The Wow! Signal: A Cosmic Riddle Solved by Mathematics?

Can a mathematical equation be considered evidence that the source of the Wow! signal approached Earth (and was of extraterrestrial origin)?

This discussion is about the paper “The Wow! Signal Doppler Shift Equations“:


Mathematical equations can be considered evidence, but the context in which they are used is crucial. This is particularly evident when we examine events like the Wow! Signal, where data interpretation plays a significant role.

In the case of the Wow! signal, which was a strong narrowband radio signal detected by the Big Ear radio telescope in 1977, considering a mathematical equation as evidence requires careful consideration. It is important to consider the context and underlying assumptions.

Context of the Wow! Signal

Observational Nature: The Wow! signal was a one-time event that has not been observed again since its detection. This raises questions about reproducibility and the reliability of the interpretation of the signal.

Doppler Effect: The Doppler equation suggests blueshift (indicating that the signal source was approaching Earth). This is based on the principles of the Doppler effect. The Doppler effect describes how the frequency of emitted waves changes depending on the relative motion of the source and the observer. If a source is moving toward the observer, the waves are compressed, leading to a higher frequency (blueshift).

Mathematical Equation as Evidence

(Daguerreotype of Christian Andreas Doppler, 1803-1853)

In this instance, the mathematical equations associated with the Doppler effect can serve as supportive evidence.

This is possible if the following conditions are met:

Interpretation of the Signal: The mathematical model using the Doppler effect must be appropriately applied to the observed frequency of the Wow! signal. If the frequency of the signal is higher than what would be expected if the source were stationary, this shift can indeed be calculated. Then, using the Doppler equation, it provides a logical framework supporting the hypothesis that the source is moving towards Earth.

Consistency with Observations: For the equation to be considered evidence, it must be consistent with other data. We need to consider the characteristics of the signal (frequency, duration, etc.) and any additional analysis. For example, the lack of nearby astronomical sources that could explain the signal.

Limitations and Alternatives: While the Doppler equation suggests that the source was approaching, it is crucial to acknowledge the limitations of this interpretation. The single observation leaves room for alternative explanations. For example, it could have been interference or another cosmic phenomenon.

But we need to acknowledge that terrestrial interference or cosmic phenomena have long ago been ruled out by Dick Arnold, Bob Dixon, Jerry Ehman Ed Teiga and John Kraus.

Conclusion

The application of the Doppler equation supports the idea that the Wow! signal source was approaching Earth.

The Wow! Signal equation serves as evidence for a hypothesis, rather than serving as conclusive proof. The scientific method requires ruling out other explanations. Obtaining corroborating evidence through multiple observations or analyses is necessary before drawing definitive conclusions.


“There is no evidence that can’t be contradicted either by fact or lies.”

Erich Habich-Traut

In human discourse, where perception and persuasion play roles, that statement reflects a pragmatic reality: evidence is often subject to challenge, whether valid or not.

What type of evidence is logically or empirically unassailable?

Call for Action

Okay, we are looking for corroborating evidence for the hypothesis that Earth is being visited by extraterrestrial spacecraft, and has been for some time. We are looking for multiple observations as corroborating evidence. Does anyone have “corroborating evidence”?

(There are literally hundreds of thousands of reported unexplained sightings. Here is just a small number, two of which are mine. This explains my interest in this subject.)


Exhibit A: the Calvine UFO

Exhibit B: the Puerto Rico UFO

Exhibit C: the Salthill Sighting, my own sighting, 1986, Mufon #11680

Exhibit D: the M6 sighting, my own sighting, 1995, Mufon #82139

Exhibit E: the Pentagon UFO (UAP) videos

From Hydrogen Fusion to Alien Signals: A 1977 UFO Enigma Unravels

I have been contemplating the implications of the blue shift observed in the Wow! signal equations, as well as the nature of its source.

Background: this article explains the Wow! signal equations:

So, why would the Wow! signal have been blue-shifted?

Hydrogen-Fusion Drive

1: The signal source is the emission of a hydrogen fusion drive for object deceleration. Hydrogen fusion drives currently exceed human technology. The signal source “object” had a speed similar to that of Apollo capsules during their entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

I am not categorically suggesting that this “object” entered the atmosphere; rather, I am stating that the speed of the signal source was comparable to that of the Apollo capsules. However, it cannot be excluded that the Wow! signal source (the object the hypothetical fusion drive was attached to) entered the Earth’s atmosphere and landed.

An artist’s rendering of the Apollo command module’s re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Image by NASA

Hydrogen Maser

2: The signal source was a hydrogen maser that was approaching the Earth and emitted a signal. The reason for this is unknown. Was extraterrestrial intelligence attempting to attract attention? If so, then why was the signal not repeated?

Image: Space hydrogen maser, ESA


3: As a consequence, were there unusual UFO sightings on or after August 18, 1977? Or did other extraordinary events occur after 18. August 1977?

Image: The Petrozavodsk phenomenon, aka the Jellyfish UFO, September 1977.


A. Two days later, on August 20, 1977, NASA successfully launched the first Voyager spacecraft. It carried a golden record with sounds and images of Earth, intended as a message to any intelligent life form that might encounter it.

Voyager Golden Record

B. On October 6, 1977, the United Nations Assembly debated the existence of UFOs. The researchers presented a proposal to investigate the phenomenon.


C. On November 26, 1977, a strange transmission interrupted a news program on ITN, a British television channel. A distorted voice claiming to be Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, replaced the sound.


A, B and C are just some examples that immediately come to mind, when thinking about 1977—they are not inclusive.

On the existence of “Aldebaranians”

Aldebaranian Extraterrestrials and Telepathic Contact?

Upon reviewing the “Vril Project” material, it becomes clear that the details provided regarding the drawings and symbols—which supposedly form the basis for telepathic contact—are incorrect. On these grounds, I conclude that the proposed contact with an Aldebaranian species is entirely fictitious.

Aldebaranian interstellar space battlecruisers, AI extrapolation of images based on telepathic contact claims

Aldebaran is known as the bull’s eye ◎ in the constellation Taurus (The Bull), and is 65 light-years distant from us. It’s right next to the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster. Aldebaran has been described as a follower of the Pleiades.

Fun Fact:
The Pioneer 10 probe, launched in 1972, is on its way to Aldebaran. Although it no longer communicates with the Earth, it will reach Aldebaran in about 2 million years. 

Professor Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke (author of “The Occult Roots of Nazism”) states that “In the early 1990s, the Austrians Norbert Jürgen Ratthofer and Ralf Ettl developed new Nazi UFO myths involving ancient Babylon, Vril energy, and extraterrestrial civilization in the solar system of Aldebaran.”

According to myth, the Aldebaranians made contact with the Third Reich and helped in the development of German UFOs.

According to Ella LeBain, author of “Who’s who in the Cosmic Zoo?“,

an emerging fringe narrative claims Nazi Germany accessed a “stargate” to the star Aldebaran, using trance mediums and telepathic “light‐code” secrets in ancient Hebrew to justify genocide and develop advanced UFO and atomic‑implosion technology—dubbed the “Black Sun.” Drawing on works by Zechariah Sitchin and Phyllis Schlemmer, the theory links Sumerian and Babylonian empires to Nazi occultism and portrays extraterrestrial “Elohim” as the architects of Phoenician and Israelite origins.

According to the same account, post‑1945 American agencies seized Nazi UFO blueprints and recruited German scientists for both NASA and a covert “underground” space program. Proponents warn that Aldebarans—alongside reptilian “Draconians” and Grey aliens—now lurk within global elites, aiming to forge a Fourth Reich and a New World Order. Mainstream historians and scientists reject these claims as baseless, citing a complete lack of verifiable evidence for any terrestrial stargate or telepathic warfare


Origin of the Aldebaran Contact Claim

The initial reference to telepathic contact with Aldebaranian beings, through mediums such as Maria Orsic and “Sigrun,” originates from a single source: Ralf Ettl (d. 2006). According to David Childress, oftentimes a guest on “Ancient Aliens,” Ettl was residing in London in 1989. At that time, he received a parcel containing documents describing this alleged contact. Childress was the first to recount this origin story.


The “Vril Society” in Historical Context

The parcel purportedly contained information about telepathic mediums associated with the “Vril Society,” who contacted Aldebaran beings around 1919. However, an examination of historical references to the “Vril Society” reveals significant inconsistencies in the narrative:

• 1947: The first mention of a “Vril Society” appears in an article by defected German Third Reich rocket engineer Dr. Willy Ley, titled “Pseudoscience in Naziland.” Although Ley mentions the Vril Society, he makes no reference to telepathic mediums or extraterrestrial contacts. Instead, meditating upon an apple core reveals the nature of “Vril.”

• 1960: A subsequent reference to the “Vril Society” occurs in the book “The Morning of the Magicians,” which cites Ley’s article and introduces a link to the Theosophical Society and the Rosicrucians with the Vril Society.

• 1990: It is not until the release of Ralf Ettl and Norbert Ratthofer’s narrative, “The Vril Project,” that any claim of telepathic contact, extraterrestrial communication with Aldebaran, or connections to the Thule society or UFOs is introduced.


The Narrative of “The Vril Project”

Ralf Ettl and Jürgen Ratthofer describe a secret meeting held in December 1919. At this meeting, the innermost circles of the Thule and Vril societies gathered. The medium Maria Orsic allegedly presented two stacks of papers. One stack featured a bizarre-looking German Templar secret script, while the other contained what appeared to be a normal, legible text.

According to the narrative, these texts were received via mediumistic channeling—dictated both in a mysterious “temple script” and in a language completely unknown to the medium. Orsic herself believed that the unknown language must have been ancient and Near Eastern in nature. Later, it was asserted that this mysterious language was Sumerian—i.e., the language of the ancient precursors of Babylonian culture. The Aldebaranian language is identical to Sumerian! That’s because the Aldebaranians came to visit Earth 500,000 years ago. And then again later.

(The author Zecharia Sitchin told a similar story in 1976 in his book “The Twelfth Planet.” Only his extraterrestrial Anunnaki came from “Nibiru,” a planet in our solar system beyond Neptune.)


Critical Analysis of the Claims

A closer look at the claims and evidence presented in “The Vril Project” reveals several inconsistencies:

• Sumerian Writing and Language:
Although the Sumerians invented writing, the script they developed—cuneiform—is markedly different from the so-called 13th-century “temple script” described in the narrative. Sumerian cuneiform is recorded on clay tablets that are over 5000 years old and bear no resemblance to any secret “Temple” script.

Moreover, the Sumerian language does not sound like German (click here for a sound sample). This contradicts the report of a language that “almost sounded like German” yet remained incomprehensible.

• The Nature of the Message:

The messages received by Maria Orsic were in German and encoded with a simple substitution cipher. The availability of a cipher key would have allowed for the deciphering of the texts. This undermines the claim of an entirely unknown language.

• The Black Sun Symbol:

A central symbol in esoteric Nazism is the Black Sun, which appears in two distinctly different versions:

Wewelsburg Black Sun Version:
This version is found at Wewelsburg in Germany, which served during the Third Reich as the spiritual center of an emerging Nazi ideology. It’s only a fairly recent claim that the design resembles a Black Sun.

What is not known:

The spoked mosaic of the ‘Black Sun’ at Wewelsburg (designed after 1934) is derived from the decorative rim of the Samarra Bowl. This bowl was discovered by Ernst Herzfelder around 1914 and later exhibited in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The bowl’s center features one of the oldest known swastika depictions. Samarra is located in the region historically known as Sumeria.

You can stretch the Samarra bowl’s meandering pattern to match the Wewelsburg mosaic’s pattern. It is strange that the authors of “Esoteric Nazism” didn’t pick up on this Sumerian connection.

New Black Sun Version from “The Vril Project”:

Another Black Sun version was first presented in Ettl’s 1990 pamphlet “The Vril Project” and later featured in the pseudo-documentary “UFO: Secrets of the Third Reich” (1995). Peter Moon’s “The Black Sun: Montauk’s Nazi-Tibetan Connection” (1997) also presents this design. It is similar to the old flag of the Japanese empire. Additionally, this eye-catching design closely resembles the 16-spoke strobe disk of mechanical, low-bandwidth television. This type of TV was first pioneered in 1925.

In 1985, Carl Sagan posed a hypothetical question in his novel “Contact.” He asked, “What if the Nazis didn’t have television in 1936? Then what would have happened?”

What indeed? The video snippet below is from Ralf Ettl’s UFO film,
which kickstarted the popularization of the “Reichsflugscheibe” theory:

Was Ettl inspired by Carl Sagan’s novel, to design his “Black Sun” based on a TV strobe disk? Could the “Aldebaranian” writing on it serve as evidence of “extraterrestrial influence?”

The Ettl Black Sun version
Around the perimeter of the graphic is a slogan of the Thule Society. This slogan is encrypted using the “Templar Script” substitution cipher in German. By no means is it extraterrestrial. Spoiler: Here is the translation (click).

At the center of the disk, two runes are identified by Ettl and Ratthofer as a double “EH” rune (ᚾᚾ). In reality, the correct reading of the double Naudiz rune is “NN.” We can interpret this as an abbreviation for “Neo-Nazi.” This detail further suggests that the story is a post-war fabrication, as there was no such group before or during World War II.


Conclusion

An analysis of the available evidence exposes a series of anachronisms and inconsistencies within the “Vril Project” narrative. Erroneous claims regarding ancient language, misidentification of historical scripts, and contradictory symbolism all undermine the credibility of the telepathic Aldebaran contact story. In light of these discrepancies, the proposed contact with an Aldebaranian species must be regarded as entirely fictitious.

There are several false claims within the literature; this analysis restricted itself to the claim of telepathic contact by mediums of the Vril society. Almost all other claims are also false. Despite this, Revell created a UFO model based on the claims made in the Vril project about German flying saucers.

Verdict: FAKE


References

  1. “The Sound of the Ancient Sumerian Language (Entemena of Lagash).” YouTube, https://youtu.be/3QticJ8mww4.
  2. Ley, Willy. Pseudoscience in Naziland.
  3. Barkun, Michael. A Culture of Conspiracy.
  4. Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas. Black Sun.
  5. Pauwels, Louis, and Jacques Bergier. The Morning of the Magicians.
  6. “The Vril Project.” 1990.
  7. Farrell, Joseph P. Nazi International.
  8. Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas. The Occult Roots of Nazism.
  9. Zündel, Ernst. UFOs: Nazi Secret Weapon.
  10. de Lafayette, Maximillien. UFOs, Maria Orsic.
  11. Wissensbuch der ILU-Lehre.
  12. Ettl, Ralf. Das Babylonier Buch.
  13. Fort, Charles. The Book of the Damned.
  14. Strube, Julian. Die Erfindung des esoterischen Nationalsozialismus im Zeichen der Schwarzen Sonne.
  15. UFO: Secrets of the Third Reich. 1995.
  16. Moon, Peter. The Black Sun: Montauk’s Nazi-Tibetan Connection. 1997.
  17. van Helsing, Jan. Geheimgesellschaften und ihre Macht im 20. Jahrhundert.
  18. Ratthofer, N.J. Galaxisimperium Aldebaran.
  19. van Helsing, Jan. Unternehmen Aldebaran.
  20. Childress, David Hatcher. Vril: Secrets of the Black Sun
  21. NAZIS ‘FIRST WITH FLYING SAUCERS’
    https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139966106
  22. Flying Saucers Do Exist, Says Scientist
    https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47626536
  23. ENGINEER CLAIMS ‘SAUCER’ PLANS ARE IN SOVIET HANDS;
    https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000015471.pdf
  24. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Goodrick-Clarke

Rediscovering the Unknown: My 25-Year-Old UFO Sighting Comes to Light

My Lost UFO Sighting: Why I’m Coming Forward Now

In April 2020, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Germany, I found myself with plenty of time on my hands. I decided to sort through old 35mm negatives that I had stored away in a drawer in our basement. The drawer had acted as a storage box for years.

While scanning the film strips, I stumbled upon negatives from England, where I had lived in 1995. Among those negatives were two frames of particular interest.

Frames 7 and 8 of the Ilford XP2 film revealed an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP). I was unprepared to find these images, having completely forgotten about this UFO sighting for 25 years. The only others who knew about it were my friend and her father, both of whom were with me during the sighting.

I had taken two exposures of the object while driving straight at 70 mph on the motorway.

I recall being quite disappointed when the film was developed in 1995; the images were small and blurry, failing to capture the clarity of what I had seen with my own eyes that night.

After that, I completely forgot about the sighting.

In 2020, I was genuinely excited to rediscover the film. I purchased a digital microscope to examine the negatives in greater detail.

I scanned the negatives and submitted a report to BUFORA, the British UFO Research Organization, given that the sighting occurred in the UK. BUFORA suggested that what I had seen was an advertising blimp parked near the M6 motorway.

An advertising blimp? What I witnessed was a white object with no advertising on it. The whiteness wasn’t due to overexposure, nor did it bear any markings. You would need to have been sitting with me in the Land Rover back in 1995 to understand that.

Additionally, the object appeared to decrease in size by 25% as we approached it—an unusual characteristic for a stationary advertising blimp. For the blimp to appear smaller, it would have had to travel faster than 70 mph, yet a blimp’s top speed is only 55 mph.

I took out a ruler and measured angles and distances from the two photos. The straight lane divider on the motorway made it possible for me to actually triangulate distance, speed and size of the object.

The triangulation gave me an even higher speed for the object:

MUFON case number 82139

But who knows? Maybe I made a calculation error and someone can give me a better speed, distance and size estimate.

UFO Alert!
That leaves me with the question: what did I see?

This is the reason I am stepping forward now. I would like to propose an idea for definitively answering the question, “Are we alone?”:

The Contact Project
The goal of the ‘Contact Project’ is to discover whether or not humanity is equipped to respond to extraterrestrial contact.

The project can grow by discussion and criticism and is adaptable. It would be nice to engage radio amateurs to try and make contact. But it’s not a requirement. A search partner can be anyone who cares.

DIY Amateur Passive Radar for UFO detection

Prepare to be amazed!

The pilots of the USS Nimitz officially tracked the TicToc UFO (or UAP) using the state-of-the-art Spy One Aegis System. Specifically, the phased array (SPY-1(V) [AEGIS]). The radar operator Kevin Day aboard the Nimitz’s consort, USS Princeton, played a pivotal role in this encounter.

This advanced military-grade passive radar system comes at a staggering cost of approximately $20 million! (For more info, check out: SPY-1 Wikipedia.)

But what if I told you that you could build your very own passive radar system at a fraction of that price? Imagine tracking not only commercial aircraft and meteorites entering Earth’s atmosphere. You could potentially track UFOs themselves—if luck is on your side!

A bit of SETI Passive Radar history

A temporarily unverified anecdote: In 2018, Peter Davenport, the Director of the National UFO Reporting Center, revealed to a friend that he had contacted Dr. Jill Tarter on February 3, 2014, about his paper advocating the use of “passive” radar to detect UFOs near Earth.

He emphasized that his goal was to propose a collaborative effort for a thorough investigation. However, Dr. Tarter’s reply was brief and somewhat dismissive; she mentioned that she had retired from SETI and would forward his message to Gerry Harp, the new Director.

ET to SETI: can you hear us now?

Despite Davenport’s follow-up attempts, he received no response from Harp, suggesting a reluctance within SETI to engage with UFO research initiatives. My friend described this reaction as surprising, given SETI’s public perception as pioneers in the search for extraterrestrial life.

SETI’s reaction, however (or lack thereof), is not surprising to me.


What is SDR-based Passive Radar?

Firstly, SDR stands for “Software Defined Radio.” This incredible technology emulates everything you would expect to find in a conventional radio receiver through software. This makes SDR radios much more affordable and loaded with features that traditional counterparts can only dream of!

A depiction of a passive radar experiment from 1935 with two “antennas.” The antennas consist of lengths of cable suspended above the ground. One of the antennas picked up a signal from the BBC directly. Then the second “antenna” picked up the reflection of that same signal from an aircraft, enabling the creation of a radar image. More directional antennas produce better results.

To construct this phenomenal passive radar station, all you need are two SDR radio dongles for your computer. In 2025 these are priced at $35 each (Amazon.com). Yes, you read that right! You will also need two antennas. (A link to the instructions you find at the end of this page.)

The Magic of Passive Radar

Here’s the best part: you don’t need a license to build and operate a passive radar station! As the name suggests, it operates entirely passively, meaning that your setup does not emit any radar beams.

Instead, you harness radio signals from local radio stations as your signal source. These signals naturally bounce off objects like meteorites, aircraft, or even those elusive UFOs!

Building Your Own SDR-based Passive Radar on a Budget!

Let’s kick things off with proof! Below you’ll find an animation showcasing measurements of airplanes and meteors captured by a radar system created with a few easily accessible components. Get ready to be thrilled!

What can you expect from this DIY Passive Radar? Check out this recording:

Of course, you’ll be much more likely to see plane traffic, meteorites, and low-flying objects like the International Space Station. This is more probable than any more exotic objects passing through your field of view.


The worlds first UFO case confirmed by amateur passive radar!

A round of applause to Josef Garcia and GEP for achieving the first amateur verification of a UFO via passive radar! Link (German):


Take a look at these remarkable amateur passive radar images contributed by Josef Garcia:

This radar track shows an object doing rapid 80° degree turns. Image courtesy of Josef Garcia, 2021
In comparison the smooth flight path of the ISS. Image courtesy of Josef Garcia, 2021

AI-driven filtering and detection of UFO radar tracks

Unlocking the Skies: How AI Is Revolutionizing UFO Detection

Picture this: a radar blip streaks across the screen at 74,000 km/h (46,000 mph), halts mid-air, then pivots instantly—defying gravity, physics, and every known aircraft on Earth. This isn’t science fiction. These are the jaw-dropping maneuvers that set UFOs apart from conventional planes, drones, or even meteorites. But how do we spot these anomalies in a sea of ordinary radar data? The answer lies in the flight patterns no human pilot or machine could survive—and the AI that’s learning to track them.

UFOs don’t follow the rules.

They hover silently, sometimes for hours, accelerate faster than a hypersonic missile, or execute 90-degree turns at speeds that would shred any human-made craft. While not all UFOs pull off these physics-defying stunts, those that do leave a glaring signature: a trail of radar data that screams “this isn’t from our world.”

But here’s the catch: manually scouring radar feeds for these rare, split-second events is like finding a needle in a cosmic haystack. It’s tedious, time-consuming, and prone to human error. Enter AI-powered pattern recognition—a game-changer in the hunt for the unexplained. Imagine training algorithms to flag the impossible.

Machine learning models can digest decades of radar data, learning the difference between a commercial jet, a weather balloon, and an object that stops dead in the sky before vanishing at Mach 60. These systems never sleep, never blink, and process millions of data points in real time, alerting scientists only when they detect the extraordinary: sudden accelerations, inhuman G-force maneuvers, or objects that defy aerodynamic logic.

(Image: Amateur passive radar setup)
Machine learning isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about unlocking mysteries. By automating the detection of UFO signatures, AI turns a once-impossible task into a scalable mission.

Researchers can focus on analysis instead of endless screen-watching, accelerating our understanding of these enigmatic phenomena.

The skies are stranger than we think. And with AI as our co-pilot, we’re finally building the tools to decode their secrets—one anomalous blip at a time. 🛸✨

Ready to rethink what’s possible? The truth isn’t just out there… it’s in the data.


Curious about passive radar technology? (the AI part comes later)

Click below to find out how to built your own Passive-Radar-Station.

1977: The Year We Made Contact?

The year 1977 was a remarkable time for those fascinated by the possibility of extraterrestrial life. A series of events, both earthbound and celestial, captivated the imagination of people around the world. These events sparked a renewed interest in the search for life beyond our planet.


It began on August 15, 1977, when a strong, narrowband radio signal was detected by a radio telescope at Ohio State University. Dubbed the “Wow!” signal, it remains one of the most intriguing examples of an unexplained signal in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI).


Just five days later, on August 20, 1977, NASA launched the first Voyager space probe. It carried a Golden Record containing sounds and images of Earth, intended as a message to any intelligent life form that might encounter it.


As the year progressed, the United Nations Assembly debated the existence of UFOs. A proposal to study the phenomenon was presented on October 6, 1977, as reported by The New York Times. This marked a significant moment in the history of UFO research. It brought the topic into the mainstream and sparked a global conversation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.


The release of Steven Spielberg’s movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” on November 16, 1977, further fueled the public’s fascination with UFOs and alien life. The film’s depiction of a peaceful encounter between humans and extraterrestrials resonated with audiences. It helped to shape the cultural narrative around the topic. It’s iconic 5-note melody by John Williams is famous to this day.


But perhaps the most bizarre and unexplained event of the year occurred on November 26, 1977, when a strange broadcast interrupted a news program on ITN, a British television network. At 5:10 p.m. GMT, a deep buzzing sound replaced the audio. This was followed by a distorted voice claiming to be Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command. The voice delivered a message of peace and wisdom, stating,

“For many years, you have seen us as lights in the skies. We speak to you now in peace and wisdom, as we have done to your brothers and sisters all over this, your planet Earth.”

While the “authenticity” of this broadcast remains a topic of debate, it has become a fascinating footnote in the history of UFO research.

The broadcast itself may have been achieved by technological hacks. Nevertheless, its 1977 message is thought-provoking and still valid today:

It speaks about the need for humanity to come together in peace and harmony to avoid disaster. The message also discusses entering a new age of enlightenment, referred to as the “New Age of Aquarius.” The speaker warns about the presence of false prophets and guides who may exploit people’s energy and resources. The message encourages listeners to be aware of their choices, to protect themselves, and to use their imagination to create a better world.

A well-researched podcast about the Southern Television Broadcast interruption is found here:


Whether or not 1977 was truly a year of contact, it was undoubtedly a year that sparked a renewed interest in extraterrestrial life and intelligence. It continues to inspire scientific inquiry and popular fascination to this day.

Aliens or Artillery? Shocking UFO Study from Ukraine Sparks Heated Debate!

Are UFOs over US airspace allowed to travel at superfast speeds, but it’s not allowed over European airspace? A Ukrainian UFO raises questions.

Update Feb 24, 2024 (Newsweek).


A groundbreaking UFO study published by Ukrainian astronomers has stirred up speculation with claims of mysterious flying objects captured on radar, leaving both skeptics and believers buzzing.

Half a year after the onset of the Russian invasion, these researchers unveiled striking evidence of unidentified aerial phenomena soaring across the skies, clocked at astonishing speeds of up to 54,000 km/h!

But as renowned astronomer Avi Loeb throws cold water on the findings—asserting they could simply be artillery shells—the debate over what truly lurks above Ukraine intensifies. Is it extraterrestrial life, or are earthly conflicts warping our perceptions? Buckle up as we dive into this cosmic controversy!

SETI pope Avi Loeb claimed that Ukrainian astronomers mistook Russian artillery shells for UFOs. The UFOs were clocked at 54,000 km/h.

But this cannot be artillery shells: the world’s fastest artillery shell travels at 2,977 km/h. The world’s fastest missile (Avangard) reaches 37,044 km/h. That’s well short of the reported 54,000 km/h.

Avi Loeb then asserted that the astronomers had only estimated the distance, resulting in a ten-fold error in both distance and speed. (Even then, the objects photographed would still too fast to be artillery shells.) It’s not true that the astronomers only estimated the distance: they computed the distance by triangulation. That’s a scientific method with very precise results!

Then Avi Loeb claimed that no HUMAN-MADE objects can travel at these speeds in Earth’s atmosphere, as otherwise, there would be a fireball around them due to intense air ionization and friction.

Case In Point: the objects were not HUMAN-MADE.

And why does Avi Loeb initially dismiss the observations of the Ukrainian astronomers as being wrong, but then later argues that if the observations were valid, it wouldn’t be possible due to air friction?

54000 km/h vs. 74000 km/h? Whaaat?

Avi Loeb disregarded the observations of a team of Ukrainian astronomers over Ukraine airspace as unlikely, because the UFOs traveled at 54 000 km/h. His theory being that at these speeds the air molecules surrounding the UFO would ignite by friction (air resistance), creating a huge flaming fireball. This was clearly not the case. Hence, Avi Loeb says, the speed must have been wrongly deduced.

However, the Pentagon TicTac video shows a UFO that traveled at a top speed of 72,000 km/h. How is it possible for UFOs over US airspace to travel at superfast speeds, but it’s not allowed over European airspace?

Here is the in-depth TicTac video analysis by Dr. Kevin Knuth from the Entropy Magazine, estimating the TicToc UFO top speed at 46,000 mph (74,000 km/h):

And here is the non-scientific version from Meer.com, by Dr. Tim Mounce (though he got the speed wrong: its 46,000 mph and not 45,000 mph).


And here, now, is the story of Ukraine UFOs:

The Ukraine UFO study

Half a year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in spring 2022, the Ukrainians published a UFO study.

It was claimed that not one but two meteorite-observing stations had discovered something extraordinary at the same time:
flying objects moving faster than the unaided human eye can see.

“The eye does not fix phenomena lasting less than one-tenth of a second,” the paper said. “It takes four-tenths of a second to recognize an event. “ — Ukrainian UAP study

One observing station was based in the capital of Kyiv and the other in the village of Vinarivka, 132 km to the south.

The Ukrainian astronomers detected the UFOs with specialized meteorite detection equipment:

“Ordinary photo and video recordings will () not capture the [unidentified aerial phenomena]. “ — Ukrainian UAP study


Triangulation

The equipment was 132 km apart, meaning that they could triangulate the speed, position, and size of the objects really well.

Triangulation is a technique that astronomers do all the time. For instance, it’s used to determine the distance of stars.

The objects measured between 3 and 12 meters and were clocked at speeds up to 54,000 km per hour (33,554 mph)!


Publication

The Ukrainians first published their findings on a preprint server named Arxiv:

“Unidentified aerial phenomena,
I. Observations of events”

written by B. Zhilyaev, V. Petukhov, and V. Reshetnyk https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.11215.pdf.

Scientists use Arxiv to receive feedback from peers before publication. Arxiv also provides public access to papers that might otherwise be hidden behind paywalls.

However, the findings of the Ukrainian study were quickly published in mainstream journals, for instance, by the “American Military News”: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2022/09/ufos-spotted-everywhere-over-ukraine-say-scientists/


Everybody assumed (without basis in fact) that the Ukrainian UFO sightings were somehow related to the raging Ukraine—Russia conflict. — Erich Habich-Traut for the Contact Project


Press coverage

At one stage, “The Jerusalem Post” wrote:
“Are there UFOs, UAPs in the skies of Ukraine? Study says yes”:
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-717346

But not everyone agreed.


Criticism

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who had gained worldwide fame in 2018 with his theory that comet Oumuamua was an extraterrestrial probe, was aware of the Ukrainian study.

But he hadn’t looked at it closer until he was asked by the director of the new UAP office in Washington, DC, to write a short paper about it.

The Contact Project first heard of Avi Loeb’s “debunking” of the Ukrainian study from his email:

Quote:
“You might enjoy the essay and related paper below.
I was reluctant to even read the Ukranian paper, but on Monday night I was visited at home by the director of the new UAP office in DC and he asked me to write a short scientific paper on UAP. So yesterday morning at 4.30AM (before my routine morning jog) I had a look at the Ukrainian paper and within an hour figured that they got the distance to their dark objects wrong by a factor of ten (or else there would be a huge fireball around each of them as a result of the friction with the air). After correcting that everything falls into place, with the parameters of artillery shells As Feynman noted, there’s a great pleasure in figuring things out.
There is no way out of this argument because they claim the objects are dark, meaning that they block light. The cross-section with photons implies that the objects must interact with air molecules.” — Avi Loe
b


Morning Jog at 4:30 am

According to his email, Avi quickly reviewed the “Ukranian” paper before starting his daily morning jog at 4:30 am. Within one hour he had already concluded that the objects could not move at the speeds claimed by the Ukrainians (because the air would burn around them from friction), and they were, in fact, artillery shells:

“UAPs or Russian shells? Israel-born astronomer, Ukraine nix UAP study” https://www.jpost.com/science/article-719773

Avi Loeb contended that the Ukrainian astronomers had failed to exercise due diligence, resulting in a ten-fold miscalculation of the UFOs’ speed. He said that was because they had not triangulated the distance of the objects and only estimated their distance.

Then Avi Loeb said the UFOs were in reality (Russian) artillery shells.

From that point on, the “debunking train” rapidly gained momentum, leading nearly every publication that had previously supported the story to criticize the Ukrainian astronomers’ findings as inaccurate Russian artillery.

I scratched my head.

When were the observations made?

How did Avi Loeb know that the UFOs were artillery? The Russian bombardment of Ukraine had started after the 24th of February 2022. There was not a single mention in the Ukrainian UAP paper of when the observations were actually made. Only a vague reference in the footnotes to an Astronomical Schools Report from 2021.

Clearly, that was an omission. To find clarity on the matter, I wrote two letters to the Ukrainian astronomers:

Quote
“Dear Mr. Zhilyaev, Avi Loeb has made a comment regarding your paper on Arxiv, that your observations are those of artillery shells. Do you believe this to be a possibility?”
— The Contact Project

That first letter got no reply.
Avi Loeb’s comments about artillery shells became the de facto explanation for UAP in Ukraine.

A few weeks later, I decided to write a second letter to the Ukrainian astronomers, being more precise in my question. I also put Avi Loeb in the BCC, in case he wanted to clarify his argument:

Quote
“Dear Mr. Zhilyaev,
writing on behalf of the Contact Project, (https://contactproject.org) I’m curious about your UAP sightings.

Arxiv: “Unidentified aerial phenomena I. Observations of events,”
by B. Zhilyaev, V. Petukhov, and V. Reshetnyk
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.11215.pdf

I would like to note that your preprint archive paper does not say precisely WHEN your observations took place, and I am curious about that date.

In your references (2) regarding “phantoms,” you quote a publication from 2021, a date well before the Russian invasion in 2022.

(2) Zhilyaev B.E., Vidmachenko A.P., Petukhov V.N., et al., 2021, Astronomical Schools Report, 17, N 1–2, 1–8

Is it correct then to assume that at least some of the observations that are the basis of your preprint paper are from a time when there were no artillery shells flying through Ukrainian skies?

From my reading of your paper, I understand that you had access to two observation stations. You probably triangulated the object distance from that?

What do you say?” — The Contact Project

This time I did receive a short reply from the lead astronomer of the Ukraine UAP study:

Quote:
“We have been watching UAP since 2018.
We do not associate their activity with the war in Ukraine.
Observations from 2 points are carried out for the purpose of triangulation.” — 
B.E. Zhilyaev

It was as I thought: the Ukrainians had claimed nowhere to have made their observations in 2022 during the war.

Instead, the UFO/UAP sightings date back to the year 2018. Furthermore, the Ukrainian astronomers had not “estimated” the distance of the objects; instead, they had used two observation posts to triangulate the distance scientifically. This also made it possible to calculate their size.


CONCLUSION

The observations made by the Ukrainian astronomers were from 2018, not during the war. In fact, they had been monitoring UFO sightings since then. Furthermore, the team used two observation posts to triangulate the distance of the objects scientifically, which allowed them to calculate their speed and size.

This information raises questions about Avi Loeb’s conclusions. Given that the observations were made before the war, it becomes unlikely that the objects were artillery shells. The ability to triangulate the objects also contradicts Avi Loeb’s argument.

The truth, in this case, requires persistence and the ability to interpret ambiguity.

#aviloeb #uap #UFO #ukraine #contactproject #SETI #astronomy

Reference: “Unidentified aerial phenomena I. Observations of events,”
by B. Zhilyaev, V. Petukhov, and V. Reshetnyk


Addendum

(the authors published further papers, clarifying and doubling down on their findings):
arXiv:2211.17085  [pdfpsother]  physics.pop-ph astro-ph.IM
Unidentified aerial phenomena II. Evaluation of UAP properties
Authors: B. E. ZhilyaevV. N. PetukhovV. M. Reshetnyk
Abstract: …sky led to the detection of two luminous objects at an altitude of 620 and 1130 km, moving at a speed of 256 and 78 km/s. Colorimetric analysis showed that the objects are dark: B – V = 1.35, V – R = 0.23. The size of objects is estimated to be more than 100 meters. The detection of these objects is an experimental fact.
Submitted 13 November, 2022: 13 pages,34 figures, Kinematics and Physics of Celestial Bodies

arXiv:2306.13664  [pdfpsother]  physics.pop-ph astro-ph.IM
Unidentified aerial phenomena. Observations of variable objects
Authors: Boris ZhilyaevDavid TchengVladimir Petukhov
Abstract: NASA commissioned a research team to study Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). The Main Astronomical Observatory of NAS of Ukraine conducts an independent study of UAP. A research team from San Diego also decided to conduct a study of UAP. Observations of events that cannot scientifically be identified as known natural phenomena established the existence of the UAP.
Submitted 11 June, 2023: 5 pages, 9 figures, Kinematics and Physics of Celestial Bodies

Become like children…

I’m excited to share a fresh perspective on the Contact Project. While many gaze into the vast expanse of space, searching light-years away for evidence of extraterrestrial life, I believe we should look closer to home. Yes, radio astronomy may one day unveil the whispers of alien civilizations beyond our solar system, but in my view, Earth is already a crossroads for extraterrestrial visitors.

We don’t need to venture far to find “ET.”

THE E.T. MOVIE PHONE

Radio amateur Henry Feinberg explains the communicator he built for the movie “ET: The Extraterrestrial.” Have you ever wondered how quickly the mothership responded to ET’s call? The E.T. movie phone can transmit actual messages into space to orbiting saucers. Doesn’t that sound ludicrous?

E.T.’s mothership wasn’t actually very far from Earth. That’s how he was rescued so quickly.
The banner for the Contact Project embodies this very idea. What many see as a simple child’s toy, reminiscent of the beloved movie “E.T. The Extraterrestrial,” is, in fact, a working communications device capable of sending signals into Earth orbit.

I’m not saying that we should build this contraption. But the idea that it may be possible to contact ETi by sending radio signals is the core idea of this website, the “ContactProject.Org.”

In the world of science and technology communication, Henry Feinberg (call sign K2SSQ) shines brightly. A true innovator at heart, he crafted the remarkable communicator featured in the film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”

How to built a ET communicator, according to a radio ham

Using everyday household items, Henry pieced together an ingenious device that could transmit E.T.’s iconic “phone home” signal. The communicator consists of three distinct components. At its core lies a modified Speak and Spell, with its keys reconfigured to form an entirely new alphabet.

From each key, Henry connected wires to another pivotal piece—the programmer. This unconventional programmer is built atop a turntable, but instead of a record, it features a saw blade adorned with multiple coats of insulating spray paint.

Henry crafted openings in the saw blade that correspond to specific letters. As the turntable spins, the saw blade passes under a row of Bobby pins, which contact and activate the Speak and Spell just as if one were pressing the buttons directly. Adding to the complexity of this creation, Henry ingeniously fashioned a ratchet system using a knife and fork hinged together. As the turntable rotates, the knife and fork pivot back and forth, precisely indexing the saw blade to generate the next letter of the message.

To further enhance his creation, Henry attached a rope to a nearby tree branch in the forest. As the wind rustled through the trees, it pulled the branch back and forth, gently advancing the saw blade tooth by tooth. With this setup, he not only programmed a message but also needed to transmit it across the cosmos.

For the transmission, Henry utilized a speaker-microphone from a CB walkie-talkie that belonged to Elliott. He ingeniously routed the signal to a UHF TV tuner—an ingenious piece that E.T. had “borrowed” from Elliott’s mother’s television set. This tuner elevated the signal from the CB frequency into the microwave range, channeling it into a coffee can that vibrated to amplify the transmission.

Finally, the message was funneled through an umbrella lined with a reflective coating, which directed the signal outward into the vastness of outer space. Each component harmonized beautifully, showcasing not only Henry’s talent as an inventor but also the enduring possibilities of communication across galaxies.

How to create a satellite dish using an umbrella

From: “Creating a Satellite Dish Using an Umbrella”

Why I am coming forward now

During April 2020 I had a lot of time on my hands. It was the first Corona lockdown in Germany. I decided to sort through old 35 mm negatives in an old drawer in our basement. The drawer serves as a storage box.

As I was pulling the film strips through the scanner, I came across negatives from England, where I had lived in 1995. Between those negatives were two frames of particular interest.

Ilford XP2 35 mm film, 1995

Ilford XP2 film frames 7 and 8 showed an UAP. I was not prepared to find these pictures. I had completely forgotten this UFO sighting for 25 years. The only other two people who knew about it were my girlfriend and her father who were with me when the sighting took place.

The blurry camera images are not as good as what I saw with my own eyes that night in 1995. I got two exposures of the same object driving in a straight line at 70 mph on the motorway. That made it possible to actually triangulate distance, speed and size of the object:

Triangulation of distance to UAP, frames 7 & 8

It has been suggested that what I saw was an advertising blimp parked near the motorway. I don’t think so, because it had no advertising or any markings on it. Also, the object became 25% smaller as we drove towards it for approx. 15 seconds at 70 mph.

To get smaller the blimp would have to have traveled faster than 70 mph. But a blimp top speed is only 55 mph.

UAP?

That leaves me with the question: what did I see?

This is the reason I am stepping forward, now.
I know how to answer this type of question, once and for all.


—–

The Mission of ‘The Contact Project’:
to investigate UAPs/UFOs using real-time tracking, radio, video, gigapixel images and passive radar, so that this type of question can be answered without doubts.

The engine of this initiative will be an app designed to coordinate real-time reporting, alerting, documenting and contacting efforts.

The goal of the ‘Contact Project’ is to discover whether or not humanity is equipped to respond to extraterrestrial contact.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE CONTACT INITIATIVE

People watching the sky
A group of people looks up toward the sky.

The CONTACT INITIATIVE looks for answers about the nature of UAPs/UFOs.

My name is Erich Habich-Traut and I’m the initiator of the ‘Contact Project’.

I’ve coordinated a multinational science project 2001 – 2015 with my website “Our Planet Earth From Space”, which tracked Earth Changes: http://opefs.com.

I’ve been a volunteer for Bigelow Aerospace from 2006 ~ 2012, providing real-time tracking of their prototype space habitats Genesis I & II via NORAD (https://web.archive.org/web/20120504010218/http://bigelowaerospace.com/genesis-1-tracking.php).

The difference between the Contact Project and classical SETI is that UAPs are included in its search for extraterrestrial life.

The Contact Project wants to gather high quality evidence about the phenomenon. It also wants to inform and enthuse the public about the possibility of contact

UFO ALERT
One possibility to gather evidence on UFOs and make contact with ETi that the Contact Project has investigated is an app based approach- a smartphone app that records GPS coordinates of UFOs after a user alert. The following is past tense:

Users could take snapshots or video of the UFO with their smartphone. But that was not the primary goal. When the smartphone was used to photograph the UFO, its gravity sensors record the elevation and the compass records its azimuth.

The UFO alert then would have been sent to an astronomical database, NORAD database and air traffic databases to identify known flying objects. Secret military projects were to be excluded via NORAD TLEs.

The remaining objects qualified as prospective UAP. They would have been investigated by forwarding their GPS coordinates to close-by search partners using the same Contact app. All this was to happen near real-time.

The search partners were to be selected by their proximity to the sighting and their capability/qualifications.

Search partners could have been HAM radio operators, videographers, gigapixel camera operators, Unistellar telescope operators and (passive) radar operators. Passive radar was a subset of radio HAM enthusiasts.

To motivate the public to take part in this search prizes were to be given for successful detections of UAPs, staggered by evidence weight:

less important:
1. confirmed UAP pictures, 2. video, 3. radar images,

more important:
4. reception of radio emissions,  5. verifiable conversation with ETI (CETI), 6. physical alien artifact, 7. actual landing of UAP with ETI.

Alternative to cash prizes, credits may be given. Those could be collectible non-fungible tokens (NFT’s), whose value is based on their desirability.

The whole endeavor (and prize money) would have been funded by private enterprise through the “Alien Marketplace” advertising space. This marketplace was accessed through the Contact app. To filter out fakes and false identifications AI algorithms and volunteers were to evaluate the results. The volunteers may have been paid cash or NFT tokens that can be traded on the Alien Marketplace.

MY OWN MOTIVATION

MUFON #111680, UK, 1995


My own motivation to get this “Contact Project” app off the ground are my own UAP sightings from Ireland in 1986 and 1995 in the UK.

The 1995 UAP I managed to photograph twice on 35mm film, making it possible for me to finally triangulate it’s approximate size, distance and speed in May 2020, when I found the lost and forgotten negative film from 1995.

According to a Gallup poll over 40% of the American public believes in UFOs.  Now, after the release of the Pentagon ODNI UAP report in July 2021 the climate seems right to get to the bottom of this and ask the question for real and to get a real answer: Are we Alone?

After this introduction, could I please interest you in reading the proposal outline and flowchart of the “Contact Project”?

Keywords: Contact Initiative, GPS tracking, smartphone app, crowd sourced, automated alert system, distributed, public and specialized observers, passive radar operators, proactive HAM radio operators, gigapixel camera operators, CETI, METI, SETI, commercial funding, NFT, alien marketplace

https://contactproject.org

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