Page 29 - 200908 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - August 2009

29 UFO’s In The News 29 UFO’s In The News Record number of about 14 per cent were deemed "unexplained," sightings) every year that we simply can't Record number of Albertans report UFOs meaning they don't seem to be aircraft or explain." Albertans report UFOs Out of those 8,500-plus UFO cases, only fireballs. Skeptics say weather is often a factor in about 14 per cent were labelled as unexplained 157 sightings recorded in the many mysterious sightings -- and lenticular after review by investigators. And less than four 157 sightings recorded in the clouds are a frequent culprit in Alberta. per cent were classified as "close encounters" -- province last year "They are saucer-shaped and usually meaning someone claimed to have seen province last year occur along the foothills," said Global TV something (or some being) up close. By Tamara Gignac, Calgary By Tamara Gignac, Calgary weather expert Paul Dunphy. But Rutkowski, who has degrees in Herald - Aug 13 2009 "People that really want to believe in astronomy and education and describes himself Herald - Aug 13 2009 UFOs have in the past reported seeing a bunch as an "open-minded skeptic," says even if one CALGARY - From fireballs to flying of them hovering near the horizon for hours." report proves to be valid, it'll be a very saucers, Alberta is a hot spot for extraterrestrial But if more people are catching a important scientific discovery. After the United tourists. glimpse of visiting aliens, they aren't reporting States Air Force ended its Project Blue Book A study of Canadian UFO sightings it to the UFO Sightings Hotline in St. Paul. study of 12,000 UFO cases in 1969 and suggests a record number of people in the The northern Alberta town--famous for concluded that UFOs were not a threat to province spotted mysterious objects zooming its 12-metre-high landing pad for flying saucers national security, many people assumed the through the sky last year. -- has recorded a steady drop in calls over the "fad" had passed, he said. From unusual lights to unexplained years. "Here we are 40 years later and not only aircraft manoeuvring in mid-air, "Albertans are "This area used to be quite active. is the phenomenon not going away, the numbers definitely seeing some unusual things," said Maybe it's getting old," said tourist information are increasing. This is hard scientific data and Chris Rutkowski, a Winnipeg-based "ufologist" officer Duane Zaraska. there isn't a comparable study anywhere," said who has spent the past two decades studying The majority of UFO sightings are Rutkowski, who presented the 20-year study to reports filed by more than 15,000 witnesses actually stars and planets, admits Rutkowski -- UFO researchers, many of whom are scientists, coast to coast. but some are less clear. across North America during the recent Mutual The number of UFO sightings in Alberta "There are always a residual number UFO Network in Dallas, Texas. "But we're no last year was the highest ever, with 157 each year that we simply can't explain," he said. closer to the truth, in some ways." residents spotting unusual celestial activities. He estimates that one in 10 Canadians Rutkowski currently receives around six That doesn't surprise Rutkowski, who have spotted a UFO-like object in their lifetime UFO reports each week. The most recent and believes a combination of factors, including the and many cases go unreported. [] noteworthy, he says, came last Friday from six ease with which people can report their people who reported seeing a large orange light UFO study reports observations to UFO-themed websites, has UFO study reports moving along the shoreline of Dauphin Lake, contributed to the uptick. something out there 15 kilometres east of Dauphin. Flying saucers -- once the standard something out there "It stopped and then moved away from mode of transport for alien life forms--have them. They said it 'moved at a speed we've apparently fallen out of vogue, with more Small number of sightings can't never seen a plane move at,' and there was no people characterizing their observations as a be explained sound at all," Rutkowski recalled. [] fireball or mysterious blob. "It's not egg-shaped, spherical or triangular in shape, but something with By: Carolin Vesely protrusions and the lights seem to change shape as you're watching," said Rutkowski. "The The truth is out there, people. Whether Hollywoodstyle flying saucer is really passe, in or not it includes spaceships and aliens is still up some ways." for debate, but according to a 20-year Numerous sightings occurred in longitudinal study of Canadian UFO reports Calgary, including one in December, in which released Tuesday, nearly 15,000 of us have had two people reportedly saw a yellow object reason to suspect we are not alone. moving over the city at 11 a. m. It was small and The reasons ranged from thousands of witnesses said it didn't behave like an aircraft. sightings of star-like lights manoeuvring oddly A week earlier, another person allegedly in the night sky, to hundreds of sightings of saw a UFO-like object following a helicopter at "fireballs" in the sky, to one where dozens of 8:12 p. m. people saw a huge, lantern-shaped object flying Calgarian Jim Moroney spends much of slowly over a lake in the Yukon. his spare time meticulously logging these sorts Most of the 8,601 UFO sightings of extraterrestrial encounters for his Alberta reviewed by Winnipeg-based Ufology Research UFO Study Group, an organization that keeps had two witnesses, involved a white object -- track of sightings it deems credible. even triangles were much more common than People were once shy to come forward your stereotypical saucer or cigar shape -- and for fear of being ridiculed but they're lasted an average of 17 minutes. increasingly comfortable sharing their stories, And we're not just talking about folks said Moroney. who just stumbled out of a bar or those who like That could explain the recent spike in to wear tin foil hats here: Reports were filed by the number of reported sightings --not just in witnesses with government and military Alberta, but across the country, he noted. agencies, police, civilian UFO groups and There were 1,004 UFOs recorded in online UFO websites, says the study's co- Canada last year, compared with 141 in 1989. author. And report they did. The number of "The public is demanding more open UFO sightings has increased from 141 (in 1989) discussion and debate around the issue," said to more than 1,000 per year. Moroney. "It's a persistent phenomena," says "It's one of the reasons why I maintain a Winnipeg ufologist Chris Rutkowski, who co- This is an actual website to allow for a venue for people to report authored the study with Geoff Dittman. "People Fireball Photo sightings." are witnessing something in the sky. Whether Of the 8,600 unusual observations it's aliens or not is a matter for further study, but Enhancement logged in Canada during the past two decades, there's a small but significant percentage (of