UFO COMPENDIUM

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• UFO glossary
• Top 10 UFO report types
• Top 10 IFO report types
• Properties of UFOs
• Properties of IFOs

TERMS ENCOUNTERED IN UFOLOGY

A Glossary of unusual words or phrases encountered in UFO cases:

• Aerostat: Balloon envelope
• AFO: Alien Flying Object (Acronym) -- Extraterrestrial origin (none yet proven)
• Altitude: Height above sea level
• Angel: RADAR return from weather or other unknown causes
• Angel Hair: Filaments found after a Sighting, usually caused by ballooning spiders
• Angular Size: The apparent visual size (in degrees) of an object
• Angular Size Scale: Estimates angular size (star, distant plane, full moon, # moons)
• Angular Velocity: The apparent speed of an object in degrees/second
• Anomalous Propagation: Bending of RADAR waves by the atmosphere
• Area 51: One of the original plots for atomic bomb testing, later used for secret aircraft development
• Arroyo: Valley, dry stream, or gully (Spanish)
• Athodid Aircraft: An aircraft where the pilot stands up, supposedly NAZI, in Renato Vesco's book
• Azimuth: Compass bearing in degrees (0 degrees = North, 90 degrees = East)
• ATIC: Air Technical Intelligence Center - Dayton OH (USAF acronym)
• Balloon: A buoyant envelope that flies when full of hot air or lighter-than-air gas
• Barium Cloud: A colored chemical cloud high in the atmosphere released by a rocket
• Berm: The shoulder of a road
• Blue Book: Third codename for the Air Force UFO investigation project (1953-1969)
• Candle Balloon: Prank -- dry cleaner bag with drinking straws and birthday candles - another name for a Fire Balloon or a Sky Lantern.
• Cattle Mutilation: Dead mutilated cattle (Usual causes: satanists, insurance fraud)
• Cinelite, Cinetheodolite: A Theodolite that takes motion pictures
• Close Encounter of the 1st Kind: J Allen Hynek's term for a UFO closer than 100 ft
• Close Encounter of the 2nd Kind: J Allen Hynek's term for a UFO causing effects
• Close Encounter of the 3rd Kind: J Allen Hynek's term for a UFO with occupants
• Close Encounter of the 4th Kind: J Allen Hynek's term for a UFO abduction
• Coulee: Small stream, dry stream, or gully (French)
• Crop Circle: Flattened circle found in grass or crops (usually a prank)
• Cube-Corner: Three surfaces at mutual right angles, as is found inside a cube
• Cube-Corner Reflector: A reflector that always reflects a RADAR wave 180 degrees
• Daylight Disc: J Allen Hynek's term for a distant UFO seen in daytime
• Ducting: Bending of RADAR wave by the troposphere to strike ground targets
• Ecliptic: The path the planets follow through the celestial sphere
• EFO: Extraordinary Flying Object (Acronym) -- Non prosaic origin (none yet proven)
• Electromagnetic Effects: Aberrations on electrical, magnetic, or radio equipment
• Elevation: Angle above the horizon (0 degrees = horizon, 90 degrees = straight up)
• ETH: Extra Terrestrial Hypothesis (Acronym) -- Outer space origin (none yet proven)
• Falling Leaf Effect: A swaying motion some UFOs make (symptom of a Fire Balloon)
• Fire Balloon: The proper name for Candle Balloon or Sky Lantern; They have been made for over 700 years
• Flap: Military slang for startled confusion, such as is caused by surprise inspections
• Flying Saucer: A disc shaped UFO, assumed by some to be an AFO (none yet proven)
• Flying Saucer Kite: A spinning kite that looks like a flying saucer
• Gas Balloon: A balloon filled with a lighter-than-air gas
• Grudge: Second codename for the Air Force UFO investigation project (1949-1953)
• Gun Camera: Cine camera that takes movies through a military plane's gunsight
• Halation: Enlarged image caused by bright light scattering in the film or retina
• Hoax: A made up story represented as a UFO sighting (as opposed to Prank)
• Hot Air Balloon: Passenger carrying balloon heated by a propane burner or other means
• IFO: Identified Flying Object (Acronym) -- UFO that has been recognized
• INFO: Identified Non-Flying Object (Acronym) -- UFO recognized as object on ground
• IWFAF: If it Wasn't For the Air Force; Coined by Coral Lorenzen
• Lens Flare: Bright light reflected by lens surfaces in a camera, giving a false image
• Majestic 12: An unproved report on UFOs made by a committee of 12 experts
• Mogul: Project using clusters of balloons with microphones to spy on Soviet nuclear tests
• Mother Ship: A UFO that releases or takes in other UFOs (ETH term)
• Mirage Conditions: Atmospheric conditions that bend light, forming an image where no object is
• Multiple Echo: RADAR wave bounces off 2 targets (far echo of close targets)
• Nadir: The astronomical direction for straight down
• Nocturnal Light: J Allen Hynek's term for a distant UFO seen at night
• Non-Prosaic Explanation: Extraordinary cause -- without an ordinary explanation
• Orb: A ball of light that appears on flash photos at night - an artifact of using a disposable camera in dusty conditions
• Orthotetny: Aimee Michel's straight line Flying Saucer theory
• OVNI: UFO (Spanish" Objecto Volador No Identificado, or similar Italian, French, or Portuguese acronym)
• Physical Evidence: A piece of a UFO, traces, markings, or damage left by UFOs
• PIBAL: PIlot BALloon (Acronym), launched before a large balloon, to check wind first
• Prank: A flying object or physical traces left for others to find (as opposed to Hoax)
• Prosaic Explanation: Common, mundane, ordinary cause for a UFO sighting
• RADAR: RAdio Detection And Ranging (Acronym) -- bounces radio waves off planes to find them
• RADAR Sighting: Sighting only on RADAR, with no visual sighting
• RADAR-Visual: J Allen Hynek's term for a UFO seen visually and on RADAR
• Radiosonde Balloon: A weather balloon that sends weather data by radio telemetry
• Rawin Balloon: A weather balloon with a Rawin Corner Reflector set hanging from it
• Rawin Corner Reflector: Grouped Cube-Corner Reflectors made of aluminized Mylar and sticks
• Rawinsonde: A weather balloon with both a radiosonde and a Rawin corner reflector
• Re-entry: A satellite or part of a rocket that burns as it enters the atmosphere
• Rod: a flying being unlike any known - an artifact of insects or birds recorded on interlace-scan video
• SAC: Strategic Air Command: The system of bomber planes that carry atomic weapons (USAF Acronym)
• Saucer Nest: Flattened circle found in grass or crops (usually a prank)
• Scout Craft: A UFO released by a Mother Ship for reconnaissance purposes (ETH term)
• Scramble: To quickly get planes in the air to chase a UFO or other aircraft (USAF term)
• Second Trip Echo: RADAR echo returns after next pulses is sent (far things look close)
• Shitepoke: Sandhill crane
• Sighting: An event where someone sees a UFO or detects it with equipment
• Sign: First codename for the Air Force UFO investigation project (1947-1949)
• Sky Lantern: A firework over 700 years old that is a miniature hot-air balloon - Also known as a Fire Balloon or a Candle Balloon
• Skyhook Balloon: A very large high altitude Navy research balloon
• SPIN-O-RENO: A toy plate to balance on a stick -- appears in several UFO photos
• Spook Light: A Nocturnal Light that returns to the same place repeatedly
• Stimulated Reports: Reports caused by media publicity of a sighting
• Theodolite: A telescope that takes photos, recording Azimuth and Elevation
• Tilley Lamp: Pressure lantern (Australian make -- like Coleman lantern)
• Tilley Lamp Kite: a method of illuminating a farm field at night, using monsoon winds.
• Torch or Torchlight: Flashlight (British)
• UAP: Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (Acronym) -- more inclusive term than UFO
• UCT: UnCorrelated Target (Acronym) -- RADAR target with no known air traffic there
• UFO: Unidentified Flying Object (Acronym) -- any unrecognized object in the sky
• UFO Detector: Compass with electric contacts to detect magnetic fields
• UFO-SAM Kite: A Flying Saucer Kite with a diffraction grating surface
• UFOASER: Unidentified Flying Objects Amplified by Stimulated Emission of Reports
• UNFO: Unidentified Non-Flying Object
• USAF: United States Air Force (Acronym)
• UTC: Coordinated Universal Time (Acronym) -- International (Greenwich) time
• Weather Balloon: A 6 .. 10 ft balloon released to study upper air and wind direction
• Weather Blip: RADAR return caused by weather
• Zenith: The astronomical direction for straight up
• Zulu: UCT

TOP TEN MODELS OF FREQUENT UFO REPORTS

Here are the most often reported types of UFOs:

• Type 1 object - characteristics:
  • Description - moving light or lights
  • Time of day - always at night, usually before midnight
  • Duration - from under a minute to 20 minutes, rarely over an hour
  • Colors - usually white, red, pink, orange, or yellow, but other colors possible
  • Angular size - from "star" up to "full moon"
  • Usual tactics - erratic flight, slow flight, wobbling
  • Possible tactics - rotation, hovering, pendulum motion, high speed, ejected objects
  • Sounds - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Odors - usually none, rarely an odor of perfume
  • Disappearance - speeds away, sudden climb, dives to ground, or turns off lights
• Type 2 object - characteristics:
  • Description - appears like a rotating disk with lights on the rim
  • Time of day - always at night, usually before midnight
  • Duration - from 5 minutes to over an hour
  • Colors - usually white or yellow, with a red light on top
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" up to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - rotation, back and forth flight, slow flight, hovering, rocking
  • Possible tactics - pendulum motion, sudden speed-up
  • Sounds - humming or none
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - speeds away, turns off lights
• Type 3 object - characteristics:
  • Description - a hovering light larger than a star
  • Time of day - always at night
  • Duration - usually long, can recur over several nights
  • Colors - usually white, yellow, red, or blue, changes colors quickly
  • Angular size - from "star" up to "distant plane", rarely "full moon"
  • Usual tactics - hovering, sudden motions, always in same part of sky
  • Possible tactics - rays emitted, looping motions
  • Sounds - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - into distance, over horizon, lost in dawn, or witness leaves scene
• Type 4 object - characteristics:
  • Description - a moving light or cluster of lights, many times triangular
  • Time of day - always at night
  • Duration - from under a minute to 5 minutes, rarely longer
  • Colors - usually white, red, and/or green, may emit camera-like flashes
  • Angular size - from "star" up to "full moon"
  • Usual tactics - crosses sky
  • Possible tactics - sudden course changes
  • Sounds - usually none, rarely a humming, faint roar, or swishing
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - usually in distance or below horizon
• Type 5 object - characteristics:
  • Description - a huge row, curve, or vee of lights
  • Time of day - always at night, usually before midnight
  • Duration - from under a minute to 15 minutes, rarely longer
  • Colors - usually white, yellow, or crimson
  • Angular size - from "multiple moons" up to "much of the sky"
  • Usual tactics - hovering, slow flight
  • Possible tactics - number of lights changes
  • Sounds - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - lights go out individually
• Type 6 object - characteristics:
  • Description - bright silver sausage or pencil shape
  • Time of day - daytime, dawn, or dusk, usually when the sun is low
  • Duration - from under a minute to 15 minutes, very rarely over an hour
  • Colors - usually white, yellow, orange, or red
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - slow flight
  • Possible tactics - course change, sudden speed up
  • Sounds - usually none, rarely a swishing, a faint roaring, or humming
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - speeds off or shrinks to invisibility
• Type 7 object - characteristics:
  • Description - bright object with windows, speeding across sky
  • Time of day - any, but most likely in a.m. hours
  • Duration - usually under 30 seconds, rarely longer than 2 minutes
  • Colors - any, but usually white, yellow, orange, or red, always brighter than sky
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - fast flight, usually in straight line in any direction
  • Possible tactics - course change, sudden speed up
  • Sounds - usually none, rarely a swishing
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - speeds off, turns off lights, or shrinks to invisibility
• Type 8 object - characteristics:
  • Description - dark object
  • Time of day - always daytime
  • Duration - usually 2 minutes to 15, but can be longer or shorter
  • Colors - any, but usually very dark against sky
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - jerky erratic flight, hovering, wobbling, rocking
  • Possible tactics - diving to ground, orbiting
  • Sounds - usually none, rarely a rattle, flutter, or swish
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - goes below horizon
• Type 9 object - characteristics:
  • Description - bright flashing round or elliptical object
  • Time of day - always daytime, usually on sunny days
  • Duration - usually 2 minutes to 15, but can be longer or shorter
  • Colors - any, changes colors, multiple colors, usually brighter than sky
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - hovering, rocking, jerky erratic flight, spinning on horizontal axis
  • Possible tactics - diving to ground, yoyo, very rapid flashing
  • Sounds - usually none, sometimes a swish, whirr, or flutter
  • Odors - none (except those falsely attributed to UFO)
  • Disappearance - dives below horizon
• Type 10 object - characteristics:
  • Description - round, elliptical, oval, or pear-shaped object (small end down)
  • Time of day - usually daytime
  • Duration - usually 2 minutes to 15, but can be much longer
  • Colors - any, multiple colors, darker than sky
  • Angular size - from "distant plane" to "multiple moons"
  • Usual tactics - slow flight, flames at bottom
  • Possible tactics - jerky erratic flight, landing
  • Sounds - none if in distance, whoosh or roar if close
  • Odors - none ("sulfur" or "flame" if very close)
  • Disappearance - below horizon, or lost in distance

TOP TEN IFO REPORTS

Here are the most often reported types of IFOs that do not immediately resolve themselves:

• Fire Balloon
• Advertizing Plane
• Star or Planet
• Airplane lights at night
• Parachute flares
• Sun halation from airplane
• Meteor or Re-entry
• Kite
• UFO Turbine Kite
• Manned Hot-Air Balloon

IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

A list of characteristics:

FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

• BACK AND FORTH FLIGHT
  1. Fire balloons seem to move back and forth as they rock, because only the bottom is visible.
  2. Autokinesis can make astronomical objects do this
  3. Motions of a riding observer can be seen as object motion instead
  4. Insects circle lights
  5. Birds sometimes circle
  6. Model aircraft
  7. Kite
  8. Ad-planes
  9. Searchlights
  10. Crop dusting
  11. Airplanes in a landing pattern
  12. Carnival rides
• DOGFIGHT WITH PLANE
  1. Motions of the pilot's plane can be seen as object motion instead
  2. Object smaller and closer than perceived
  3. Lighted balloon at night is the usual cause
• ERRATIC FLIGHT
  1. Fire balloon rocking and moving with an erratic wind
  2. Autokinesis and autostasis cause straight flight to appear erratic
  3. Wind distorting contrails can make a straight flight path appear to be crooked
  4. Motions of a riding observer can be seen as object motion instead
  5. Astronomical (moon, star, or planet) seen through moving broken clouds
  6. Military air maneuvers
  7. Birds or insects
  8. Fireflies
  9. Model aircraft
  10. Kite
  11. UFO turbine kite
  12. Fireworks
  13. Reflections
  14. Mirage
  15. Observer's headlights reflected off of utility wires along the road
  16. An airplane might actually be flying erratically for some reason
• EXTREME SPEED
  1. Object smaller and closer than perceived
  2. Optical images can be move at any speed
  3. Optical distortions, physiological effects, and mirages can move at any speed
  4. Meteor or re-entry
  5. Low military attack run
  6. Fireworks
  7. Fireflies
  8. Model rocket
  9. Searchlight on clouds
  10. Fire balloon much smaller and closer
  11. LASER gunsight on clouds
• HOVERING
  1. Autostasis can cause a moving object to appear to stop
  2. Object's flight path is along line of sight
  3. Astronomical (star or planet)
  4. Balloon (weather, ad, research, manned hot air, toy, or fire balloon prank)
  5. Helicopter
  6. Kite
  7. Fixed light
  8. Reflection from utility wires
  9. Searchlight on clouds
• PACING THE OBSERVER
  1. Astronomical objects can appear to follow a moving observer
  2. Airplane
  3. Helicopter (police?)
  4. Observer's headlights reflected off of utility wires along the road
  5. Road mirage
  6. Meteor or re-entry
  7. Physiological effects
• REACTING TO OBSERVER'S PRESENCE OR ACTIONS
  1. Astronomical objects can appear to follow a moving observer
  2. Animals smaller and closer than perceived really can react
  3. Subjective thought that independent object motion or change was a reaction to the observer
  4. Changes in brightness can be perceived as approach or recession of object
  5. Small motions of the observer can be amplified by optical distortions and mirages
• RIGHT-ANGLE TURNS
  1. Fire balloon rocking
  2. Autokinesis can make stationary object seem to move erratically
  3. Motions of a riding observer can be seen as object motion instead
  4. Optical distortions or projections can appear to accelerate at any rate
  5. Astronomical (star or planet) objects are subject to these effects
  6. Maneuvering aircraft seen at a distance or at unusual angles appear to turn sharp
  7. Birds or insects
  8. Model aircraft
  9. Kite
  10. UFO turbine kite
  11. Mirage
  12. Observer's headlights reflected off of utility wires along the road
• ROTATION
  1. Ad-planes look like rotating disks when seen edge-on
  2. Balloons rotate in the air due to differences in wind speed
  3. Prank fire balloons rotate this way
  4. Optical distortions make stars twinkle, sometimes this appears as rotation
  5. Circling aircraft
  6. Birds or insects circling
  7. Model aircraft
  8. Some kites
  9. UFO turbine kite
  10. Advertizing signs
  11. Mirage of rotating sign or one with the traveling light effect
• STRAIGHT FLIGHT
  1. Astronomical objects can appear to follow a moving observer
  2. Airplane
  3. Other aircraft, including rockets and helicopters
  4. Meteor or re-entry
• TIGHT MANEUVERS
  1. Autokinesis can make stationary object seem to move erratically
  2. Fire balloon rocking in wind
  3. Motions of a riding observer can be seen as object motion instead
  4. Optical distortions or projections can appear to accelerate at any rate
  5. Astronomical (star or planet) objects are subject to these distortions
  6. Maneuvering aircraft seen at a distance or at unusual angles appear to turn sharp
  7. Search and rescue or crime fighting operations concentrate on small areas
  8. Military air maneuvers
  9. Birds or insects
  10. Model aircraft
  11. Kite
  12. UFO turbine kite
  13. Mirage
  14. Observer's headlights reflected off of utility wires along the road
• TUMBLING
  1. Windblown debris
  2. Balloons rotate in the air due to differences in wind speed
  3. Optical distortions make stars twinkle, sometimes this appears as tumbling
  4. Objects falling from plane or building
  5. Birds or insects
  6. Model aircraft
  7. UFO turbine kite
  8. Mirage
• VERTICAL FLIGHT
  1. Dimming object can be seen to be receding directly away from observer
  2. Balloons rise
  3. Optical distortions make stars bob up and down
  4. Objects falling from plane or building
  5. Birds or insects
  6. Meteor or re-entry (Perspective can make them appear to go up)
  7. Helicopters
  8. Missiles
  9. Kite
  10. Exploding pole transformer sends ball of fire into the sky
• WOBBLING, ROCKING, OR "FALLING LEAF" EFFECTS
  1. Autokinesis can make stationary object seem to move erratically
  2. Balloons, especially small ones, wobble and rock
  3. "Falling leaf" is often used to describe prank fire balloons at night
  4. Birds flapping their wings appear to jitter in daylight
  5. Observer's headlights reflected off of utility wires along the road
  6. Reflections can appear to make any maneuver
  7. Model aircraft
  8. Mirage
  9. Kite

LIGHTING AND COLOR CHARACTERISTICS

• DAZZLING SILVER OR WHITE (day)
  1. Halation expands the image on both film and retina.
  2. Sun reflection off of a plane, balloon, instrument package, or satellite
  3. Sun reflection off of a utility wire or other fixed object
  4. Sundog or sub-sun
  5. Toy Mylar balloon
  6. Magnesium flare
  7. Fireworks
  8. Ice crystals in clouds or air
  9. Fireball meteor or re-entry
  10. UFO turbine kite
• DAZZLING SILVER OR WHITE (night)
  1. Dark adaptation magnifies light brilliance
  2. Sun reflection off high altitude object
  3. Headlights or landing lights
  4. Magnesium flare
  5. Searchlight
  6. High candlepower lamp
  7. Strobe light
  8. Meteor or re-entry
  9. Fireworks
• INTENSE RED LIGHT
  1. Reflection of low sun off silvered surface
  2. Road flare (possibly prank balloon)
  3. Power line shorted to tree or other object
  4. Meteor or re-entry
  5. Fireworks
  6. LASER on clouds
  7. Barium cloud
• RED LIGHT
  1. Reflection of low sun off silvered surface
  2. Airplane light
  3. Radio tower
  4. Meteor or re-entry
  5. Fire balloon
  6. Aurora
  7. Barium cloud
  8. Traffic light
• HALLOWEEN ORANGE LIGHT
  1. Prank fire balloon
  2. Other fires
  3. Meteor or re-entry
  4. Birds reflecting sodium vapor light
  5. Fireworks or flares
  6. Exploding pole transformer
• YELLOW LIGHT
  1. Fireworks or flares
  2. Airplane light at a distance
  3. Prank fire balloon
  4. Traffic light
  5. Fireball meteor or re-entry
  6. Aurora
  7. Barium cloud
  8. Fireflies
• GREEN LIGHT
  1. Fireworks or flares
  2. Airplane light
  3. Traffic light
  4. Green fireball meteor or re-entry
  5. Aurora
  6. Barium cloud
  7. Fireflies
  8. Fire balloon with green or blue bag
  9. Phosphorescent plastic
• INTENSE BLUE-GREEN LIGHT
  1. Fireworks or flares
  2. Wet copper power lines shorting
  3. Fireball meteor or re-entry
  4. Arc welding
  5. Mercury vapor lamp
  6. Fire balloon with blue bag or flare
• BLUE LIGHT
  1. Fireworks or flares
  2. Aurora
  3. Corona discharge
  4. Green fireball meteor or re-entry
  5. Barium cloud
  6. Luminescent fungi
• CLUSTER OF LIGHTS (night)
  1. Aircraft
  2. Ad-planes
  3. Meteor or re-entry that broke apart in atmosphere
  4. Flock of birds or swarm of insects
  5. Prank balloons
  6. Fixed lights
• FLASHING LIGHT(S)
  1. Airplane
  2. Ad-plane
  3. Radio tower
  4. Strobe light on airplane or tower
  5. Traffic light
  6. Advertizing gimmick
  7. Fire balloon
• SPARKLING EFFECT
  1. Ad-plane
  2. Radar target balloon
  3. Advertizing gimmick
  4. Mylar balloon
  5. UFO kite
  6. Fire balloon
  7. Fireworks
• RAINBOW COLOR EFFECT
  1. UFO turbine kite with diffraction grating
  2. Sundog (red, orange, and yellow)
  3. Small portion of rainbow from rain, fountain, waterfall, or hose
  4. Sundog
  5. Diffraction effect from grating, thin film, insect parts, or other materials
  6. Balloon launch for special events
  7. Effect of looking through certain arrangements of windows or glass
  8. Reflection off cut glass
• RAPIDLY CHANGING COLORS
  1. UFO turbine kite with diffraction grating
  2. Astronomical (star or planet) scintillating
  3. Light show
  4. Spinning object
  5. Advertizing gimmick
  6. Mirage
  7. Color changeable message sign
• DIM GLOW (night)
  1. Phosphorescent paint
  2. Reflection of ambient light
  3. Luminous plants
  4. Fire balloon
  5. Moondog
  6. Birds reflecting streetlight glow
  7. After-image
• BRIGHTER THAN SKY (day)
  1. Sun reflecting off light or specular object
  2. Reflection off of window observer looking through
  3. Aircraft
  4. White bird
  5. Flare
  6. Meteor or re-entry
  7. UFO turbine kite
• DARKER THAN SKY (day)
  1. Aircraft
  2. Bird or insect
  3. Kite
  4. Day fire balloon (tissue paper type)
  5. Other dark objects
• BLACK OR ALMOST BLACK (day)
  1. Aircraft, especially military
  2. Bird or insect
  3. Kite
  4. Other dark objects close to observer

SHAPE OF OBJECT

• DISK
  1. Ad-plane seen edge-on
  2. Airplanes heading on observer's line of sight look like a domed disk
  3. Optical distortion of airplane
  4. Specular sun reflections look rounded
  5. Prank fire balloons look disk shaped, especially if they rotate
  6. Birds seen edge-on look like a domed disk
  7. Meteor or re-entry
  8. Spotlights on clouds
  9. LASER on clouds
  10. Astronomical
  11. UFO turbine kite
• CIGAR (horizontal)
  1. Specular sun reflection from airplane
  2. Airplane, wings seen edge-on
  3. Optical distortion of airplane
  4. Missile
  5. Meteor or re-entry
  6. Escaped toy sausage balloon
  7. Prank fire balloon seen edge-on
  8. Comet
  9. Contrail
  10. UFO turbine kite
• CIGAR (vertical)
  1. Missile
  2. Meteor or re-entry
  3. Airplane headed toward or away from observer
  4. Escaped toy sausage balloon
  5. Prank fire balloon, if the entire bag reflects light
  6. Comet
  7. Contrail
• SPHERE
  1. Specular sun reflection
  2. Distant plane reflecting sun
  3. Balloon
  4. Astronomical
  5. Satellite
  6. Prank flare or fire balloon
  7. UFO turbine kite
• POINT LIGHT SOURCE
  1. Astronomical (star or planet)
  2. Lighted balloon
  3. Prank balloon
  4. Aircraft light
  5. Satellite
  6. Fixed light
• CHANGES SHAPE
  1. Astronomical (star or planet) scintillating
  2. Rotation of object to show different aspects of it
  3. Optical distortions and illusions can change to any shape
  4. Physiological effect (single witness only)
  5. Multiple independent lights seen as one object
  6. Fire
  7. Prank fire balloon
  8. cluster of fire balloons
  9. Mirage
  10. Industrial foam or soap blown away
  11. Toy balloon launch for special events
  12. Windblown debris
  13. UFO turbine kite
  14. Kite

ANGULAR SIZE

• I. POINT SOURCE
  1. Astronomical (star or planet)
  2. Aircraft light
  3. Lighted balloon
  4. Prank fire balloon
  5. Specular reflection
  6. Satellite
  7. Toy balloon
  8. Insects
  9. Fixed light
  10. Meteor
  11. Anything else far away
• II. DISTANT PLANE
  1. Aircraft
  2. Model aircraft
  3. Balloon
  4. Prank fire balloon
  5. Kite
  6. Meteor
  7. Electric arcs
  8. Windblown debris
  9. Birds
  10. UFO turbine kite
• III. FULL MOON
  1. Moon
  2. Close aircraft
  3. Ad-plane
  4. Re-entry
  5. Close kite
  6. Close UFO turbine kite
  7. Cluster of fire balloons
  8. Close fire balloon
  9. Fireball meteor or re-entry
  10. Specular sun reflection from aircraft or balloon
  11. Large or close balloon
  12. Flock of birds
• IV. MULTIPLE MOONS
  1. Cluster of objects seen as one object
  2. Low close aircraft (military attack run)
  3. Weather effects
  4. Re-entry
  5. Cluster or line of dropped parachute flares
  6. Cluster of fire balloons
  7. Ad-plane
  8. Hot-air balloon
  9. Cluster of aircraft
  10. Close ultralight aircraft

DURATION

• LESS THAN TEN SECONDS
  1. Meteor
  2. Small re-entry
  3. Fireworks
  4. Very (flare) pistol
  5. Insect
  6. Specular reflection
  7. Low military attack run
  8. Explosion
  9. Lightning
  10. Brief optical distortion
  11. Reflection of something in a window
  12. Sweeping headlights
  13. Phosphenes (single witness)
• MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES
  1. Astronomical (star or planet)
  2. Fixed light
  3. Circling aircraft
  4. Balloon
  5. Fire or flare balloon
  6. Aurora
  7. Mirage
  8. Weather effect
  9. Barium cloud
  10. Kite
  11. UFO turbine kite

EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• POWER FAILURE
  1. Many times people look for the cause of the failure, and see mundane objects as UFOs
  2. Many times the power failure causes the UFO, not the other way around
  3. Exploding pole transformer
  4. Power line short circuit to grounded object
  5. Wind whips power lines together
  6. Auto accident topples pole
  7. Cracked power line insulator
  8. Corona discharge
  9. Power equipment failure
  10. Operating too near safety cutout limits
  11. Squirrel shorted power transformer
  12. Kite in power lines
  13. Construction accident
• AUTO ENGINE FAILURE
  1. Object noticed only because engine failed
  2. Many times, surprise of seeing a UFO causes the driver to let the engine die
  3. Other times, strangeness of engine failure makes mundane objects seem strange
  4. Heavy dampness can cause both engine failure and power line corona
  5. Cars with stick shifts can be killed by letting the engine slow down enough while watching object
  6. High frequency electric field, or ionized air
  7. Coincidence
  8. Circuit failure (intermittent?)
  9. Desert electricity caused sparkplugs to fire continuously (magnetos and diesels kept going)
• AUTO HEADLIGHT FAILURE
  1. Object noticed only because lights failed
  2. Burned out bulb
  3. Intermittent short at junction block causes current surges, which burn out bulbs
  4. Failed voltage regulator gives bulbs overvoltage, burning them out
  5. Other times, strangeness of the failure makes mundane objects seem strange
  6. Failure in headlight circuit
  7. Cars with 6-volt batteries dim the headlights quite a bit if the engine quits.
  8. Coincidence
• RADIO AND TV FAILURE
  1. Intermittent failure in receiver
  2. Lightning damage
  3. Power failure or blown fuse
  4. Power brownout
  5. Faraday cage effect of structure (moving radio)
  6. Nearby transmitter or RADAR set overloading receiver
  7. Computer radiation
  8. Defect in antenna or receiver
  9. Old receiver in use nearby, leaking its oscillator frequency
  10. Skip from distant transmitters competing with local broadcast
  11. Sunspots and solar flares
  12. Illegal transmissions
  13. Homemade Tesla coil
• RADIO AND TV INTERFERENCE
  1. Intermittent failure in any electrical equipment
  2. Cracked power line insulator
  3. Brush motors and generators
  4. Defective auto ignition systems
  5. Neon signs, light dimmer, or medical equipment nearby
  6. Nearby transmitter or RADAR set overloading receiver
  7. Computers
  8. Beat between two nearby transmitters
  9. Defect in antenna or receiver
  10. Old receiver in use nearby, leaking its oscillator frequency
  11. Multipath e.g. signal reflected from airplane
  12. Skip from distant transmitters competing with local broadcast
  13. Storms, Sunspots, and solar flares
  14. Illegal transmissions
  15. Electric power leakage
  16. Old carbon-filament bulb
• MAGNETIZATION AND EFFECTS ON A COMPASS
  1. Anything iron or steel can be magnetized at any time by moving magnetic fields
  2. Subwoofers possess very strong permanent and electromagnets
  3. Collisions and dents change the magnetic signature on automobiles
  4. A compass needle will be attracted to any iron or steel object, not just a magnet
  5. Ore concentrations and invisible underground structures can affect a compass
  6. Some tools are magnetized, and magnetize anything they rub against
  7. Iron and steel can be magnetized by pounding on them in a magnetic field
  8. Recording tape can be erased by strong magnetic fields
  9. A short circuit can produce an intense magnetic field, magnetizing nearby objects
• SOUNDS
  1. Sometimes the sound heard has nothing to do with the sighting
  2. Various hums, buzzes, squeaks, crackles, bangs, and booms accompany power failures
  3. Traffic makes motor and swishing noises that sound like they come from the object
  4. Factories, railroads, and freight yards make their own peculiar noises
  5. A noise attributed to the object may in fact come from a nearby aircraft
  6. Television sets and stereos contribute a fantastic range of sounds
  7. Fireworks, missiles, aircraft, and insects are objects that make sounds
  8. Manned hot-air balloons make intermittent loud roars
  9. Psychological effect
• HEAT
  1. Strong or focused reflection from the sun
  2. Sudden weather effects
  3. Mundane heat source not noticed in the excitement of a sighting
  4. Missile crash, incendiary bomb, magnesium flare, or other military devices
  5. Effects of other events (e.g. fires) attributed to UFOs by witnesses
  6. Fireworks
  7. Manned hot-air balloon
  8. Engine exhaust
  9. Psychological effect
  10. Building heating systems
• COLD
  1. Sudden weather effects
  2. Icefall from plane
  3. Ice or dry ice lost by vehicle
  4. Refrigerant leak
  5. Trash left from fast food
  6. Stream, spring, or cave in area
  7. Door open at air conditioned building
  8. Psychological effect of fright
• CIRCLES, BURNS, HOLES, AND MARKS ON THE GROUND
  1. Crop circles are pranks made with boards, poles, and rope
  2. A black ring on the ground is a fungus. Mushrooms may appear there later.
  3. Pranksters pour flammable liquids on the ground and light them
  4. A teen riding a motorcycle in circles waiting for his date made a bare circle in grass
  5. A child poured weed killer on the ground to make a "target for planes"
  6. Pranksters make blast craters and pad prints, to look like a UFO has landed
  7. Some burned areas are the results of campfires
  8. Arm lift utility trucks leave large pad prints in the ground
  9. A manned hot-air balloon can leave pad or bounce marks if it touches down
  10. A manned hot-air balloon in a bad launching or landing can set a fire
  11. Fire balloons can set fires if they lose lift
  12. Blasting or pranksters with firecrackers can leave blown out places
  13. Lightning and tornados leave holes in the ground
  14. Ball lightning has been reported to melt objects or set fires
• DAMAGED VEGETATION
  1. Branches may be broken by workmen, vehicles, animals, wind, or old age
  2. Pranksters faking a UFO landing may break branches for effect
  3. Fungus can damage a tree and leave black marks
  4. Swamp plants that have grown back after a swamp fire may have charred roots
  5. Some damage may be a result of a campfire or forest fire
  6. Crop circles are "works of art" made with boards, poles, and rope
  7. Soil may be unable to grow plants because of residues of prior uses of the land
  8. Stock feeding and watering devices leave rings or patches of residue around them
  9. Some pranksters use weed killer to make designs or damage
  10. Fire balloons can set fires
• EFFECTS ON ANIMALS
  1. Some pets react to their master's distress, rather than the object
  2. Manned hot-air balloons scare animals when flying low
  3. Animals may be reacting to something entirely different, such as a scent
  4. Bright lights or fires, such as fire balloons, can scare an animal at night
  5. Pranksters do all sorts of things to frighten animals
  6. Reductions in game in a sighting area are due to the flood of investigators
  7. Cattle mutilations are usually due to satanists, pranksters, or insurance frauds
• PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON HUMANS
  1. Many effects are actually psychological reactions to strange situations (alert reaction)
  2. Sometimes the sighting is caused by the physiological effect (single witness only)
  3. Tingling may be nervous excitement, or strong electric fields from storms
  4. Metal fillings in teeth can receive radio programs, making "voices" be heard
  5. Strobe lights can cause temporary mental blackouts
  6. In the excitement of a sighting, the passage of time is not reckoned correctly
  7. Halation in the retina makes a very bright object seem bigger than it is
  8. Ultraviolet sources, such as arc welding or short circuits, cause sunburn effects
• PHYSICAL TRACES OR ARTIFACTS
  1. Unusual materials do not necessarily come from space
  2. It is impossible to prove something is extraterrestrial unless it has meteor damage
  3. Slag comes from smelters, blast furnaces, and foundries
  4. There are so many alloys and plastics that it is impossible to check them all
  5. Fire and corrosion change chemical compositions
  6. Evidence of gunpowder, nitrates, or radium dioxide is evidence of a prank or hoax
  7. Fibers that fall from the sky and disappear are usually webs of ballooning spiders
  8. UFO damage to items may be claimed to get insurance payments for acts of God
  9. Hot rusted objects usually fall from internal combustion engines
  10. Damage may also be caused by meteors, tornados, wind, lightning, and vehicles
  11. Hot-air balloons, utility trucks, helicopters, and camera tripods have footpads
  12. Liquids with strange smells or colors can leak out of many man-made devices
  13. Some airplane and railroad toilets drop wastes on whatever is below
  14. Tornadoes have thrown objects for tens of miles
  15. RADAR chaff is dropped from airplanes to confuse enemy RADAR sets. It is used for practice too.

RADAR EFFECTS

• SOME RADAR EFFECTS MAKE AN OBJECT APPEAR SEVERAL PLACES ON THE SCREEN
  1. The beam may bounce off more than one object before returning to the RADAR set
  2. The object may reflect energy well enough to be detected in an antenna side lobe
  3. Atmospheric conditions may reflect the beam to the object by multiple paths
• SOME RADAR EFFECTS MAKE BLIPS APPEAR WHERE THERE ARE NO OBJECTS
  1. Atmospheric skip causes targets beyond the horizon to be detected
  2. The beam may return after a new pulse is sent, displaying the target much closer
  3. Anomalous Propagation causes buildings, the ground, and ships to appear as blips
  4. One RADAR set may pick up the beam of another, making high speed blip trails
  5. A malfunction can produce anything on the screen
  6. Older MTI (moving target indicator) scopes tended to display anomalous propagation
  7. MTI can amplify weather targets, birds, and bugs to plane sized blips
  8. Meteors still in space are tracked, but are not seen visually
• SOME RADAR EFFECTS MAKE INSIGNIFICANT TARGETS LOOK LIKE AIRCRAFT
  1. Sometimes insects, birds, and windblown debris appear as blips
  2. Clear air turbulence can cause a blip
  3. Birds tagged with metal identification tags are detected quite well
  4. Some weather conditions produce blips
  5. Moving Target Indicators (MTI) detect stationary vibrating targets too
  6. MTI can amplify weather targets, birds, and bugs to plane sized blips

DETECTING TRICKERY

• DETECTING HOAXES (false stories)
  1. Details fail to match recorded events (weather, clouds, news, sports, etc)
  2. Witness took a strange or unnecessarily long route
  3. Story changes over time
  4. Story "improves" with each retelling
  5. Witness trying to make money from the experience (not always a hoax)
  6. The case is submitted to a tabloid magazine contest
  7. The story "rectifies" a situation that otherwise might result in penalty
  8. Photos or story contain inconsistencies
  9. Witness goes on TV or writes a book
  10. Is the witness covering up negligence or malfeasance
  11. Something in the event implies use of English, common customs, or other mundane items
  12. Religious, social, or economic platitudes (usually liberal) delivered by aliens
  13. Mysterious men forcibly take evidence or warn the witness not to talk
  14. Evidence did exist, but is missing or was destroyed
  15. The witness has reported UFOs before, and continues to report them
• DETECTING PRANKS (objects or traces left for others to see and report)
  1. Either a flying object or a landing site seen by others
  2. Characteristics of fire balloons, kites, UFO turbine kites, or flare balloons in sighting reports
  3. Possible LASER aimed at clouds
  4. Landing spot is determined to be a staged scene
  5. Attempts by the prankster to make money from the prank
  6. Gunpowder or magnesium residue at scene of landing
  7. Repetition, if the prank device flies
  8. Found objects made of cheap materials
  9. Attempt to get others to "discover" the object or evidence
• ABDUCTIONS AS HOAXES
  1. The case is submitted to a tabloid magazine contest
  2. The abduction comes out without hypnosis
  3. Witness trying to make money from the experience (not always a hoax)
  4. The story "rectifies" a situation that otherwise might result in penalty (such as sleeping on the job)
  5. The story changes over time
  6. Witness goes on TV or writes a book
  7. Religious, social, or economic platitudes (usually liberal) delivered by "aliens"
• ABDUCTIONS AS PRANKS
  1. The event may be a post-hypnotic suggestion from an earlier "party" hypnosis
  2. A hypnotist may either purposely or accidentally add an abduction to a sighting
  3. The abduction comes out without hypnosis
  4. Students with a fake UFO and costumes gassed people with nitrous oxide
  5. Criminals have faked abductions to get information or rob abductees
  6. The story does not change over time
  7. Lie detector tests will report truth telling, because the subject experienced it
  8. The witness does not want the report published except to warn others
• ABDUCTIONS AS PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS
  1. Hypnosis can generate an abduction case from the subconscious
  2. Many UFO reports from a witness indicate psychological problems
  3. A frightening sighting experience can generate fantasy under hypnosis
  4. Lie detector tests will report truth telling, because the subject believes it
  5. Drug abuse can create such fantasies
  6. Religious, social, or economic platitudes (usually liberal) delivered by "aliens"

DETECTING PHOTOGRAPHIC TRICKERY

• DETECTING PHOTOGRAPHIC ACCIDENTS
  1. UFO not reasonably centered in the photo
  2. UFO not intended subject of photo
  3. UFO not seen by photographer
  4. A bright UFO, the frame center, and a strong light are in straight line (lens flare)
  5. The UFO might be a bird or insect frozen in flight
  6. The background is visible through the object
  7. Use copying machines, filters, and photographic techniques to coax out the object's identity
  8. Look for the obvious, the obscure, and the obsolete.
  9. The UFO looks like a lamp, night light, Christmas light, or other light source.
  10. The picture was taken through a window (possible reflection)
  11. Faint detail in the picture indicates a flashbulb failed to fire
  12. Details that do not belong in the scene indicate double exposure
  13. Some double exposures happen when photographers reuse a failed flashbulb frame
• DETECTING TRICK PHOTOGRAPHY
  1. UFO focus is different than background focus
  2. UFO image touches any part of the frame
  3. Part of a daylight UFO is darker than the darkest background
  4. Atmospheric scattering is evident on background, but not on object
  5. The negative is not available
  6. Black and white film was used without a reason
  7. Multiple photos show the UFO under the same object
  8. With multiple photos, the camera moved between shots
  9. The camera has to be in an unusual place to reproduce the photo
  10. The background is visible through the object
  11. The UFO could be a time exposure of something
  12. Light direction and shadow disagree between the UFO and the background
  13. Light direction and shadow disagree between the photo and the story
  14. Any one photo of a set of multiple photos fails under scrutiny
  15. The photos don't match the story
  16. Frame numbers are out of reported sequence
  17. The photographer is gaining money or attention from the photo
  18. Use copying machines, filters, and photographic techniques to coax out the object's identity
  19. Look for the obvious, the obscure, and the obsolete.

PROPERTIES OF IDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

A list of characteristics:

Advertizing Plane (Day)

1. Angular Range: Large
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Usually darker than sky
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any above horizon
8. Location: Near populated areas, sporting events
9. Sounds: Silent or faint propeller noise
10. Tactics: Circling or back-and-forth motion
11. Time of Day: Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Fluttering, searching

Advertizing Plane (Night)

1. Angular Range: Large
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Light sources
5. Colors: Many white or yellow lights, with 1 or 2 red or green lights
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Usually low (Usually recognized if high)
8. Location: Near populated areas or drive-in theaters
9. Sounds: Silent or faint propeller noise
10. Tactics: Circling or back-and-forth motion, sometimes rocking
11. Time of Day: Nighttime, usually before midnight
12. UFO Effects: Rotation effect, Domed disc, Lighted portholes

Aircraft - See:

• Advertizing Plane
• Airplane
• Dirigible
• Helicopter
• Hot Air Balloon (Passenger)
• Jet Fighter
• Military aircraft
• Passenger Jet
• Propeller Airplane

Aircraft as RADAR Target

1. Altitude: Usual airplane altitude, might be lower
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Any
6. Duration: Any, usually long
7. Known Object: None needed
8. Tactics: Airplane characteristics, but might disappear if low
9. UFO Effects: Unknown target, Intermittent, Disappears

Airplane (Day)

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Any, higher with larger size
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any, Silver is common
6. Duration: Usually long
7. Elevation: Any, Usually above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, propeller noise, or jet roar
10. Tactics: Any ballistic, usually straight flight or circling
11. Time of Day: Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Disc edge-on, Missile, Cigar shape

Airplane (Night)

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Any, higher with larger size
4. Brightness: Lights, sometimes as bright as auto headlights
5. Colors: White, Red, Green, Sometimes pale yellow
6. Duration: Usually long
7. Elevation: Any, Usually above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, propeller noise, or jet roar
10. Tactics: Any ballistic, usually straight flight or circling
11. Time of Day: Nighttime
12. UFO Effects: Cluster of lights, Portholes, Cigar, Disc, or Triangle shape

Anomalous Propagation

1. Altitude: Any
2. Blip Sharpness: From Faint to Airplane
3. Blip Size: Any, Amplified severely by Moving Target Indicator (MTI)
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Any, Usually changes
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Airplanes or Ground targets
8. Tactics: Appear and Disappear, High Speed, Hover, Nonballistic motion
9. UFO Effects: Sudden Motion, High Speed, Hover, Right Angle Turns, Uncorrelated

Arcs (electric)

1. Angular Range: Stays near one place (unless observer moved)
2. Angular Size: Star .. Full moon, rarely larger
3. Angular Velocity: Usually low unless very close
4. Brightness: Bright, sometimes dazzles
5. Colors: Magenta, Cyan, White, Blue, Red, Violet, or Cream color
6. Duration: Usually less than ten seconds, but can repeat many times.
7. Elevation: Near the ground
8. Location: Power lines
9. Sounds: Silent, Hiss, Hum or buzz, Crackle, Loud pop, Growl
10. Tactics: Stays near one spot, Changes brightness
11. Time of Day: Any, harder to identify at night
12. UFO Effects: Flicker, Pulsating, Dazzling, Casts shadows

Astronomical - See:

• Meteor
• Moon
• Planet
• Scintillating Star
• Star

Auto Engine Failure - Possible Causes

• Bad condition of auto
• High frequency field present
• Ionized air present
• Driver inattention

Automatic Gain Control Effect - RADAR

1. Altitude: Any, usually Low
2. Blip Sharpness: Faint .. Airplane
3. Blip Size: Any
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Usually near edge of RADAR screen
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Must be none needed
8. Tactics: Any
9. UFO Effects: Uncorrelated target, disappears when airplane appears on RADAR

Ball Lightning

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Brighter than surroundings
5. Colors: Usually Red, Orange, or Yellow, sometimes White or Blue
6. Duration: Less than ten minutes, usually shorter
7. Elevation: Any, including below horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, hiss, bees, loud report
10. Tactics: Hover, hunting, sometimes nonballistic motion
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Hovering, Glowing ball, fluttering, bobbing, exploding (some silent)

Balloon - See:

• Dirigible
• Fire Balloon
• Flare Balloon
• Hot Air Balloon (Passenger)
• PIBAL
• Radiosonde Balloon
• Rawin Balloon
• Skyhook Balloon
• Tethered Balloon
• Toy Balloon
• Weather Balloon

Barium Cloud

1. Angular Range: Stays near same spot in sky
2. Angular Size: Grows from Star to Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: Very low
4. Brightness: Very bright at first, dims as it expands
5. Colors: Magenta, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, or White
6. Duration: Usually about half an hour if entire event is seen
7. Elevation: Any, must be above horizon
8. Location: Any, Florida, California, and nearby states more common
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Sudden appearance of bright spot, grows in size, and fades out
11. Time of Day: Nighttime away from twilight, usually no moon
12. UFO Effects: Hovering, Strange shape, Grows, Changes shape

Bird

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Dark .. Lighter than sky, dimmer than auto headlights
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Any
7. Elevation: Any, including below horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, beep, chirp, or high notes
10. Tactics: Straight flight, Wobbling, Looping, Circling, Diving
11. Time of Day: Day, or night if lights present (Seen as soft light)
12. UFO Effects: Wobbling, Jittering, Unusual flight for plane, Frozen in flight photo

Bird as RADAR target

1. Altitude: Usually Low
2. Blip Sharpness: Faint .. Airplane
3. Blip Size: Small
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Usually not near edge of RADAR screen
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: None needed
8. Tactics: Straight flight, Wobbling, Looping, Circling, Low speed
9. UFO Effects: Looping, Circling, Uncorrelated

Blast Crater Prank - Identifying Factors:

• Presence of gunpowder residue
• Evidence that shovels made the hole
• Presence of leaves or other combustibles that should have been burned
• Absence of an easy exit for the UFO to fly through
• Attempt for someone to make money from the site

Bug

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Dark .. Lighter than sky, Dimmer than auto taillights
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Any, usually brief
7. Elevation: Any, including below horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, Buzzing, Whine
10. Tactics: Undulatory flight, Circling, Hovering
11. Time of Day: Day, or night if lights present (seen as light source)
12. UFO Effects: S curves, Zigzagging, Circling, Hovering, Sudden Disappearance

Bug Swarm as RADAR Target

1. Altitude: Usually Low
2. Blip Sharpness: Varies Faint .. Airplane
3. Blip Size: Extended, can change
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Usually near center of screen
6. Duration: Usually less than 15 minutes
7. Known Object: None needed
8. Tactics: Straight or undulatory flight
9. UFO Effects: Changes shape and size, Zigzagging, Hovering, Sudden Disappearance

Candle Balloon - See:

• Fire Balloon
• Prank -- Identifying factors

Cattle Mutilation used to collect insurance - Identifying factors:

• Farmer concerned about loss, wants government to pay
• Cause of death appears to be natural, mutilations done after death
• Insurance claims filed
• Blood still in animal, or on ground

Cattle Mutilation from satanic ritual - Identifying factors:

• Farmer concerned that it will happen again, wants patrols
• Mutilation is the cause of death
• Tongue and gonads are missing
• No blood is found, either in animal or on ground
• Evidence of several poles or pads in a circle
• Corrugated cardboard may be found on or near the site

Chaff

1. Altitude: Usual airplane altitude, might be lower, falls
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Any
6. Duration: Any, usually long
7. Known Object: None needed
8. Tactics: Slow flight, descending, might disappear if low
9. UFO Effects: Unknown target, Disappears, Thin ribbons of metal found

Chaff Dipoles - Identifying factors:

• Thin Narrow strips of aluminum or copper foil
• Strips usually individually separated, or wadded together
• Plastic or lacquer coating

Corona Discharge

1. Angular Range: Usually near the same spot, multiple spots can happen
2. Angular Size: Star -- 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Low, but can jump from one spot to another instantly
4. Brightness: Brighter than surroundings, usually dimmer than moon
5. Colors: Blue or violet, sometimes other colors
6. Duration: Any, Few seconds to several hours
7. Elevation: Any, usually near known objects
8. Location: Power lines, near tall objects in storm, or on mountain top
9. Sounds: Silent, hissing, bees, crackling
10. Tactics: Flickering, Jumping from one point to another, Disappearing suddenly
11. Time of Day: Any, usually seen more at night due to dim nature
12. UFO Effects: Bobbing, Nonballistic motion, Pulsating, Flashing, Sudden motion

Crop Circle as a Prank - Identifying factors:

• Vehicle tracks in area or across circle
• Consistent diameter indicates use of rope or string for size
• Footprints might be found in a circular walk
• Hole where stake was driven in center of circle
• Other evidence of trespass

Crop Dusting

1. Angular Range: Less than one half sky
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Any, Not as bright as auto headlight, except at night
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any, usually low, can be below horizon
8. Location: Farm areas
9. Sounds: Silent, Propeller noise
10. Tactics: Back-and-forth flight
11. Time of Day: Almost all are daytime
12. UFO Effects: Back-and-forth flight, Low, Smoke

Cube-Corner Reflector - as spurious RADAR target

1. Altitude: Same as known or higher
2. Blip Sharpness: Sharp Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Same as known plane, or always in same direction
5. Distance: Farther away than known plane
6. Duration: Long
7. Known Object: Airplane
8. Tactics: Follows motion of plane, but is farther from the RADAR
9. UFO Effects: Uncorrelated target, Follows motion of airplane
10. Note: has same transponder signature as plane (if used)

Dirigible

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Low unless close
4. Brightness: Reflects sunlight, or has own lights at night
5. Colors: Silver, Gray
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: High, but sometimes below horizon
8. Location: Usually near population centers or sports arenas
9. Sounds: Silent or faint propeller noise
10. Tactics: Slow floating flight
11. Time of Day: Any, but usually 12 Noon .. 9 pm
12. UFO Effects: Hovering, Cigar shape, Portholes

Ducting

1. Altitude: Usually between Horizon and 45 Degrees up.
2. Blip Sharpness: Varies, but usually like airplane
3. Blip Size: Varies, but usually like airplane
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Usually not near center of screen
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Distant plane, distant ground target, or distant RADAR set
8. Tactics: Any, Nonballistic flight, high speed flight
9. UFO Effects: Nonballistic flight, High Speed, Hovering, Appear and Disappear

Electromagnetic Effects - See:

• Auto Engine Failure
• Magnetic Compass Deflection
• Power Failure
• Radio and TV Interference

Fire Balloon

1. Angular Range: Any, Can cross sky
2. Angular Size: Star .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Any, higher with larger angular size and more wind
4. Brightness: Lights at night
5. Colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, or White, Sometimes Blue or Green
6. Duration: Usually less than 15 minutes, hours if specially constructed
7. Elevation: Any, usually above horizon, but commonly at treetop level
8. Location: Any, usually near populated area, very rare in deserted areas or at sea
9. Sounds: None generated by object unless firecracker included
10. Tactics: Hovering, Fluttering, Pendulum, Rotation, Drops lights, Suddenly disappears
11. Time of Day: Nighttime
12. UFO Effects: Pulsating, Splits, Falling leaf, Rotating Disc, Portholes, Zooms away

Fireworks

1. Angular Range: Usually confined to one quadrant of the sky
2. Angular Size: Full moon .. Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: Any, Usually high
4. Brightness: Much brighter than sky
5. Colors: Magenta, Red, Orange, Amber, Green, Cyan, Blue, White
6. Duration: Individually, less than 15 seconds, Collectively, less than 3 hours
7. Elevation: Any, but usually between horizon and 45 degrees up
8. Location: Any, usually near sports arenas, fairgrounds, or shopping centers
9. Sounds: Explosions, Thunder, Crackling, Whistling
10. Tactics: Each expands and fades, some generate secondary objects
11. Time of Day: Evening
12. UFO Effects: Multicolor, Changes color, Changes size and shape, Generates objects

Fishing Lamp

1. Angular Range: Same part of visual range (unless boat moves)
2. Angular Size: Star
3. Angular Velocity: None or Low
4. Brightness: Brighter than auto headlights
5. Colors: White or yellow
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: On horizon or below
8. Location: On water
9. Sounds: None generated by object (unless boat moves)
10. Tactics: Bobbing, Color change, Shimmering, Pulsating
11. Time of Day: Night
12. UFO Effects: Pulsating, Very Bright, Bobbing

Flare Balloon or Parachute Flare

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star, Multiple moons if several are seen as one object
3. Angular Velocity: Low unless close
4. Brightness: Brighter than plane lights
5. Colors: Magenta, Red, Amber, Green, Yellow, or White
6. Duration: 5 .. 20 minutes each object
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Any, usually near populated area (prank) or military base (test)
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Slow uneven flight
11. Time of Day: Usually night
12. UFO Effects: Huge portholed object, Hovering

Flashlight

1. Angular Range: Small (unless on a vehicle)
2. Angular Size: Star
3. Angular Velocity: Hover, Can be high
4. Brightness: Like plane light
5. Colors: White, Blue-white, Yellow, or Red
6. Duration: Few seconds .. Hours
7. Elevation: Usually near or below horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Bobbing, Pendulum motion, Hover
11. Time of Day: Nighttime
12. UFO Effects: Appear and Disappear, Bobbing, Pendulum, Change brightness

Flying Saucer Kite

1. Angular Range: Usually near same part of sky (unless witness moves)
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Very bright in sunlight, Rapid flashing
5. Colors: Silver, Rainbow
6. Duration: 30 seconds .. Hours
7. Elevation: Any, usually identified if over 60 degrees up
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Hover, bob, jump around, Pendulum motion, Vertical flight
11. Time of Day: Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Brilliance, Spinning, Fluttering, Bobbing, Lens shape, Rapid flashing

Halation - Identifying factors:

• Very bright
• Appears by growing, Disappears by shrinking
• Usually reflection off silvery object (e.g. Airplane)
• Sometimes the reflection is off a very distant object (e.g. Satellite)
• Affects eyes, camera film, and video cameras
• Sun glasses can remove the effect

Hand Thrown Model - Identifying factors:

• Usually in different orientations in multiple photos
• Time between photos is usually more than 30 seconds
• Most such photos have either the object, or the background, or both out of focus
• Sometimes motion blurs the object, especially if it was spinning
• Absence of distance haze makes the object darker than it should be

Helicopter

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane (unless very close - usually identified then)
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Dark .. White or silver brighter than sky, Lights at night
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Usually 20 seconds or longer
7. Elevation: Any (usually identified if more than 60 degrees up)
8. Location: Any, usually near populated areas
9. Sounds: Silent, Gasoline engine, Whup-Whup rotor beating, Rumble
10. Tactics: Hover, Straight line flight, Circling, Vertical flight, Landing, Reversing
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Hover, Vertical Flight, Landing

Hoax - Identifying factors:

• Story "improves" with each retelling
• Witness trying to make money from the experience
• The story "rectifies" a situation that otherwise might result in penalty
• Photos or story contain inconsistencies
• Is the witness covering up negligence or malfeasance
• Witness goes on TV talk shows or writes a book
• The story changes
• Mysterious men forcibly take evidence or warn the witness not to talk

Hot Air Balloon (Passenger)

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant Plane .. Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: Hover .. High
4. Brightness: Dark .. Bright white or silver
5. Colors: Any combination, many are white or white/orange striped - some on strange shapes
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Any, usually not over oceans
9. Sounds: Intermittent loud roar
10. Tactics: Vertical flight, Landing, Hovering, Horizontal flight
11. Time of Day: Usually daytime
12. UFO Effects: Hover, Vertical flight, Landing, Loud roar, Flame on bottom

Jet Fighter

1. Angular Range: Usually large
2. Angular Size: Distant plane, Multiple moons if flying low
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Very dark or bright silver, lights at night
5. Colors: Near black, silver
6. Duration: Usually less than 1 minute
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, Whine, Loud roar, Explosion
10. Tactics: Low flyover, High flyover, or Dogfight
11. Time of Day: Any, usually daytime
12. UFO Effects: Loud noise, Fast flight, Short duration

Kite

1. Angular Range: Usually stays in same area of sky
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 moons if close
3. Angular Velocity: High at times
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any combination
6. Duration: 30 seconds .. Hours
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Usually in populated areas
9. Sounds: Silent, flapping
10. Tactics: Hovering, Bobbing, Weaving, Pendulum motion, Vertical flight
11. Time of Day: Usually Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Bobbing, Tumbling, Vertical flight, Pendulum motion, Hovering

LASER Aimed at Clouds

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane.. Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: Any, including impossible motions for aircraft
4. Brightness: Brighter than surrounding sky
5. Colors: Red-Orange, Green, or Blue
6. Duration: Any, usually less than 15 minutes
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Near populated areas, very rare in deserted areas
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Any, Impossible speed, sharp turns, hovering, appear and disappear
11. Time of Day: Nighttime, no moon
12. UFO Effects: Impossible speed, sharp turns, hovering, appear and disappear

Lens Flare - Identifying Factors:

• Object lighter than surroundings
• Object appears transparent
• Ellipses in object
• Bright source, center of photo, and UFO all line up
• Object not seen by photographer

LIDAR LASER in plane

1. Angular Range: Large
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Brighter than navigation lights of plane
5. Colors: Red-Orange
6. Duration: Usually less than 2 minutes
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Any, usually near air base
9. Sounds: Silent, Jet plane roar, Whine
10. Tactics: Usually flies straight across sky, chased by a jet fighter
11. Time of Day: Nighttime (invisible in daylight) - before the 1990s(infrared after then)
12. UFO Effects: Orange disc, Chased by a jet fighter

Magnetic Compass Deflection - Possible Causes:

• Magnetite ore in ground under witness
• Iron or steel objects worn by the witness
• Passing of vehicle nearby
• Magnetic crane or MRI machine nearby
• Hoax

Meteor

1. Angular Range: Large
2. Angular Size: Star .. Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: High unless headed straight toward or away from observer
4. Brightness: Brighter than stars
5. Colors: Any, Usually Red, Orange, Yellow, or White, sometimes Green
6. Duration: Usually less than a minute
7. Elevation: Any above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silence, Slight rushing sound
10. Tactics: Straight across sky, Breaks up, Usual night east to west; day west to east
11. Time of Day: Usually nighttime, bright ones are visible by day
12. UFO Effects: Portholes, Cigar shape, Exhaust trail, Buzz planes

Meteor as Second Pulse Echo (or multiple pulse)

1. Altitude: Any, can change.
2. Blip Sharpness: Varies, but usually like airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Any, Usually travels to west at night, to east in daytime
5. Distance: Usually blanks out if near center of screen
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: none
8. Tactics: Straight flight, Extremely high speed flight
9. UFO Effects: Impossible speed in atmosphere, Appear and disappear

Military Aircraft

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Any, higher with larger size
4. Brightness: Dark or Bright, Lights at night
5. Colors: Near Black, Khaki, or Silver, White lights at night
6. Duration: Usually less than 20 seconds, unless transport
7. Elevation: Any, Usually above horizon
8. Location: Any, more frequent near air base
9. Sounds: Silent, propeller noise, jet roar, rumble, sonic boom
10. Tactics: Any ballistic, usually straight flight or circling, some extremely low
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Disc edge-on, Missile, Cigar shape

Mirage

1. Angular Range: Small, usually one part of sky
2. Angular Size: Any
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Dark .. Sunlight
5. Colors: Any combination
6. Duration: Brief .. Hours
7. Elevation: Usually within 30 degrees of horizon
8. Location: Any, mostly in hot weather or desert
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Amoeba shape, Change shape, Nonballistic motion, Appear and Disappear
11. Time of Day: Any, more often in afternoon
12. UFO Effects: Any, Amorphous shape, Nonballistic motion, Bobbing, Hovering

Model Airplane

1. Angular Range: Same part of sky
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: High
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any
6. Duration: Usually less than 10 minutes each flight
7. Elevation: Usually low
8. Location: Anywhere except urban center or wilderness
9. Sounds: Silent, Buzzing, Chain saw
10. Tactics: Looping, Circling, Back-and-forth flight
11. Time of Day: Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Tight maneuvers, High angular velocity, Low flight, Landing

Moon

1. Angular Range: Small part of sky
2. Angular Size: Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: None, except for jumps caused by autokinesis, earth rotation for long duration
4. Brightness: Brighter than stars
5. Colors: White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Silver, or Bluish white
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any - must be near the ecliptic
8. Location: Any - must be near the ecliptic
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Hover, Jump around, move against clouds
11. Time of Day: Usually night
12. UFO Effects: Hover, Large

Multiple Echo - Airplane First

1. Altitude: Same as airplane or higher
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Same as airplane
5. Distance: Farther away than airplane
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Airplane
8. Tactics: Follows course of airplane, but farther away from RADAR than the airplane
9. UFO Effects: Pacing aircraft, Uncorrelated, Strange Flight path

Multiple Echo - Airplane First, moving ground target

1. Altitude: Same as airplane or higher
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Same as airplane
5. Distance: Farther away than airplane, distance varies
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Airplane
8. Tactics: Approaches and recedes from airplane, farther away from RADAR than airplane
9. UFO Effects: Pacing or fly-by of aircraft, Uncorrelated, Strange Flight path

Multiple Echo - Ground Target First

1. Altitude: Any
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Direction of ground target
5. Distance: Farther from RADAR set than airplane
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Airplane
8. Tactics: Moves closer and farther from RADAR set in the same compass direction
9. UFO Effects: Radial motion, Uncorrelated, Strange flight path

Multiple Echo - Triple: Air, Ground, Air

1. Altitude: Same as airplane or higher
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Same as airplane
5. Distance: Farther away than airplane
6. Duration: Any
7. Known Object: Airplane
8. Tactics: Follows course of airplane, but farther away from RADAR than the airplane
9. UFO Effects: Pacing aircraft, Uncorrelated, Strange flight path

Non-Flying Object - Fixed

1. Angular Range: Stays in same place
2. Angular Size: Any
3. Angular Velocity: Zero
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any combination
6. Duration: Any, usually identified if long
7. Elevation: Low unless mounted on pole, building, or wire
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Any, depending on real identity of object
10. Tactics: Stays in one place
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Any except high speed flight or flyover

Non Flying Object - Surface Vehicle

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any combination, Lights usually red, white, or green
6. Duration: Any, usually identified if long
7. Elevation: Low
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, Vehicle motor
10. Tactics: Any along ground
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Any that can happen along ground

Passenger Jet

1. Angular Range: Large
2. Angular Size: Distant plane, larger if near airport
3. Angular Velocity: High if close
4. Brightness: Any in daytime, Bright lights at night
5. Colors: Any in daytime, White, Red, and Green lights at night
6. Duration: Usually several minutes
7. Elevation: Any, usually above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, Roar of jet, Whine
10. Tactics: Straight flight, Circling, Hover if flying in line of sight
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Missile, Cigar shape, Disc on edge

Physical Evidence - Things to check out:

• Unusual materials do not necessarily come from space
• Slag comes from smelters, blast furnaces, and foundries
• There are so many alloys and plastics that it is impossible to check them all
• Fire and corrosion change chemical compositions
• Evidence of gunpowder, nitrates, or radium dioxide is evidence of a prank or hoax.
• Fibers that fall from the sky and disappear are usually webs of ballooning spiders
• Burnt roots on plants are from earlier forest or swamp fires
• Colored rings found in grass are fungi
• UFO damage to items may be claimed to get insurance payments for acts of God
• Hot rusted objects usually fall from vehicles or lawnmowers
• Damage may also be caused by meteors, tornados, wind, lightning, and vehicles
• Hot-air balloons, utility trucks, helicopters, and camera tripods have landing pads
• Liquids with strange smells or colors can leak out of many man-made devices
• Some airplane and railroad toilets drop wastes on whatever is below

PIBAL: PIlot BALloon

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star (night), Distant plane (day)
3. Angular Velocity: Low
4. Brightness: Plane light
5. Colors: White
6. Duration: Usually under 30 minutes
7. Elevation: Starts low, goes high
8. Location: Near airport, weather station, or scientific post
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Rises into sky, Some horizontal flight, Erratic path, Sudden disappearance
11. Time of Day: Usually night
12. UFO Effects: Object rises from ground, Erratic path

Planet

1. Angular Range: Same part of sky
2. Angular Size: Star
3. Angular Velocity: Low, except for jumps caused by autokinesis
4. Brightness: Brightest stars or brighter, especially Venus
5. Colors: White, Blue-white, Yellow, orange, or red, may flash other colors
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any - must stay on ecliptic
8. Location: Any - must stay on ecliptic
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Hover, Bobbing, Gyrating, Glued to the sky
11. Time of Day: Usually Night
12. UFO Effects: Hovering, Gyrating, Pendulum, Sudden motion

Power Blackouts - Possible Causes:

• Short due to tree falling, auto accident, or broken line
• Branches touching power line get wet
• Exploding transformer
• Exploding squirrel on transformer
• Broken circuit
• Overcurrent or phase shift protection
• Arc due to overvoltage, cracked insulator, or damp conditions
• Generator failure
• Operating too near safety cutout limits
• Often the power failure causes the UFO.

Prank - Identifying factors:

• Either a flying object or a landing site seen by others
• Attempts by the prankster to make money from the prank
• Repetition, if the prank flies
• Attempt to get others to "discover" the object or evidence
• Characteristics of Fire Balloons, Kites, Flare Balloons, or Saucer Nest
• Found objects made of cheap materials

Propeller Airplane

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Higher if larger
4. Brightness: Any in daytime, Bright lights at night
5. Colors: Any in daytime, White, Red, and Green lights at night
6. Duration: Usually several minutes
7. Elevation: Any, usually above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: Silent, Hum, Propeller noise
10. Tactics: Straight flight, Circling, Hover if flying toward or away from witness
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Missile, Cigar shape, Disc on edge

RADAR Effects - See:

• Aircraft as RADAR Target
• Anomalous Propagation
• Automatic Gain Control Effect
• Bird as RADAR Target
• Bug Swarm as RADAR Target
• Chaff
• Cube Corner Reflector
• Ducting
• Multiple Echo (4 Cases)
• Rawin Balloon
• Second Pulse Echo
• Weather Blip

Radio and TV interference - Possible Causes (and Cures):

• Intermittent contact in electrical equipment (Find and repair)
• Cracked power line insulator (Call power company)
• Old style carbon filament bulb (Find and replace with new bulb)
• Brush motors and generators (Put filter on motor or generator)
• Defective auto ignition systems (Repair)
• Neon signs (Put Filter across tube)
• Nearby transmitter or RADAR set overloading receiver (Add trap filter to receiver)
• Computer (Shield, move either far from the other)
• Beat between two nearby transmitters (Add trap filter to receiver)
• Defect in antenna or receiver (Troubleshoot and repair, replace if design problem)
• Nearby medical equipment (Add trap filter to receiver, shield medical room)
• Old receiver in use nearby leaking its oscillator frequency (replace with modern one)
• Multipath e.g. signal reflected from airplane (Aim antenna, Use directional antenna)
• Nearby light dimmer (Filter dimmer)
• Skip from distant transmitters competing with local broadcast (Wait, Aim antenna)
• Storms (Wait, Aim antenna)
• Sunspots and solar flares (Wait, Aim antenna)
• Illegal transmissions (Find a nearby Ham Radio enthusiast and enlist his aid)

Radiosonde Balloon

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Low
4. Brightness: Dark .. Cloud white, Light at night
5. Colors: White, Red, Blue, Black, White light at night
6. Duration: Usually less than 30 minutes
7. Elevation: Starts low, Goes high
8. Location: Near airport, weather station, or scientific post
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Rises into sky, Erratic path, Sudden disappearance, Breaks into parts
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Object rises from ground, Erratic path, Split, Disappear

Rawin Balloon (Debris) - Identifying factors:

• Lots of silver foil or Mylar
• Kite sticks
• Pieces of rubber (If balloon stayed with reflector)
• Ripped polyethylene
• Some have a small metal transmitter box

Rawin Balloon (Naked Eye)

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant Plane
3. Angular Velocity: Low
4. Brightness: Bright in sun
5. Colors: Silver
6. Duration: Usually less than 30 minutes
7. Elevation: Starts low, goes high, stays high
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Slow flight, Hover, May suddenly dive
11. Time of Day: Daytime
12. UFO Effects: Silver, Hover, Too slow for plane

Rawin Balloon (RADAR)

1. Altitude: Any, usually above 10000 ft
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Direction of balloon, Secondary blips beyond balloon or other aircraft
5. Distance: Any, Secondary blips farther away
6. Duration: Usually long
7. Known Object: Any aircraft in area may generate secondary blips
8. Tactics: Slow flight, Secondary blips pace aircraft farther away from RADAR set
9. UFO Effects: Multiple Uncorrelateds, Hover, Strange flight paths

Re-entry

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: High unless moving along line of sight
4. Brightness: Very bright, seen in daylight
5. Colors: White, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Red, Green
6. Duration: Usually less than 5 minutes
7. Elevation: Any above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object, some people hear a slight rushing sound
10. Tactics: Straight line flight, Hover (on line of sight), Split up, Usually eastbound
11. Time of Day: Any, more noticeable at night
12. UFO Effects: High speed, Hover, High brightness, Split, Sparks, Portholes

Rocket Launch

1. Angular Range: Usually only one quadrant of sky
2. Angular Size: Distant plane, Contrail Multiple moons
3. Angular Velocity: High, usually straight up
4. Brightness: Very bright
5. Colors: White, Flame, Black and white, Contrail white
6. Duration: Over 10 minutes unless small
7. Elevation: Starts low, Goes high
8. Location: Near missile or manned flight base, Ship at sea
9. Sounds: Silent, Roar, Explosion
10. Tactics: Goes straight up, May explode
11. Time of Day: Any
12. UFO Effects: Missile, Vertical flight, Explosion

Saucer Nest - See:

• Blast Crater Prank
• Crop Circle as a Prank

Second Pulse Echo (Multiple pulse echo)

1. Altitude: Any
2. Blip Sharpness: Airplane
3. Blip Size: Airplane
4. Direction: Same as object that returned the echo
5. Distance: Much closer than object that returned the echo
6. Duration: Any, Multiple objects possible
7. Known Object: Airplane, Meteor, or other target beyond the normal range of the set
8. Tactics: Approaches RADAR location, turns, then flies away on a different heading
9. UFO Effects: Strange flight path, Uncorrelated

Scintillation

1. Angular Range: Usually less than 10 degrees
2. Angular Size: Depends on object scintillated
3. Angular Velocity: High, Jumps and then returns to starting point
4. Brightness: Bright
5. Colors: Flashes between White, Red, Cyan, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange
6. Duration: Usually long
7. Elevation: Usually between 30 degrees below and 30 degrees above horizontal
8. Location: Any, Hot weather or large paved areas enhance the effect
9. Sounds: None unless caused by original object
10. Tactics: Bobbing, Jerking, Color Change, Grow and shrink
11. Time of Day: Any, Usually evening
12. UFO Effects: Returns to center, Bobbing, Jerking, Square turns, Multicolored

Scintillating Star

1. Angular Range: Usually less than 10 degrees
2. Angular Size: Star .. Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: High, Jumps and then returns to starting point
4. Brightness: Bright
5. Colors: Flashes between White, Red, Cyan, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange
6. Duration: Usually long
7. Elevation: Usually between horizon and 30 degrees up
8. Location: Any, Hot weather or large paved areas enhance the effect
9. Sounds: None caused by original object
10. Tactics: Bobbing, Jerking, Color Change, Grow and shrink
11. Time of Day: Any, Usually evening
12. UFO Effects: Returns to center, Bobbing, Jerking, Square turns, Multicolored

Skyhook Balloon

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. Full moon
3. Angular Velocity: Usually low, High if in jet stream (eastbound)
4. Brightness: Bright
5. Colors: Silver or white, red at low sun, sometimes blue white
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any above horizon
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Slow flight, extremely high altitude unless damaged
11. Time of Day: Any, usually not seen between night twilights unless moon is bright
12. UFO Effects: Slow flight, higher than a plane, Sudden disappearance

SPIN-O-RENO - Identifying Factors:

• Photographs only
• One orientation is a dish with a wide flat peak in the center
• Another orientation is the bottom of a dish with a very thick resting ring
• Another orientation is a dish edge-on with a ring on the bottom
• When folded, it looks like the Beaver PA photo 2.
• Object is red plastic, but looks metallic on panchromatic film
• Object is 11 inches (27 cm) in diameter
• Object in original form is 3 inches (8 cm) deep
• Folded configuration is 2 inches (5 cm) deep
• Photos obey the hand thrown model characteristics

Spook Light (Refracted distant light)

1. Angular Range: Narrow, usually within 10 degrees
2. Angular Size: Star .. Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Star .. Moon
5. Colors: White, Yellow, Orange, Red, or Multicolored
6. Duration: Varies, Usually disappears if approached
7. Elevation: Low, within 30 degrees of horizon
8. Location: Usually areas with light path along ground or a road
9. Sounds: None unless generated by original object
10. Tactics: Bobbing, Weaving, Approach and recede, Appear and disappear, change color
11. Time of Day: Nighttime
12. UFO Effects: Erratic motion, Nonballistic flight, Change size or color, Radial motion

Star

1. Angular Range: Less than 10 degrees unless several stars are confused
2. Angular Size: Star
3. Angular Velocity: Low unless autokinesis causes high rates
4. Brightness: Starlike
5. Colors: White, Bluish white, Yellow, Orange, Red, Multicolor flashing
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Any, Usually identified if high
8. Location: Any
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Bobbing or weaving, Sudden jumps, Nonballistic flight, Returns to same spot
11. Time of Day: Nighttime
12. UFO Effects: Erratic flight, Multicolor flashing, Hover, Returns to same spot

Suspended Model - Identifying factors:

• Object may or may not show rotation
• Usually object is under same fixed object in all photos
• Time between photos is usually more than 20 seconds
• Most such photos have either the object, or the background, or both out of focus
• Usually no motion blur
• Absence of distance haze makes the object darker than it should be
• Object is made to appear to move by moving the camera between shots

Tethered balloon

1. Angular Range: Moves around same point
2. Angular Size: Distant plane .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Any, Can glow at night
5. Colors: Any Combination
6. Duration: Long
7. Elevation: Usually stays the same
8. Location: Any, but especially commercial areas
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Hover, Erratic path, Landing
11. Time of Day: Usually day
12. UFO Effects: Hover, Erratic path, Strange shape, Landing

Toy Mylar balloon

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Low
4. Brightness: Very bright
5. Colors: Silver
6. Duration: Usually less than 30 minutes
7. Elevation: Starts low, Goes high
8. Location: Any, usually populated
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Rises into sky, Erratic path, Hover, Bright flashes. Roly-poly rotation
11. Time of Day: Daytime, Sunny day
12. UFO Effects: Object rises from ground, Erratic path, Hover, Bright flashes

Weather Balloon

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Distant plane
3. Angular Velocity: Low
4. Brightness: Dark .. Cloud white, Light at night
5. Colors: White, Red, Blue, Black, White light at night
6. Duration: Usually less than 30 minutes
7. Elevation: Starts low, Goes high
8. Location: Near airport, weather station, or scientific post
9. Sounds: None generated by object
10. Tactics: Rises into sky, Erratic path, Sudden disappearance
11. Time of Day: Usually night
12. UFO Effects: Object rises from ground, Erratic path, Disappear

Weather Blip

1. Altitude: Any
2. Blip Sharpness: Vague .. Airplane
3. Blip Size: Tiny .. Huge, Amplified severely by Moving Target Indicator (MTI)
4. Direction: Any
5. Distance: Any
6. Duration: Any, Longer is usually identified
7. Known Object: Sometimes a storm
8. Tactics: Any, Nonballistic flight
9. UFO Effects: Nonballistic flight, Fantastic speeds, Hover, Uncorrelated

Windblown Debris

1. Angular Range: Any
2. Angular Size: Star .. 2 Moons
3. Angular Velocity: Any
4. Brightness: Any
5. Colors: Any combination
6. Duration: Usually less than 2 minutes
7. Elevation: Any
8. Location: Any, usually populated
9. Sounds: Silent, Flapping, other
10. Tactics: Tumbling, Erratic Flight, Landing
11. Time of Day: Usually daytime
12. UFO Effects: Tumbling, Erratic flight, Landing

Links

• MY TOP TEN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS
• IDENTIFYING UFOs MENU