JUST LIGHTS?

Nocturnal Lights

We are now getting into an era where nocturnal lights are simply nocturnal lights. The interpretation may be for ordinary aircraft or remain in the UFO status. If there is unusual movement not normally expected from a normal aircraft then we still do not have enough information to determine the nature of the light or object, it remains a UFO.

I have seen literally hundreds of videos from here and overseas with almost the same type of content as above. If you are like me then you reach a stage where we expect better. Given that technology is improving at an accelerating rate and that video cameras have never been so affordable then we should be able to get better images from these instruments.

We know that almost any scene can be simulated with video effects. Hollywood and computer technology provides us with the tools to be able to do this in our own homes, nevertheless we must still rely on this technology in the hands of ordinary people to assist us in our ongoing quest for the answers. Shaky out of focus images must be a thing of the past, we have the tools, we need the training. What to do?

Two cases - Campbelltown and Appin.

Well we have an interesting scenario occuring in the Campbelltown area (west of Sydney) and Appin (south west of Sydney), there are two interesting incidents which are ongoing (since November 97). I am involved in both as a "consultant", the main contacts are via two investigators for the seperate events.

One incident occurs about sunset the other, late in the night. Both have video components, this is of interest to me. Having looked at both videos I will make some basic comments before attempting computer capture and subsequent indepth analysis.

Appin

The one at Appin is the sunset case and depicts a similar scenario over a number of months. There is one object approximately due west which, in almost all cases, ascends with what appears as a condensations trail; simultaneous with this is an almost similar object which is north west again ascending with a condensation trail. If this was the extent of it it would be easy to assume that it is two aircraft both ascending except for one important detail. In one case there are a series of white objects that appear to be ejected from one of these craft. They are clearly shown on the video.

Campbelltown

In Campbelltown we have late night nocturnal lights. They are unusual in a number of ways. One part of the video depicts a series of lights rotating about themselves. It appears that if this was an aircraft then it would have been rotating about itself very slowly and without changing altitude. Considering this is late at night then this would be very dangerous for a normal aircraft as it is over a populated area. There are a mix of real aircraft, these can be heard as well as seen, but some of the craft are without any sound at all.

Video Quality not good Enough for 1998.

My initial comments are true for both in that "there is just not enough detail to identify the real nature of the craft from either investigations". Given that the cameras were handheld and autofocus was used then we find that the images are unstable, shaky, they drift in and out of focus, small, only lights. I really believe that this is not good enough for today and that investigators must be responsible and offer useful advice to the experiencers in order that they obtain better quality images.

Investigators Acting Responsible as Advisors.

It is working! Our experiencers respond positively, after all they are as eager as we are to find the answers. In one case the experiencer now uses a tripod and is able to control the focus to a better degree than before. He has also established a relationship with a local contract video crew who have access to professional equipment (Betacam quality) and who are prepared to assist him with a form of rapid response to events (they also provide him with additional video advice).

I have been privileged to meet him and examine some of his latest video material and can simply say that we will see some outstanding research come to fruition over the coming year. Although the images are still of nocturnal lights and they, in the main, demonstrate unusual movements, it is when we look at them in a frame by frame mode in one particular section that I get really interested.

In this section we have a light stationary in the night sky (it could be an approaching aircraft or helicopter) but from the ground in the video, there is a dull lit object which flies into the sky towards the light and stops just beneath it. It pauses for a second and then shoots away to the side of the lit object and out of sight.

This wasn't seen by the person videoing during the time it was taken and it was only when he viewed the scene over and over that it became apparent. I must admit that this section impressed me so I indicated that the next step was to illuminate the object with a high power spotlight when the next event occurs. As of March 98 I have not had any feedback but I will keep you posted on this web site.

This is a concerted effort on my part to adopt a more skeptical aspect to research and to put the onus on experiencers and investigators alike to make sure we have information which is beyond question and not open to interpretation.

1998 should be the year where we are able to demonstrate that we appreciate the statement that "extraordinary claims dictate extraordinary evidence" and back it up.

Hugh Mulgrew.
mulgrewh@optushome.com.au