Month: July 2013

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12-077-CE1 (Newcastle, England)

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Synopsis: The witness of this investigation claimed that while walking home he was approach by a very tall “Man in Black”. According to the witness, the Man in Black was wearing all black, had a very pale face, his entire eyes were black, and wore strange buttons on his coat. The Man in Black spoke softly and asked about the witness’ family and if he could talk to the witness’ twin brother. The witness told the Man in Black he had no twin brother and left. A few days later, the witness saw the same Man in Black wandering around the witness’ work location.

Evidence Submitted: A Photo of the UFO

Initial Action: This UFO case was opened as an AN4 – interaction of the witness with occupants or entities. Initial indices checks on the witness indicated a hoax.

Investigation and Findings: After several emails and interviews with the witness, the investigators learned that the alleged Man in Black was nothing more than a case of mistaken identity. At the time of the encounter, the witness believed the strange man’s behavior was “spooky” and that the clothing the Man in Black was wearing was unusual. The witness, however, after reflecting back to the incident later believed the man was just “a weirdo” and more than likely not associated with extraterrestrials or UFO phenomena.

Object Details: Mistaken Identify and Paranoia

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12-074-AN1 (Pell City, Alabama)

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Synopsis: On the morning of 01 Oct 12, the witness of this investigation used a mobile phone to take a photo of the sunrise. While reviewing the photo, the witness noticed a strange object in the photo. The witness provided the photo to API for analysis.

Evidence Submitted: A Photo of the UFO

Initial Action: This UFO investigation was opened as an AN1 – an anomaly that left no lasting physical effects, such as lights in the sky and similar phenomena. A preliminary analysis of the video indicated the UFO was more than likely a Catadioptric Lens Flares.

Investigation and Findings: After an interview with the witness, the investigators learned that the witness did not personally observe the UFO. The investigators applied cross-line analysis on the photo, which indicated the UFO was a lens flare. The sun, which is also in the frame of view, was the source of the lens flare.

Object Details: Lens flares are created when non-image forming light enters the lens and subsequently hits the camera’s film or digital sensor. The lens flare often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape, giving the appearance of a “flying disk or saucer”.

Those Mysterious Men and Their Flying Machines

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Wednesday, July 17, 2013

By Jack Brewer, The UFO Trail

Dr. Michael Heiser, who holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible, recently made a couple particularly noteworthy posts at his interesting blog, UFO Religions. In what has so far been a two-part post titled, Thoughts on a New Book About Triangular UFOs, Dr. Heiser explored the David Marler book, Triangular UFOs: An Estimate of the Situation. Read more at The UFO Trail.

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13-009-AN1 (El Paso, TX)

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Synopsis: On 02 April 2011, exact time not yet determined, a group of kids used a video camera to record four unidentified objects in the sky.

Evidence Submitted: Original photo and video.

Initial Action: Case opened as an AN1.

Investigation and Findings:  Case was opened on 26 Jan 2013; Initial analysis of the witness’s video strongly suggested the UFOs were contrails highlighted by sunlight during sunset. During the investigation, the lead investigator found over 12 videos and 20 photos of known aircraft emitting contrails during a sunset. The videos and photo were nearly an identical match to the video the witness provided. Moreover, research was completed regarding the angles at with these contrails were heading. Although the contrails appear to be moving in a downward movement, they are in fact moving along the horizon. The appearance of the contrails moving in a downward movement is only an optical illusion.

Object Details: Man-made objects.

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12-013-AN4 (Washington, DC)

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Synopsis: The witness of this investigation submitted several documents alleging contact with extraterrestrials. According to the witness, 3D images were transmitted at a high rate of speed and at a minimum of at least two frames per second. The witness analyzed the alleged signal and concluded that the transmission was comprised of several animations layered upon each other. Each layer had a varying degree of detail but each layer of the transmission provided information regarding biological forms, architectural designs, and environments. According to the witness, Targzissians, a species of extraterrestrial origin, transmitted the signal.

Evidence Submitted: A sketch of the alien entity, still images from the signal and an executive summary written by the witness. Targzissians, a species of extraterrestrial origin, transmitted the signal.

Initial Action: This UFO case was opened as an AN4 – interaction of the witness with occupants or entities. Initial indices checks on the witness indicated a hoax.

Investigation and Findings: The investigators conducted open source checks and learned that the witness submitted the alleged alien signal to multiple UFO organizations and the US Government. The witness complained most of the organizations did not responded, while those who did claimed the witness was experiencing pareidolia and hysteria. Investigative research also indicated the witness was associated with multiple conspiracy groups and often alleged that an invasion from the Targzissians was imminent. After several interviews, the witness failed to cooperate with the investigation and seized all communications with the team. The cases was eventually closed as pareidolia and conspiracy claims.

Object Details: Pareidolia

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12-007-AN1 (Guttenberg, Iowa)

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Synopsis: On 23 Sep 12, at sunrise, the witness was taking photos of the sky with a camera. While reviewing the photos, the witness noticed a strange object on the right end of the photo. The witness submitted the photo to The Aerial Phenomenon Investigations Team for analysis.

Evidence Submitted: Photo of a UFO.

Initial Action: This UFO investigation was opened as an AN1 – an anomaly that left no lasting physical effects, such as lights in the sky and similar phenomena. A preliminary analysis of the video indicated the UFO was more than likely a Catadioptric Lens Flares.

Investigation and Findings: The witness claimed the UFO was not personally observed while taking photos of the sunset – a common indicator of a lens flare. The UFO was, in fact, noticed later that day while reviewing the photos. Additionally, the Sun was also within the frame of view, which indicated the likely source of the lens flare.  In an effort to positively identify the object as a lens flare, investigators obtained the original photo and applied standard cross-section analysis. The analysis of the photo indicated the anomaly intersected with the known light source inside the frame of view (the Sun) on the left side of the photo.

Object Details: Lens flares are created when non-image forming light enters the lens and subsequently hits the camera’s film or digital sensor. The lens flare often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape, giving the appearance of a “flying disk or saucer”.

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11-007-CE3 (La Plata, MD)

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Synopsis: On 02 Nov 11, at approximately 1820, the witness of this investigation reported seeing a medium-sized metallic UFO in the woods. According to the witness, there were three “human-like aliens near the UFO”. The aliens were described as grey, had big heads, wore cushioned shoes, and were using a laser to cut “a heart” from an unidentified animal. When the witness walked towards the aliens, the aliens returned to the UFO, which lifted into the air and “disintegrated into tiny bits”. According to the witness, moreover, the UFO was silver in color, had red blinking lights, and was shaped like a deep-dish pizza.

Evidence Submitted: A sketch of the UFO.

Initial Action: This UFO case was opened as a CE3 – a visual sighting of a UFO with entities aboard.

Investigation and Findings: The witness’ report was written with many misspellings and grammar errors, which lead investigators to believe a child submitted the UFO report. The lead investigator contacted the La Plata Mayor and Chief of Police for any information regarding this report. According to the Chief of Police, a Search and Rescue helicopter was in the area at about the same time of this event and was searching for a missing person. On the same day, moreover, the Charles Country Sheriff’s Department and the Maryland Natural Resources Police found the body of a 52-year old woman only 5.9 miles from the purported UFO sighting. When the witness finally responded to an interview request, the witness admitted the event was a hoax. The investigation was closed as such.

Object Details: Hoax

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12-078-FB1 (Tampa, FL)

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Synopsis: On 07 Oct 12, while taking photography of the sky at pre-dawn, the witness of this investigation saw a bright object in the sky fly overhead. Initially, the witness thought the object was a satellite until it became extremely bright. The bright object then faded away as it continued to fly away.

Evidence Submitted: A video and photo of the object.

Initial Action: This UFO investigation was opened as an FB1, a fly-by of a UFO that traveled in a straight line across the sky.

Investigation and Findings: After a review of the video, the investigators conducted research on various satellite and meteor reporting websites. According to several satellite tracking websites, and the description of the UFO given by the website, the UFO was an iridium flare from the Iridium 96 communications satellite.

Object Details: On 11 February 2002, a Delta 2 rocket launched The Iridium 96 communications satellite into Low Earth Orbit. Part of a constellation, the satellite enables link between phones from anywhere to anywhere on the globe. The satellite remains in Low Earth Orbit with an apogee of 682km and a perigee of 678.3km. A satellite flare, moreover, is the phenomenon caused by the reflective surfaces on satellites (such as antennas or solar panels) reflecting sunlight directly onto the Earth below and appearing as a brief, bright “flare”.

 

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12-067-FB1 (Kissimmee, FL)

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Synopsis: The witness of this investigation contacted API regarding a photo taken while vacationing in Disneyland, FL on 12 Sept 12. The witness claimed a UFO could be seen in the photo.

Evidence Submitted: A photo of the UFO.

Initial Action: This UFO investigation was opened as an FB1, a fly-by of a UFO that traveled in a straight line across the sky.

Investigation and Findings: The investigators interviewed the witness of this investigation and learned that the witness did not personally observe the UFO. The witness noticed the UFO while reviewing the photos later at home. After the interview, the photo was enhanced using the Canon Professional Photo Edition software. The enhanced photo revealed an unidentified bird in flight.

Object Details: Identified as a bird in flight.

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12-060-CE4 (Tulsa, OK)

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Synopsis: The witness of this investigation contacted API regarding having dreams of aliens. The first dream, which occurred on 3 Aug 12, depicted aliens who were slender, gray, and had large black eyes. The second dream, which occurred on 18 Sep 12, the witness woke up but could not move.

Evidence Submitted: A sketch of the alien in the dream.

Initial Action: This UFO case was opened as a CE4, an abducted witness that suffers from psychological injuries.

Investigation and Findings: Several interviews with the witness revealed the witness watched the science fiction movie The Fourth Kind prior to having the nightmares. The movie purports to be based on actual events occurring in Nome, Alaska in 2000, in which psychologist Dr. Abigail Emily “Abbey” Tyler uses hypnosis to uncover memories from her patients of alien abduction. The witness indicted there were no nightmares regarding aliens prior to watching the movie and indicated the alien abduction nightmares were likely a result of the movie. At a final interview with the witness, it was agreed that the nightmares were more than likely a result from watching a movie about alien abductions.

Object Details: A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, and psychological or physical terror. Sufferers usually awaken in a state of distress and may be unable to return to sleep for a prolonged period of time.