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This is a New Zealand Defence Force public release of RNZAF file AIR 39/3/3, "Flying Saucers," which covers 1952 to 1955 and was declassified in September 2010 under the Official Information Act. It collects sighting reports from the public and military personnel, press clippings, and a table of 1952 sightings. It also holds Carter Observatory opinions attributing some reports to meteors. A large part covers the inquiry into lights seen from National Airways Corporation Flight 108 on 31 October 1955, which the RNZAF could not fully explain as Venus.
“Open Minds”13 pages
time than is usually associated with five minutes is an exceedingly long time for an optical illusion to persist, especially from a swiftly moving aircraft. Extravagant claims will no doubt be made, especially among those who were not witnesses, but from the statements of the experts aboard the aircraft it might be possible to make some progress toward an explanation of the frequent sightings of strange, moving lights in the skies. The explanation may be simple, if it can be established—a trick of reflected light, an electrical manifestation? Those making the inquiry can be assured of an interested following. stantially. The latest one is remarkable, in that a number of responsible people aboard the aircraft flying over the Waikato declare they watched the object for five minutes—a much longer time than is usually associated with "sightings." Venus was suspected from the moment one of the passengers in the aircraft, Air'Commodore R. J.,Cohen, spector-General of the R.N.Z.A.F. is awakened by the pilot. A flyinght was pointed out by the pilot. "A planet," the officer pronounced, did promptly went back to sleep. then he landed Air Commodore then consulted the stars and finally added it was Venus. "It is common for planets low in e sky to scintillate; At 8000 feet, position 38 degrees south 175 degrees east (the approximate position the aircraft when the light was on) the setting time for Venus on tober 31 was 8.19 p.m."
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