t recorded in CAP [Corrective Action Program] that it did not occur.” Taylor went on to explain the reporting structure in the 80s was not as robust as it currently is. As an example, he noted that there were only 1020 reports between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 1989. Whereas there are nearly 10,000 a year nowadays.

Excerpt of Nuclear Regulatory Commission UFO report.

(Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Although the report appeared to be taken seriously, in one email regarding the follow-up on the report, Taylor wrote: “This one should be a wild ride.”

If the investigation of this case was a wild ride, there is no indication of it in the report. However, William B. Jones, the chief of Allegations Coordination and Enforcement, did request that the letter regarding the incident “be controlled and distribution limited to personnel with a ‘need to know.'”

The report claims that the other witnesses to the event were interviewed, but the results are not included. Those results were sent to “ARB”, presunably an Allegations Review Board, but not included in the files provided to Greenewald.

Cooper Nuclear Station

(Credit: Nebraska Public Power District)

That is the extent of the report. A letter to the witness from the Director of Reactor Safety was also included. It essential said that they will forward the information to Cooper Nuclear Station, but that “no further action” will be taken, and they thanked him for his report.

All in all, an interesting report.

As for the rest of the NRC UFO documents, there is correspondence with an individual who believes there are nuclear craft being flown around, some of which may have crashed and caused radiation contamination.

The other report is a bit more difficult to summarize. The NRC writes:

The individual expressed vague concerns about finding low-level radiation within the last year where his daughter, whom he believes is an alien or alien transplant, passed. In addition, the individual believes that travel speed can be increased using the relativity equation with minor modifications. Finally, the individual has observed UFOs.

The NRC responded that this was out of their jurisdiction and perhaps the individual should contact the Department of Defense.

You can see the files here, at www.TheBlackVault.com.

A former security officer at the Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville, Nebraska reported seeing a UFO over the plant sometime in the late 80s. The report was found in documents recently declassified as a result of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for UFO files.

The files were posted today on the website TheBlackVault.com. The website is a repository for millions of pages of declassified documents. It is ran by John Greenewald, who says he requested the NRC files in late February, and was surprised how quickly they responded. He received the UFO files today.

Cooper Nuclear Power Plant on the edge of the 2011 Missouri River Floods on June 15, 2011.

(Credit: U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/WikiMedia Commons)

There are 43 pages of documents, although some of those pages are copies, or have very little information on them. The majority of the pages are correspondence dealing with an incident described as, “unidentified flying object violated the protected area at Cooper Nuclear Station.”

According to the documents, the report was received in June of 2010 by a former security officer. The event actually took place sometime in the late 80s.

The report’s short description reads: “An unidentified flying object violated the protected area at Cooper Nuclear Station between 1986 and 1989, but the event was not reported to the NRC as required.”

The detail section of the report reads (reproduced unedited):

The CI [Confidential Informant] described an event that occurred during his employment as a security officer at Cooper Nuclear Station. He was employed there from 1986 through 1989 and did not remember specifically when during that time the event occurred.

While posted at the intake structure one night, he observed an “unidentified flying object” fly down the Missouri River about 150 feet in the air and hover in front of the intake. He observed it for a few moments and then contacted a fellow security officer who also observed it (he could not recall the individual’s name exactly but his first name was [REDACTED] and his last name was either [REDACTED ]. After they together observed the UFO, it turned and went back up the river and did not come back that shift. He and the other officer shared their observation with their peers who did not believe them.

The next evening he again was posted at the intake and observed the UFO return again. This time he didn’t call anyone until the UFO had traversed into the protected area and hovered above the protected area just north of the Reactor Building. He said it was roughly triangular in shape with a circle of rotating lights on the bottom. He could not hear any propulsion noise from the UFO. He believes that it was roughly 1/3 the size of the Reactor Building. Once the UFO hovered in the protected area. He called the security break room and most of the officers on shift observed the UFO. These individuals included [REDACTED] (both of whom were security officers), all of whom still work at the plant today. After hovering there for a few minutes, the UFO exited the protected are [sic] and returned back up the river to the north as it had the previous night. The CI said that he never saw the UFO at the plant again after that evening.

The CI believes that this incident should have been reported as a violation of the protected area space but was not reported.

In the report, Nick Taylor, the NRC Senior Resident Inspector, searched for corroborating documents from the time, but found nothing. However, he cautioned, “I’d be careful about concluding that if an even wasn’t recorded in CAP [Corrective Action Program] that it did not occur.” Taylor went on to explain the reporting structure in the 80s was not as robust as it currently is. As an example, he noted that there were only 1020 reports between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 1989. Whereas there are nearly 10,000 a year nowadays.

Excerpt of Nuclear Regulatory Commission UFO report.

(Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Although the report appeared to be taken seriously, in one email regarding the follow-up on the report, Taylor wrote: “This one should be a wild ride.”

If the investigation of this case was a wild ride, there is no indication of it in the report. However, William B. Jones, the chief of Allegations Coordination and Enforcement, did request that the letter regarding the incident “be controlled and distribution limited to personnel with a ‘need to know.'”

The report claims that the other witnesses to the event were interviewed, but the results are not included. Those results were sent to “ARB”, presunably an Allegations Review Board, but not included in the files provided to Greenewald.

Cooper Nuclear Station

(Credit: Nebraska Public Power District)

That is the extent of the report. A letter to the witness from the Director of Reactor Safety was also included. It essential said that they will forward the information to Cooper Nuclear Station, but that “no further action” will be taken, and they thanked him for his report.

All in all, an interesting report.

As for the rest of the NRC UFO documents, there is correspondence with an individual who believes there are nuclear craft being flown around, some of which may have crashed and caused radiation contamination.

The other report is a bit more difficult to summarize. The NRC writes:

The individual expressed vague concerns about finding low-level radiation within the last year where his daughter, whom he believes is an alien or alien transplant, passed. In addition, the individual believes that travel speed can be increased using the relativity equation with minor modifications. Finally, the individual has observed UFOs.

The NRC responded that this was out of their jurisdiction and perhaps the individual should contact the Department of Defense.

You can see the files here, at www.TheBlackVault.com.

Jimmy Kimmel is at it again, this time with former POTUS George Bush. Kimmel has a habit of asking presidents – and a presidential candidate -what they know about UFOs and the government’s secret files. Bush was on the hot seat last week, and his answers might make some scratch their heads.

George Bush answering UFO questions on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

(Credit: YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Kimmel broached the topic by asking:

“This is a question, first, that I think is important to me and to the country. When you were in office, I don’t know when this happened or if it happened, did you go through the secret files, the UFO documents? Because…”

Bush interrupted, “Maybe.”

Kimmel finished his question, “…that would be the first thing I did.”

Bush responded: “My daughters asked the same question.”

Kimmel was surprised by this, and asked, “Would you be allowed to tell your daughters what was in those files?”

“No,” Bush replied.

Kimmel continued to push, “Now that you’re out of office, you can do anything you want, right?”

“True. But I am not telling you,” Bush replied.

Kimmel then sought to clarify, “Are you not telling me you looked at them?”

“I’m not telling you nuthin’,” Bush responded. This got a chuckle out of the crowd and Kimmel.

However, Kimmel was not done yet. He asked, “Are there really great secrets that you know that you can’t share with people?”

“Yeah,” Bush replied.

Kimmel then asked, “There are? And you never write about them?”

“No,” Bush replied.

Kimmel then suggested perhaps Bush would write about it later in life, like when he is 90.

“No,” Bush replied.

Still pressing, Kimmel asked, “Nothing? What if you were to get a little loopy and…”

“Start drinking again?,” Bush asked.

Kimmel laughed, and agreed. “Yeah. Start drinking again. Guillermo, get some tequila!”

Bush and Kimmel laugh during UFO discussion on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

(Credit: YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live)

That was the extent of their ET conversation, as you can see in the video above. The conversation was actually very interesting. Bush seemed to imply he has seen UFO files of which he cannot share the content. Was he kidding? In this setting, one which is about getting laughs, that could be assumed. However, during much of the conversation, Bush did not appear to be joking.

If Bush really has seen UFO files that are top secret and still under wraps, that would be significant. Thus far, every president has denied that such a thing exists. Obama said the aliens would not let him tell Kimmel about the secret files, but he did seem to be joking. Clinton said he looked for secret government UFO files, but did not find any. At least once, he did imply that career bureaucrats could be keeping them secret for him. One of our previous stories on this, and Clinton’s talk with Kimmel, was found in recent WikiLeaks.

Ben Hansen presenting his analysis of other presidential interviews regarding UFOs and aliens at the 2017 International UFO Congress.

(Credit: UFOCongress.com/OpenMinds.tv)

Ben Hansen, former host of the Syfy program Fact or Faked: The Paranormal Files, has examined previous statements by presidents, or presidential hopefuls, and he says there is some indication that there is something to hide. He admits, he is not sure what the something is, or if it is UFO or ET related. He intends to scrutinize this video, and when he does, we will let you know what he finds out.

Until then, you can purchase the DVD of Hansen’s lecture on this topic at the recent UFO Congress here, and the video will also be posted on our online Open Minds UFO Video Portal soon.

NASA’s recent job posting for a Planetary Protection Officer and the House approving a plan to create a Space Corps in the U.S. Air Force have made worldwide headlines.  It is not hard to understand why. They are exciting pieces of news that make space nerds like me giddily feeling like our sci-fi fantasies have come true.

Could it be that the time has come for us to defend ourselves from a threat from beyond? Perhaps the recent meeting by the Mutual UFO Network focused on a secret space program was not as farfetched as I thought. While it may be fun to think this is the case, the threats these positions are focused on are not alien invaders, well, not the sci-fi kind.

The USAF already has a Space Command and Space Wing. This graphic details the 50th Space Wing’s locations. Click to enlarge.

(Credit: USAF)

As NASA recently pointed out, in a response to a nine-year-old would be “Guardian of the Galaxy,” the Planetary Protection Officer position has actually existed since the 60’s. According to the job posting, this position is “concerned with the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration.”

Or, as they described to the nine-year-old applicant: “Our Planetary Protection Officer position is really cool and is very important work. It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids and Mars. It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibly explore the Solar System.”

They make it seem kind of boring, but these sorts of protocols would have helped the space colonists in the latest installation of the Alien franchise when (spoiler) they got infected by the weird pollen-like substance that turned some of them into deadly xenomorphs.

Contamination of space colonists in Alien Covenant caused slight discomfort for those infected.

(Credit: 20th Century Fox)

Although the knowledge I just imparted might make it seem like I could be a good candidate for the job, watching sci-fi movies and having watched every episode of X-Files several times is not what NASA is looking for. They would prefer someone with an advanced degree in engineering, physical science, or mathematics. I guess I am out.

So is Jack Davis. Davis is a fourth grader who, like me, felt he was more than qualified to do the job. He sent NASA a one paragraph resume/cover letter, and actually got a response. It is even posted on NASA’s website.

Jack wrote:

Dear NASA,

My name is Jack Davis and I would like to apply for the for the planetary protection officer job. I may be 9, but I think I would be fit for the job. One of the reasons is my sister says I am an alien. Also I have seen almost all the space and alien movies that I can see. I have also seen the show ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and hope to see the movie ‘Men in Black.’ I am great at video games. I am young, so I can learn to think like an alien.

Sincerely,

Jack Davis,

Guardian of the Galaxy

Fourth Grade

The kid had me convinced. However, as NASA Director of Planetary Science Division Dr. James L. Green explained, there is a bit more to the job than meets the eye.

Dear Jack,

I hear you are a “Guardian of the Galaxy” and that you’re interested in being a NASA Planetary Protection Officer. That’s great!

Our Planetary Protection Officer position is really cool and is very important work. It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids and Mars. It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibly explore the Solar System.

We are always looking for bright future scientists and engineers to help us, so I hope you will study hard and do well in school. We hope to see you here at NASA one of these days!

Sincerely,

Dr. James L. Green

Director, Planetary Science Division

Dr. Green makes it seem like the Planetary Protection Officer position is a tough gig to land. But there may be hope. Jack and I may have a shot to gallivant around space saving the universe as members of the USAF Space Corps. This sounds like a job more likely to include laser blasters, and the House really did pass a defense spending bill approving their creation.

Young Jack Davis’ letter and NASA’s Dr, Green response.

(Credit: NASA)

There are just two problems that may prevent Jack and I from receiving our standard issue laser blasters. The first is that although the House approved the bill, the Senate is more skeptical about the need for the Space Corps. Many feel it might be premature to create the department.  In fact, according to the New York Times, the White House has said the proposal is “premature,” and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis essentially laughed it off.

It’s true that there is little evidence we are in imminent danger of being invaded by an alien force, but that is not really what the Space Corps is for anyway. The Space Corps’ proposed purpose, as the New York Times puts it, is to “oversee military operations in that emerging, and important, domain of military competition.” Specifically, competition from the Russians and Chinese.

Fourth-grader Jack Davis got a special call Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, from NASA’s Planetary Research Director, Jonathan Rall, congratulating Jack on his interest in serving as the agency’s planetary protection officer.

(Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

The sorts of weapons currently residing in space are satellite signal jammers.

“What hasn’t happened is the kinetic part: blowing up satellites,” Brian Weeden, director of program planning for Secure World Foundation, an organization that studies the international use of space, told the New York Times.

So we are not in a time where we need the Guardians of the Galaxy… yet. This dashes my hopes of becoming a space cadet, but lucky for Jack, the future is coming very quickly. It would be wise for him to take Dr. Green’s advice, because our activity in space is sure to become even more exciting and sci-fi-like in the near future.

{http://www.openminds.tv/ }

A witness in Poços de Caldas, Brazil captured a video of a strange looking object he cannot identify. The witness reported the object to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) along with still images and video.

The sighting took place on August 6, 2017.  The witness claims to have noticed two bright star-like objects moving across the sky, even though it was during the day and still light out.

Map of Poços de Caldas, Brazil and the surrounding area. (Credit: Google Maps)

Here is the witness report, verbatim:

It was still day, and I saw two bright and strong lights, looking like stars. But no other star appeared, and it was too soon for them to appear. They moved together in a constant trajectory, not fast, not slow… and in the same direction (SE to NE), and really far away. Constant brightness all the time. One of them was bigger and brighter, and other smaller, but still bright. This small one disappeared suddenly, but the bigger kept on moving. They passed over right above me. Strange because it was to UFOs, very bright all the time… (sun reflection not the case). 

I took a picture of a plane passing by, with maximum close up from my camera. The same close with I took the pictures. I changed ISO, so some pictures were darkened. And at the end of the mp4, there is the video.

The video of the object is very short, click here to see it. It is hard to tell what it is, but it is very odd in shape. Could it be debris floating in the sky? The witness does not think so, and seems to indicate the objects were very high in the sky, possibly in orbit. Take a look and let us know what you think below.

Close-up of object in video.

(Credit: MUFON)

Image of airplane that the witness took for reference.

(Credit: MUFON)

The vast majority of UFO sightings turn out to be mundane objects, but once in awhile there are sightings that are much more difficult to explain. MUFON conducts investigations on sightings submitted to their website, and if they share their conclusions, we will let you all know. Meanwhile, others will likely chime in and we will try to keep you up to date with any discoveries. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the object in the comments below.

{ http://www.openminds.tv/ }

Charles Lamoureux is a former UFO skeptic who now says he is a “true believer.” He is an avid skywatcher and amateur astronomer in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has been convinced that UFOs represent a true mystery due to the number of anomalous objects he has seen and/or captured on video. He has collected several video capture devices, including night vision and infrared, and has attached them to one device he calls a Skywatcher’s Mobile Unit (SMU).

In this interview we talk to Charles about a new documentary, Nocturnal Lights, about his skywatching and UFO research. It has just been released online, and Charles says it includes some of his best UFO videos.

To view the documentary, visit: www.gumroad.com/l/NocturnalLights

For more information about Charles, visit: www.static8films.com

For more information about the documentary film maker, visit: www.gonewestprod.com

Open Minds UFO Radio: Stacey Wright and Jim Mann have been running the Phoenix area chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) for over a decade. Soon after, they took over the entire state as State Director and Assistant Director. Their meetings have grown from 4 people to now over 100, regularly. They also enlisted the help of Dennis Freyermuth as a Chief Investigator, who has done a spectacular job managing UFO investigations. For their efforts, Arizona MUFON was awarded the chapter of the year at the recent MUFON Symposium. It was the first time the award has ever been given.

In this interview, we talk to Jim and Stacey about how they grew the chapter, why they decided to do it in the first place, other ways they keep their group active, and about the Phoenix Lights, the most famous UFO case in Arizona, and one of the most famous in the world.

For more information about Arizona MUFON, visit: www.PhoenixMUFON.com

Open Minds UFO Radio: Earl Grey Anderson is a musician who investigates UFOs. In music, he has worked as a guitarists, vocalist, singer and songwriter. When it comes to UFOs, he holds several positions with the Mutual UFO Network. He is Assistant State Director for Southern California, Chief Field Investigator, and a member of MUFON’s STAR Team.

Earl Grey is a also a listener of Open Minds UFO Radio and active member in the Open Minds UFO News Facebook group. HIs name has come up on the show and on OpenMinds.tv several times in relation to UFO sightings in California, so we decided we might as well bring him on as a guest. It is a good thing we did too, because he is even more interesting than we thought. In this episode, among other things, we discuss how Earl Great got into this field, his mother’s incredible relation to the phenomenon, and how Earl Grey got his name.

{ http://www.openminds.tv/ }

A witness from Georgia claims to have seen a “massive” metallic “beautiful chrome-ish” triangular UFO. The witness says the object had no lights and although it was huge, it was moving very slowly. The witness reported the sighting today to the Mutual UFO Network’s (MUFON) online reporting system.

The witness says the object was spotted on June 1, 2008 while driving home from work with a friend. They were headed from Cartersville to Canton, Georgia on the I-20 highway. The object was so large and strange that the witness says they did not want to alert their friend who was driving for fear of sounding crazy.

The route the witness was taking from Cartersville to Canton on the I-20 can be seen in the upper left corner of this map, along with the area’s proximity to Atlanta, Georgia.

(Credit: Google Maps)

Here is the witness testimony in its entirety, unedited:

An old friend and I were heading home from work in Cartersville GA heading towards Canton GA, my friend driving, down GA.20…I looked up and saw a perfect triangle. Appeared to be massive in size. It was the most beautiful chrome-ish metallic I had ever seen. So shocked I could not even tell my friend who was driving the truck we were in. Also I didn’t want to tell anyone for the simple fact they would think I was nuts. I know what I saw. It was real. No markings, no lights and extremely huge for such a slow pace…if it was even moving. 

We were heading northbound on 20 the craft was heading southbound as if it also were following the route in the opposite direction. 

In my life I have seen things that I could not explain…however I would find a way to explain them away in some fashion. This, craft that I saw I can not think of any way to explain it away unless it was a government craft. If it were, then the government is far far more advanced then I had given them credit for. There was a small airplane in the air at the time. I did not pay it any mind. Just know it was there. Did not appear to be following or evading. It was just there. My attention was completely drawn to this massive beautiful “thing”. 

Then we crossed over the next hill and I turned back towards facing the direction we were going and was quiet. Until now. I know what I saw was real. I wish someone would come forward and tell me it was for a parade or it was a silver blanket floating through the sky, tin foil, something. It was such a beautiful day that I would be willing to bet that everyone around was chatting on their way home, paying attention only to the road (as they should if driving) or just thinking about their day. 

I don’t know why I turned my head to the sky. Glad that I did. It was breathtaking. Literally. 

Thank you and I apologize for keeping it under my hat for all these years. 

Map of the area provided by the witness.

(Credit: MUFON)

The witness included a computer generated image representing what was seen. The witness claims the graphic does not do the sighing justice, but it looks like a pretty good image to me. If indeed this is what the witness saw, it would have been quite the sight to behold.

Image provided by the witness of metallic triangular UFO.

(Credit: MUFON)

The vast majority of UFO sightings turn out to be mundane objects, but once in awhile there are sightings that are much more difficult to explain. MUFON conducts investigations on sightings submitted to their website, and if they share their conclusions, we will let you all know. Meanwhile, others will likely chime in and we will try to keep you up to date with any discoveries. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the object in the comments below.

When I first decided to take an active role in UFO research and investigation I consider myself very fortunate to join the Yorkshire UFO Society (YUFOS) which was formed in the early 1980’s by brothers Graham and Mark Birdsall. Many of you may well know that Graham went on to publish and edit the hugely successful newsstand publication UFO MAGAZINE.

Graham and Mark Birdsall (Credit: Philip Mantle)

Graham and Mark were extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic and I leaned a lot from the both of them. I also consider it very fortunate that at the same time as joining YUFOS that we were literally swamped with UFO reports. In the early 1980’s we had more reports than we knew what to do with. A lot of these sightings came from areas in North Yorkshire and especially around the moors above the village of Carleton near Skipton.

Much of our work and UFO case files from that era have been lost along the way but some information does still exist. In the early days of YUFOS we printed the small publication the YUFOS JOURNAL.  What I would like to do is to re-publish an article written by mark Birdsall which featured in the May 1983 YUFOS JOURNAL – VOLUME 2 Number 2.

YUFOS Volume 1

The Following article by Mark Birdsall shows exactly what I have been talking about and will hopefully give you some idea of what we were dealing with at the time.

The Case For North Yorkshire:

During the last 24 months we have received no fewer than 30 reports of unusual objects observed in North Yorkshire. We have on record, reports of objects coming within 50ft of experienced police officers. In fact we have been able to collect a number-of UFO reports, and build a careful picture of what is really happening in North Yorkshire. But first let us look at the information these cases contain. It is only fair to point out that a very large percentage .of sightings are made from experienced police officers. We have signed statements from many o£ the officers and all lead us to believe, that without a shadow of doubt, something unusual is taking place in and around the moors of North Yorkshire. However, through careful” research there are as many as 90% of the cases we cannot explain. We could state that it might have been a helicopter, or an aircraft. We cannot overlook who are making the observations.

From left: Mark Birdsall, Graham Birdsall and Philip Mantle at the Yorkshire UFO Society conference in 1985. (Credit: Philip Mantle)

Every possible cause for the sighting of an UFO has to be examined. The area, the description, weather conditions etc.  But after researching all of these possibilities we cannot give a viable explanation. Many people then came forward to offer a possible answer. We again examined these, but even as objective researchers we must rule out these. For the reports we have, “contain diagrams and information, which if authentic (and we have no doubts that they are) leads .us to believe that, there is something highly unusual being observed in North Yorkshire. In fact there have been times when we have not been able to grasp the enormity of the situation we have found ourselves in. Is it coincidence that our only photographic evidence came from North Yorkshire, and as yet, has eluded all possible attempts by experts to conclude the photograph explainable hoax etc? Can we reach the position when we can confidently state, that all the information, statements, and photographic evidence is explainable; the answer must be NO.

If we now turn to the collection of reports we have assembled for this publication. On the map, vie have eight positions o It would be impossible to print all our ·cases, so we have selected these complete with diagrams and drawings. The area is proximately 3 miles by 2. The prominent lines across the map are other sightings, relating to the direction in which these objects were seen.

Sighting 1:

The information behind this sighting has yet to be released, however. This particular object was observed by a policeman and a member of the public. At approximately 12.30am both people noticed a large ball of light moving very slowly in their direction. The object was slightly yellowish in colour and was approximately 500ft above the ground. At this moment both persons noticed an aircraft possibly 20,000ft heading in, and over the UFO. At this precise moment the object moved off its original course and after seemingly heading towards the witnesses, altered its course. The object was now parallel to the observers, and it was at this moment one of the witnesses trained his binoculars on the yellow mass. He could clearly see that the yellow ‘oval was in fact the front of a large cigar shape. A red light which had been hidden by the yellow glow was now defined through, use of the binoculars. It was on the side of the object, yet the witness mentioned the red light slowly moved closer to the main yellow light. One can note the comparison in size to the yellow light. Also note the dark area on the underside of the main body of the object. As the object moved slowly away from the witnesses, a ‘small band of yellow lights’ flashed across the centre of the object, giving the impression that the UFO was revolving.  The sighting lasted approximately 2 minutes.

Sighting 2:

This very detailed description was given, again by police officers from North Yorkshire. At approximately 5.20 am on Oct 24th, 1982, three police officers who had just 5 minutes earlier observed at close range an array of circular lights noticed a bright strip of light moving very close to the policemen’s original position. (The officers had tried to follow the circular of lights and had driven down the hill a few hundred yards). The object was crescent shaped, and although very bright it did not give off a beam. The UFO moved directly over the officers and one officer commented “it was so low you could have thrown a rock at it”.  The object was in fact, just 75-100ft above their heads. At this point the full, length of light intensified, but again did not give off a beam. There are two points to make note of at no time during the sighting was any sound a heard, and notably, an array of red and white lights was clearly around the perimeter (underside) of the object.

Sighting 3:

Illustration of sighting by MODO.

As mentioned in the last report (sighting 2), this particular sighting was made 5 minutes earlier than the object witnessed is sighting 2. However the officers did not see the UFO approach, nor did they hear any sound. One policeman just looked up into the dark sky and observed the lights slowly moving over their patrol car. The officers state the object was very low. Is it conceivable that the officers had made an error in their observation? Three men, so close to an object they could clearly define, the answer must again be no, even to more objective or sceptical researchers. We now turn our attention to a member of the public, who along with his family experienced a terrifying encounter.

Sighting 4:

Illustration of sighting by MODO.

Mr. X and his family were traveling along the road that leaves the village of Carlton near Skipton. The road rises up and over the moors near Elslack. The family were heading for the supermarket in Colne, a journey they made once a week. They had reached an are known as Standrise Plantation, Mr X then looked through his mirror and noticed 2 coloured balls of light (red & green) moving closer to the car. The balls then buzzed’ the family before moving level with the car. The balls then started to pace the car. The objects themselves were no larger than footballs and both were situated on either side of the car. They continued to fly alongside the car at window height. The occupants in the car became extremely frightened; Mr X was now finding it very hard to keep the car under control. Mrs X was shouting at her husband to turn the car round and return home. The two children were now screaming with fright, and their pet dog was cowering in the back seat. The dog then tried to get beneath the footwell in the car. Mr X had, had enough, he turned the car around and headed back home, the balls of light, also decided to turn around and follow the car. The lights again tracked the family for a short while, before disappearing. Mr X and his family returned home in a very poor state, and since the incident took place, they have not travelled along the moors again.

Skywatching on Carleton moor. (Credit: Dave Atkins)

They use a road which takes them around the area. This particular incident took place in March 1980, and again we cannot find a plausible explanation. The investigator of this case was Alwyn Rogers and he made an interesting comment when typing the report up. He pointed out that Mr X was finding it difficult to control his car was the caused by fright or outside interference? Most members will remember the encounter involving Mrs X, at Coniston Cutting, although the case has almost ended due to circumstances which we are not in the position to control. It is hoped that one day we will be able to start the case moving again. Due to the fact that every member has detailed knowledge of this case, I will just present the outlying factors. Mrs X was followed by a small cluster of lights, shortly after she had left her mothers home. Although she could not define the object which was following her, she was adamant it was not a vehicle. Although at first she mentioned in the report, ‘that she felt· the lorry was taking a long time to overtake her.’ The lights were pacing the car and then she noticed a beam of light strike the side of the car from above her. The incident occurred in March 1982, and as most members are aware our investigation led us to use hypnotic regression for the first ·time. Mrs X had lost approximately 40 minutes on her journey home from her mother’s house in Morecambe. During the investigation, many efforts were made to explain the missing minutes; as yet the loss of such a large amount of time remains a mystery, not only to us, but also to the witness.

Scenic view from Carleton moor.

We are totally convinced that the initial report and information received is true, however we cannot possibly state that the information which we received .through the regression is fact. Again we have a case which involves a high degree of strangeness, and again in North Yorkshire.

Sightings 5 & 6:

Moving to sightings which most researchers would class as nocturnal lights. We have had no fewer than 60 reports of these objects. And I stress the word object. For I myself have observed them on no fewer than three occasions. These objects are quite clearly oval and circular depending on the angle they are viewed at. A number of investigators have seen these particular objects at close range. Sceptics pour .scorn on these sightings and declare them nothing more than· helicopters or aircraft. I agree that probably a number of sightings are explainable. But through careful research we find that on no occasion has any sound ever been heard, and also the majority of these objects are traveling just 400 feet above the ground. Many of the witnesses state that the object seemed to be following the contours of the moors.

Carleton moors.

Would it be conceivable to find aircraft flying at such a dangerous height? One must also note the speed of these objects, most observers’ state that they were traveling at speeds of no more than 40 – 50 mph. One interesting case involving one of these objects occurred in November last year. Two witnesses were on moors near Carlton, when they noticed a bright yellow light moving slowly over the hills. The approximate height of the object was 400ft. Both witnesses then observed an aeroplane heading towards the object (20,000ft). The object then changed course and moved behind a nearby hill. The witnesses watched the aeroplane move quickly out of sight. They were then amazed to see the yellow ball of light move from behind the hillside and continue its silent journey across the moors. These particular sightings are difficult to assess, and the in formation which they contain is limited. A comment by the witnesses who see these objects repeats it’ self throughout the statements made by the witnesses, this is, that on· no occasion did the observer see any other lights. Or in fact a solid body beneath the· glow however if we return to object one on the diagrams, the witnesses state that until they observed the object with binoculars they could see only the brilliant yellow glow. It would seem that the intense light .of the object distorted the actual shape; however this all remains conjecture at the moment.

Sighting 7:

Illustration of sighting by MODO.

One of the most spectacular sightings we have on record is this observation made by two North Yorkshire police officers. This sighting occurred on the moors just East of Cononley. The time was 3.20 am when both officers noticed an extremely bright light moving directly towards their position. No definition could be seen and the UFO moved directly over their position. The height of the object was approximately 200ft it was then that the object turned slightly to one side· (tilted). The officers were startled with regard to the actual shape and size of the object. Both· men estimated the length of the object to be approximately 100ft. The entire object was glowing and the lower ‘skirt’ was revolving. Three large balls on the underside could clearly be seen. ‘Portholes’ which were darker than the rest of the object were also seen. From an objective point of view, this case is almost too good to believe. But we have no doubts whatsoever regarding the information in this report, that the officers did in fact observe an unusual craft. It would be difficult not to relate such a ·detailed account if the object passed over your head at just 200feet. Many similarities have been made with the ‘Adamski’ photographs; however the witnesses state the object they observed appeared more streamlined than the alleged photographs taken by George Adamski. In any event, serious investigators do· not lay much foundation with regard to Adamski ‘s claims. However; critics would find it very difficult to try and explain to the officers involved with this sighting, that what they had observed was an IFO.

Sighting 8:

Illustration of sighting by MODO.

One of the most famous UFO cases in Britain was the Livingston close encounter, in Scotland. The witness (Robert Taylor) was apparently ‘attacked’ by two circular spiked objects. These small objects have led researchers to drawn up similarities with this sighting and the Livingstone incident. Three witnesses observed a small object zig – zagging across Elslack Moor. A series of rods and white lights could. Be seen revolving around the small body of the 0bject. It was approximately 4ft above the ground. They then noticed a beam of light being emitted from the underside directly onto the ground. At one point the object came within 50ft of the witnesses. Due to the circumstances which were about to follow we feel this object was in some way connected to the objects which were observed a few minutes later. We did send a ground team to the area, and one or two marks were noticed, but it would be difficult to relate them to this sighting. All we can say is that they were quite similar to marks found in the ground with regard to the Livingston case.

Illustration of sighting by MODO.

In this study we have just scraped the surface on the information which our case files contain. But our attention has been drawn to the area, not just because of the amount of sightings, but also the high strangeness of the cases.

END

I have to say that I personally remember many of these sightings being reported to us at YUFOS and I also participated in the research and investigation of some of them. There is no doubt in my mind that many of them still remain unexplained. Carlton moor and surrounding areas near Skipton in North Yorkshire was a hot bed for UFO sightings. In those days it was termed a ‘window area’ while today you might call it a ‘portal’. I prefer window area personally. Our research also uncovered UFO sighting in the area going back decades so one this was for sure and that was that the wave of sightings in the area in the 1980’s was nothing new.

To be actively involved in UFO investigations during this time period was the ideal apprenticeship for any would-b UFO enthusiast and I consider myself to be very fortunate to have been there at the time. There was a period that we had more sightings reported that we could handle.

Of course all things must come to an end and YUFOS did but Graham went on with his brother Mark to publish UFO MAGAZINE and stage many highly successful UFO conference the like of which have not been seen again since Graham’s untimely death. I just hope I’m still around when the next ‘flap’ occurs around the moors above Skipton as I am in no doubt it will happen one day.

Artwork by MODO.