- An analysis of 194 UFO sightings reported
officially in Canada during 1998 shows that Canadians continue to see many
strange things flying in the sky.
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- Ufology Research of Manitoba, working
in cooperation with researchers across Canada, has released its review
of 1998 Canadian UFO cases reported to private and public UFO organizations.
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- "UFO sightings continue to be reported
at a fairly constant rate," says Chris Rutkowski, an astronomer and
science writer in Winnipeg who for the past 25 years has been studying
UFO reports in Canada. "People still report observing unusual objects
in the sky, and some of these objects do not have obvious explanations."
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- According to the study: the typical UFO
sighting occurs after 10:00 p.m., most sightings have two witnesses, and
many witnesses are pilots, police and other individuals with reasonably
good observing capabilities and good judgement.
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- This year, the study found there was
an unexplained increase in the number of UFO reports from the Northwest
Territories and Yukon. In addition, researchers found that most UFOs in
Canada were reported in the fall than at any other time of year.
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- "We're not sure why there were some
odd differences in the patterns of UFO reports last year," says Rutkowski,
"but 1998 was definitely not like any other year during the past 10
years of this study."
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- While most cases involve starlike objects
in the night sky, some witnesses described disc-shaped or triangular objects
at close range. Although most cases had explanations, a small percentage
were not that easy to dismiss.
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- "We were still left with some cases
that were relatively well-investigated and involved unusual objects that
did not seem to have been airplanes, balloons or stars," Rutkowski
notes. "Although there is no incontrovertible evidence that some UFOs
are alien spaceships as popularized in the media, the continued reporting
of UFOs leads us to recommend more studies of the phenomenon by social,
medical and/or physical scientists."
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- Among the 22 cases listed as "Unknowns"
this year:
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- a black triangular object flying low
over a truck driver on the Hope-Princeton Highway;
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- a V-shaped object which affected electrical
devices in Bancroft, Ontario;
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- a softball-sized, metallic object hovering
over a witness near Emerald Lake, Yukon; and a copper-coloured cigar-shaped
object which flew over some campers near Blainville, Quebec.
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- For more information, and for information
on regional commentators, contact:
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- Chris Rutkowski Ufology Research of Manitoba
E-mail: rutkows@cc.umanitoba.ca Voice: 204-269-7553
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- The report isavailable in its entirety
on the Web at:
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- www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/2653
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