What is a UFO?--The definition!

For confirmed skeptics, UFO sightings are no problem. In their opinion these can
only be the mistaken identification of weather balloons, helicopters,
meteorites, rockets, satellites or planets, etc. Otherwise, in the skeptics'
opinion, UFOs are actually hoaxes invented by fame-hungry swindlers to acquire
prominence. On the other hand, there is a front of uncritical UFO fans who are
frequently victims of their own wishful thinking, and see in everything a
manifestation of ambassadors from a "cosmic brotherhood," who have come to the
earth to save humanity from destruction.

And then there are a few who deal with the phenomena in a sober and unprejudiced
manner, and because of that are often thrown into the same pot with members of
the superstitious "UFO cults" (by the self-appointed "popes" of authority). But
there are numerous well-documented cases, confirmed by earnest witnesses, which
indicate that, in fact, something is going on in the sky, which cannot be
explained by conventional means, and behind which more and more recognized
experts see the activity of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Experts define "UFO" as "unidentified flying object" whose appearance, flying
characteristics, general dynamics and luminescent properties cannot be explained
in a conventional manner. The astrophysicist J. Allen Hynek, who was for years
advisor to the U.S. Air Force in the matter of UFOs, worked out a classification
system for UFO sightings, which covers the entire spectrum of the phenomenon:

1. NL. Nocturnal light. A light that appears during the night.

2. DD. Daylight disc. A disc observed during daylight; mostly disc-shaped
although spheres, cigars and triangles have been described.

3. RV. Radar visual. The sighted objects were also picked up by radar.

4. CE-1. Close encounter of the first kind. A report of a structured object or
craft seen at relatively near distance, approximately four hundred feet or less.

5. CE-2. Close encounter of the second kind. A report where some measurable
evidence is found at the site of a UFO after it has departed.

6. CE-3. Close encounter of the third kind. A report including both a structured
craft seen at near distance and also "occupants" of some kind somehow associated
with the craft.

7. CE-4. Close encounter of the fourth kind. Personal contact between an
individual or group is initiated by the "occupants" of the spacecraft.   (After
Hynek)

8. CE-5. Close encounter of the fifth kind.  Personal contact between the
"occupants" of the craft  initiated by an individual or group.

As spaceships of extraterrestrial origin, the UFOs have to cover distances which
are unimaginable for us. This can only be possible through capabilities in the
field of physics and technology that are beyond our understanding and which
still lie in the realm of magic for us.

But UFOs are not only a challenge for astronomers, physicists and engineers;
they also confound psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists. The reaction
to the sighting of a UFO is, in the opinion of psychologists, determined by the
psychological constitution of the observer. The sociologist, on the other hand,
sees the reaction to a sighting mainly from the social and cultural background
of the observer. For the anthropologist, there are parallels to myths and
legends from the past, often connected with religion. He wants to understand the
modus operandi of the extraterrestrials and investigate the public's general
reaction to their appearance. Thus, probably one reason for the cautious
approach of the alien visitors is that they are here on account of scientific
curiosity.

An open contact would disturb our society and its dynamics and influence it to
such an extent that the results of the aliens' observations of it would be
contaminated. Our anthropologists also try to keep to a minimum their influence
on a society they wish to observe. Extraterrestrial intelligences would perhaps,
therefore, prefer to restrict their contacts to individual encounters so as to
camouflage their reconnaissance as far as possible. Perhaps they have even
deliberately staged the meaningless scenarios reported by the so-called
contactees, so that their reports do not find general acceptance and they are
mostly regarded as fools or psychopaths. Another protective measure would be,
apart from this suggested disinformation, the induction of amnesia in the
witnesses, as has been often described in cases of alleged alien abductions.

Although the UFOs quite obviously represent one of the biggest challenges for
science, they are too often only laughed at, or simply ignored. One reason for
that is that the whole spectrum of the UFO phenomenon is rarely presented in a
serious manner and, when UFO sighting cases are reported in the press, they are
usually taken out of their context. 

Johannes von Butler