TRY HTML VERSION (with handy links) at www.perceptions.couk.com/fortre1883.html
List of events and sightings made and reported by professional and amateur
astronomers; significantly most such reports seem to have ceased after c. 1950,
although a top scientist had one of the last sightings in 1949.
Summary at foot of page
Re < Bonilla first.txt > in Google
http://www.perceptions.couk.com/uef/first.txt
and this similar report:
"In `Popular Astronomy', January 27, 1912, a Dr. F. B. Harris described an
intensely black object that he saw crossing the moon. As nearly as he could
tell, it was gigantic in size - though again there was no way to be sure of
its distance from him or the moon. With careful understatement, Dr. Harris
said, "I think a very interesting and curious phenomenon happened that night.""
http://www.ufoarea.com/keyhoe_flying_saucers_are_real_ch_7.html
---
From Fort - "Book of the Damned"
http://www.resologist.net/damn01.htm
quote:
Chapter V
"I shall not note them all in this book, but I have records of 31 extraordinary
events in 1883. Someone should write a book upon the phenomena of this one year
-- that is, if books should be written
La Nature, 1883-342 A correspondent writes that he sends a sample of a substance
said to have fallen at Montussan (Gironde), Oct. 16, 1883. According to a witness,
quoted by the correspondent, a thick cloud, accompanied by rain and a violent wind,
had appeared. This cloud was composed of a woolly substance in lumps the size of a
fist, which fell to the ground. The Editor (Tissandier) says of this substance that
it was white, but was something that had been burned. It was fibrous. M. Tissandier
astonishes us by saying that he can not identify this substance. We thought that
anything could be "identified" as anything. He can only say that the cloud in
question must have been an extraordinary conglomeration.
Chapter VI
Another datum: extraordinary year 1883: London Times, Dec. 25, 1883: Translation
from a Turkish newspaper; a substance that fell at Scutari, Dec. 2, 1883; described
as an unknown substance, in particles -- or flakes? -- like snow. "It was found to
be saltish to the taste, and to dissolve readily in water."
Nature, Jan. 10, 1884, quotes a Kimberly newspaper: That, toward the close of November,
1883, a thick shower of ashy matter fell at Queenstown, South Africa. The matter was
in marble-sized balls, which were soft and pulpy, but which, upon drying, crumbled at
touch. The shower was confined to one narrow streak of land. It would be only
ordinarily preposterous to attribute this substance to Krakatoa -- But, with the fall,
loud noises were heard --
I add, however, that I have notes upon two other falls of tiny toads, in 1883, one in
France and one in Tahiti; also of fish in Scotland ["Pluie de crapauds à Taïti."
Nature (Paris), 1884 v.1, 207. John A. Stewart. "Shower of perch - Sunsets." Knowledge,
4 (December 28, 1883): 396. "Extraordinary phenomenon at Airdrie." Scotsman (Edinburgh),
December 17, 1883, p.4 c.7.]
Chapter XIV
The extraordinary year, 1883: London Times, Dec. 17, 1883:(51) Extract from a letter by
Hicks Pashaw: that, in Egypt, Sept. 24, 1883, he had seen on the sun, through glasses,
"an immense black spot on the lower part of the sun." Sun spot, may be.
One night an astronomer was looking up at the sky, when something obscured a star, for
three and a half seconds. A meteor had been seen nearby, but its train had been only
momentarily visible. Dr. Wolf was the astronomer (Nature, 86-528).
Chapter XVI
In L'Astronomie, 1886-70, is recorded M. Briguiere's observation, at Marseilles, April
15 and April 25, 1883, upon the crossing of the sun by bodies that were irregular in
form. Some of them moved as if in alignment.
That, at the Observatory of Zacatecas, Mexico, Aug. 12, 1883, about 2,500 meters above
sea level, were seen a large number of small luminous bodies, entering upon the disk
of the sun. [Bonilla] ... "less distance than the moon."
< Bonilla first.txt in search-engine >
Chapter XXIV
...luminous object, size of full moon, visible an hour and a half, Chili, Nov. 5, 1883
In the Amer. Met. Jour., 1-110, a correspondent reports having seen an object like a
comet, with two tails, one up and one [276/277] down, Nov. 10 or 12, 1883...
In the Scientific American, 50-40, a correspondent writes from Humacao, Porto Rico,
that, Nov. 21, 1883, he and several other -- persons, as it were -- had seen a majestic
appearance, like a comet. Visible three successive nights: disappeared then. The Editor
says that he can offer no explanation. If accepted, this thing must have been close to
the earth. If it had been a comet, it would have been seen widely, and the news would
have been telegraphed over the world, says the Editor.
Upon page 97 of this volume of Scientific American, a correspondent writes that, at
Sulphur Springs, Ohio, he had seen "a wonder in the sky," at about the same date. It was
torpedo-shaped, or something with a nucleus, at each end of which was a tail. Again
the Editor says that he can offer no explanation: that the object was not a comet.
He associates it with the atmospheric events general in 1883.
But it will be our expression that, in England and Holland, a similar object was seen
in November, 1882." :unquote
Note: from other sources and a quick re-glance thru "Book of Damned" you might also
think that early 1800s thru early 1900s was an eventful period of unexplained sightings
- astronomical, meteorological, maritime and "local fortean" - from apparently
well-educated, professional folk - ships' officers, local administrators, military,
police, scientists etc.
Cheers
Ray D
add. - just found:
http://frankwarren.blogspot.com/2006/08/trouvelot-and-ufos.html
1871 At the Meudon Observatory in France, astronomer Étienne Léopold Trouvelot
(1827 - 1895) saw several flying objects high in the atmosphere. He described
one object as descending like a disc falling through water. Ufologists suggest
this might have been the first description of the ‘falling leaf motion’ that is
known in modern UFO cases.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
http://www.xdream.freeserve.co.uk/UFOBase/Astronomers.htm
August 7th, 1869: Observing a total solar eclipse at Iowa Observatory Professor Zentmayer
and Prof.Coffin saw a number of objects moving nearly parallel across the sky. Also Prof.
Himes of this observatory when called observed some of them. They were unexplainable to
all three astronomers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
August 1st, 1871: A French astronomer, E.A. Coggia, known for cometary discoveries, saw,
in Marseilles, an object slowly moving across the sky, he was unable to explain. According
to his description, it appeared at 10:43 pm, and was a magnificent red object moving slowly
eastward. At 10:52:30 pm it stopped, and then moved northward, until stopping again after a
further seven minutes. Its next movement was once again towards the east, finally disappearing,
or falling behind the horizon at 11:03:20 pm. (NL)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
August 29th, 1871(?): Another leading French astronomer, Etienne Trouvelot, saw a great number
of seemingly opaque bodies crossing the sun, and similar sightings for some days until
September 1st, 1871. [above]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
April 24th, 1874: Prof. Schaffarik of Prague Observatory saw an unidentified object crossing
the moon. He reported that it was '..of such a strange nature that I do not know what to make
of it. It was bright white and moved slowly across the face of the moon. I saw it even after
it had left the disc of the moon. In other words, the object was no part of the moon because
it left the moon behind and wandered out into space. What else can it be other than a flying
machine?'
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
December 1875-January 22nd, 1876: Rio De Janeiro Observatory reported '..a vast number of bodies
crossing the sun, some of them luminous and some of them dark..'
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
July 29th, 1878: Reports from both Professor James Watson (from Wyoming) and Professor Lewis
Swift (from Colorado) that they had seen two shining objects at a considerable distance from
the sun, during the time of the total eclipse. (BoD)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
November 30th, 1880 (?): Ricco, an Italian astronomer, saw at Palermo Observatory while watching
the sun a number of objects crossing its surface. (date uncertain - see Nov.30 1888)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
November 17th, 1882: E.W.Maunder, Superintendent at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and others,
saw a greenish object, torpedo-shaped and luminous. He definitely did not link it to an auroral
display and after seeing zeppelins in the First World War, he linked it in shape to these airships.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
February 23rd, 1883: Camille Flammarion, who is still very well-known in our day and one of the
most known astronomical writers of all times, saw an object remaining stationary for some time,
he could not link to anything known to him. He saw also at other times objects similar to this one:
he even named them Bradytes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
April 15th & 25th, 1883: At Marseilles, Monsieur Bruguiere observed bodies crossing the sun that
were 'irregular in form. Some of them moved as if in alignment.' (BoD)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
August 12th, 1883: Bonilla, director of Zacatecas Observatory, Mexico saw whilst observing sun-spots,
not less than 283 bodies crossing the sun. He admits the count was only approximate, as many appeared
at the same time. Photos taken are still in existence - the earliest known UFO photos. Some objects
were also seen the following day. (UFOsTSH)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
February 7th, 1884: Astronomers at Brussels Observatory, Belgium did notice from that day until
Feb.16th, an extremely bright spot on the planet Venus, which moved away from it on the 16th February.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
November 30th, 1888(?): Palermo, Italy. Senor Ricci of the Palermo observatory saw "a number of
spindle-shaped flying objects crossing the sun's disc at a great height."
(UFOsTSH - date uncertain, see Nov.30, 1880)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
April 4th, 1892: A Dutch astronomer, Muller saw a large black disc slowly crossing the moon,
unexplainable to him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
July 31st, 1896: At Smith Observatory, U.S.A., astronomers noticed a dark circular disc-shaped
object going across the moon's surface very quickly, timed at about four seconds, which should
prove its closeness to Earth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
November 20th 1902: ' (At) 9.27 a.m., Mr.Griffiths, the assistant astronomer at Adelaide
Observatory and colleague were taking weather observations when a "brilliant globular light"
appeared to the SSE at about 45 degrees elevation. It moved slowly north and remained visible
until 9.31 a.m., covering about 20 degrees of arc in that time, and was lost sight of about 45
degrees above the northern horizon. When it was near overhead it appeared elongated "and took
an elliptical form" with its axis in the direction of motion. (FATA/Bill Chalker)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
January 27th-28th, 1912: Astronomer Frank B.Harris wrote to Popular Astronomy and The Times that
he saw "a huge object of some kind, moving across the moon's surface." He stated that the object
was opaque, black, approximately 250 miles long and 50 miles wide, and close enough to the surface
to cast a shadow on the moon. Observation spanned 10.30pm-2am. (PA 20, 1912/MU)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
May 3rd, 1947: USA; Nighttime - 'An amateur astronomer in Boulder, Colorado, after training
his telescope on the moon, saw a dark object hurtle across the disk of the moon in a horizontal
straight line path.' (Pr.N47)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
August 20th, 1949: Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the planet Pluto in 1930, saw at about 10:45 p.m.
while sitting outside his home at Las Cruces, New Mexico, with his wife and mother-in-law, between
six and eight greenish objects which were travelling soundlessly across the sky. He reported -
'In all of my several thousand hours of night sky-watching, I have never seen anything so strange
as this. I was so astonished that my impression of it was somewhat confused. How I wished I could
have had some binoculars at hand. No sound whatever.' (Michel)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Letter from Clyde Tombaugh to Richard Hall, dated September 10th 1957: 'Dear Mr.Hall: Regarding
the solidity of the phenomenon I saw: My wife thought she saw a faint connecting glow across the
structure. The illuminated rectangles I saw did maintain an exact fixed position with respect to
each other, which would tend to support the impression of solidity. I doubt that the phenomenon
was any terrestrial reflection, because some similarity to it should have appeared many times.
I do a great deal of observing (with telescopic and unaided eye) in the backyard and nothing of
the kind has ever appeared before or since.' (AId/TUE)
-------------------------------------------------
TRY HTML VERSION (with handy links) at www.perceptions.couk.com/fortre1883.html
Evidence seems to say `sightings were made and reported frankly by qualified observers'
Also - that qualified observers have stopped reporting sightings c. 1950 or earlier.
Why?
see http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/updates/2006/sep/m26-001.shtml which presents
testimony from scientists who were beginning to withold reports - presumably due
to fear of official `punishments'.
The testimony is in a report from J Allen Hynek written (for the USAF) in Aug 1952
http://tinyurl.com/fjx9c or
http://www.bluebookarchive.org/page.aspx?PageCode=MAXW-PBB1-958
Pages 958 to maybe 980
And, maybe check
http://www.perceptions.couk.com/exosci.html#nonE
for reason for all this interest
-------------------------------------------------
FURTHER REFERENCES
GO - "search perceptions" - in SEARCH-ENGINE
file-ID www.perceptions.couk.com/uef/fort11.txt