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