65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_SUB_A
65_hs1-834228961_62-hq-83894_sub_a · page 22 of 124
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. • ... 3. The -r~darCreen ha-s picked· up· -birp.•$ 1~-.:o~e case a -:i flock of ducks. Flight int.erc.ept);ons··p_rove·d thes_e 1>henomena. 'l l. • ... • • • An explanation· 6f known types of visual sightings are as . .. f9llows: _ . . . .. . . ._., , ~~ . . ' . . • ' . 1. Present-day jet aircraft, flying at great speeds and high altitudes, a1'e often .mis,~aken for. unknown objects by• t.he untrained observer. Sun;t.ight r?flecfions· f'.ronr the pol.ished surf~ces of air-. craf.t can be· seen pla.inly .ey!:!p,_:wpen the -airc.r_a.ft , itself is too dis tant ·to· -~e ·visiple, _The_exhaust: bf j~~ aircraft .emits~,a t.rail. and often this is seen rather than the aircraft itself. · 2. Weather balloons ac.-count fo:r;. a substantial number of. ;s.ight..:' ings. • These balloons, sen·t· .t"6' altitudes. of 40,000 feet•> and . high'er, are launghed from virtually every airfield in the coun,try. They q.re made of rubber or polyethylene, s:t--1e,ll a.~,·they gain. altitude, have very good ref'lective qualities, ·carry small :p~ghts. when -launched after dark, and can be seen at very hig~_ altitudes, . . . 3. In additio~·.eo the ordinari weather ~all6on, hug~ 90-foot balloon~, which. sometimes dr~ft from coast to coast, .a~e used for upper air research. ·These bal loons also have a highly reflective surface .and. are visible at ext-:ireme altitudes. • • ' ' ' 4. Frequently, unusually bright meteors and planets will cause a flurry of reports,.. sometimes from relatively experienced observers. At certain times of the year, V~n~s, for instance, is low on the horizon and will appear to change color and move erratically due to hazy atmospheric conditions. Since the .sta~s are char·ted. ar,id most of their characterist~ci known, many cases are traced ·to. the-m. Meteors on the ot_her ·hand are ·of rapid single-direction movemen-t· and. are· only visible for a Tew seconds. Meteor activity is more' common · at certain times of the year than others, and reports of UFO's have shown a tendency to increase during ·these periods. • • . , 5. Some cases arise which, on the ha.sis of information recei'vec;. · : are of a weird and peculiar natur~. The obj~cts display erratic , movements .and phenomenal speeds. Since maneuvers and .speeds · of this • kind cannot ,be traced directly to. aircraft, ball0ons, or ,kncwn astro.~ nomical sources, it: is b~lieved' that they are reflections from ob• jects rather · than being ·objects .themselves. Fr;>r example: suppose·· we would hold a mirror in hand under a light, causing a r eflection on the ·c~iling. Only a slight, quick movement of. the hand would result in erratic movements and phe!'lomena~ speeds of the -reflected beam. Refl~ct1ons may be projected to clouds and haze both from the ground and air~ Many things whiq~ are common to the sky have highly reflective qualities, such ·as balloons, aircraft, and clouds. Accu rate speeds are also difficult tq determine due to the ~nability of the r eportf;r..to judge d1stanc~, ·angles, and time. 6, Brilliant 'flashing lights that sometimes appear r~d and wh1te in. col or 'have been report ed_by observers. This type has been· traced to a .new lighting system of commercial airlines· and military aircraft , Atop the tail section of these aircraft highly reflective red and white flasher type lights have been installed and are many times misinterpreted by the ground observer. - 2- MORE