SYMPOSIUM ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS H EARING S BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES N I N E T I E T H C O N G R E S S SECOND SESSION Printed for the use of the Committee on Science and Astronautics SYMPOSIUM ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS H EARING S BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES N I N E T I E T H C O N G R E S S SECOND SESSION Printed for the use of the Committee on Science and Astronautics U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1!)US COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS G EO RG E P. M IL L E R , California, Chairman Charles F. Ducander, Executive Director and Chief Counsel John A. Carstarphen, Jr., Chief Clerk and Counsel Ph il ip B. Yeager, Counsel Frank R. Ham m ill, Jr., Counsel W. H. Boone, Chief Technical Consultant Richard P. Hin e s, Staff Consultant Peter A. Gerardi, Technical Consultant James E. Wilson, Technical Consultant Harold A. Gould, Technical Consultant Ph il ip P. Dick in so n, Technical Consultant Jo seph M. Felton, Counsel Richard E. Bee man, Minority Staff Elizabeth S. Kernan, Scientific Research Assistant Frank J. Giroux, Clerk Den is C. Quigley, Publications Clerk O LIN E. TEA G U E, Texas JO S E P H E. K AR T H , M innesota K EN H EC H L E R , W est Virginia EM ILIO Q. D AD DARIO, C onnecticut J. ED W A R D ROUSH, Indiana JO H N W. DAVIS, Georgia W ILLIA M F. RYAN, New York TH O M A S N. D O W NIN G, V irginia JO E D. W A G G O N N ER, Jr., L ouisiana DON FUQUA, Florida G EO RGE E. BRO W N, Jr C alifornia W ILLIA M J. G REEN , P ennsylvania EA R L E CA BELL, Texas JA CK B R IN K LEY , G eorgia BOB EC K H A R D T, Texas R O B ERT O. TIER N A N , R hode Island BERTRA M L. PO D E L L , N ew York JA M E S G. FU L T O N , P ennsylvania C H A R L E S A. M O S H E R , Ohio R IC H A R D L. R O U D E B U S H , In d ian a A L PH O N Z O B E L L , C alifornia T H O M A S M. P E L L Y , W ashington D O N A L D R U M S F E L D , Illinois E D W A R D J. G U R N E Y , F lorida JO H N W . W Y D L E R , N ew Y ork GUY V A N D E R JA G T , M ichigan LA R R Y W IN N , Jr.. K an sas JE R R Y L. P E T T IS , C alifornia D. E. (B U Z ) L U K E N S , O hio JO H N E. H U N T , N ew Jersey STATEMENTS /Dr. J. Allen Hynek, head, Department of Astronomy, Northwestern ^Prof. James E. McDonald, Department of Meteorology, University of i/Dr. Carl Sagan, associate professor of astronomy, Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Cornell University 86 Dr. Robert L. Hall, head, Department of Sociology, University of Illinois, ,, Dr. James A. Harder, associate professor of civil engineering, University of Dr. Robert M. L. Baker, Jr., senior scientist, System Sciences Corp., 650 North Sepulveda Boulevard, El Segundo, Calif 126 Prepared Papers Dr. Donald H. Menzel, Harvard College Observatory 198 Dr. R. Leo Sprinkle, Division of Counseling and Testing, University of Dr. Garry C. Henderson, senior research scientist, Space Sciences, General /Dr. Stanton T. Friedman, Westinghouse Astronuc-lear Laboratory 213 Dr. Roger N. Shepard, Department of Psychology, Stanford University_ 223 Dr. Frank B. Salisbury, head, Plant Science Department, Utah State SYMPOSIUM ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS House of Representatives, Committee on Science and Astronautics, Washington, D.C. T h e com m ittee m et, p u rsu a n t to notice, at 1 0 :05 a.m ., in room 2 3 1 8 , R a y b u r n H o u se Office B u ild in g , H o n . J . E d w a r d R o u sh (ch a irm a n o f the sym p o siu m ) p resid in g . M r. Roush. T h e com m ittee w ill be in order. T o d a y th e H o u se C om m ittee on Scie n ce an d A s tro n a u tic s con ducts a v e r y sp ecial session, a sym p o siu m on the su b ject o f un identified fly in g o b je cts; th e nam e o f w h ich is a rem in d er to u s o f o u r ign oran ce on th is subject an d a ch a llen ge to acq u ire m ore k n o w led ge th ereof. W e a p p ro a ch th e question o f u n identified fly in g objects as p u re ly a scientific pro b lem , one o f u n an sw ered questions. C e r ta in ly the rig id an d e x a c tin g d iscip lin e o f science sh o u ld be m arsh a led to exp lo re the n a tu re o f phenom ena w h ich relia b le citizen s con tinu e to rep o rt. A sign ifica n t p a r t o f th e problem h a s been th a t the s ig h tin g s re ported h a ve not been accom p an ied b y so-called h a rd w a re or m ateria ls th a t cou ld be in v e stig a te d a n d a n a lyz ed . S o w e a re le ft w ith h y p o theses about the n a tu re o f U F O s. T h e se h yp o th eses ra n g e fro m the conclusion th a t th e y are p u re ly p sych o lo g ica l phenom ena, th at is, some k in d o f h a llu c in a to ry ph en o m en a; to th a t o f some k in d o f n a tu ra l p h y s ic a l p h e n o m e n a ; to th a t o f a d va n ced tech n o logical m a ch in e ry m an ned b y some k in d o f intelligen ce, th a t is, the e x tra te r restria l h ypoth eses. W it h the ra n g e in m in d , then, w e h a v e in vited six o u tsta n d in g scien tists to a d d ress us to d a y , m en w h o deal w ith the p h y sica l, the p sy ch o lo g ica l, the so cio lo gica l, a n d th e tech n o logical data releva n t to the issues in vo lved . W e w elcom e them and look fo r w a r d to th eir rem ark s. A d d it io n a lly w e h a ve requested severa l oth er scientists to m ake th e ir p resen tatio n s in the fo rm o f p a p e rs to be added to these w h en p u b lish ed b y the com m ittee. W e tak e no sta n d on these m atters. In d e e d , w e are here to d a y to listen to th e ir assessm ent o f th e n a tu re o f th e p ro b le m : to a n y ten ta tiv e con clusions o r su g gestio n s th e y m ig h t offer, so th at ou r ju d g m ents an d o u r action s m ig h t be based on reliab le and e x p e rt in fo rm a tion. W e are here to listen an d to learn . E v e n t s o f th e la s t h a lf ce n tu ry c e rta in ly v e r if y the A m e ric a n p h ilo so p h er, J o h n D e w e y s conclusion th a t E v e r y g re a t ad va n ce in science h a s issued fro m a n e w a u d a city o f im a gin a tio n . W it h an open a n d in q u irin g a ttitu d e, th en , w e n o w tu rn to our speakers fo r th e d a y . T h e y w ill in clu d e: D r. J . A lle n H y n e k , h ead o f the D e p a rtm e n t o f A stro n o m y , N orthw estern U n iv e r s it y ; D r . J a m e s E . M cD o n a ld , senior p h ysicist, the In stitu te o f A tm o sp h e ric P h y s ic s , th e U n iv e r s ity o l A r iz o n a ; D r . C a r l S a g a n , D ep artm en t o f A s tro n o m y and C e n te r fo r R a d io p h y sic s and S p a ce R esearch , C o rn e ll U n iv e r s ity ; D r. R o b e rt L . H a ll, head o f the D epartm en t o f S o c io lo g y , U n iv e r s ity o f Illin o is a t C h ic a g o ; D r . Ja m e s A . H a rd e r, associate p ro fe sso r o f c iv il en gin eer in g , U n iv e rs ity o f C a lifo rn ia a t B e rk e le y , an d D r . R o b e rt M - L - J r . , C o m p u ter Sciences C o rp . an d D ep a rtm en t o f E n g in e e r in g , U C L A . G entlem en, w e welcom e y o u r presen tations. W e ask y o u to speak first, D r . H y n e k , follow ed b y D r . M cD o n a ld , a n d th en D r . S a g a n . T h is aftern oon D r . H a ll w ill commence o u r session, fo llo w e d b y D r . H a r d e r an d then D r . B a k e r. T h e subject m atter o f th e presen tation s determ ines th e ord er in w h ich you speak. W e hope a t the end o f th e d a y to a llo w th e s ix o f yo u to discuss the m aterial presented a m o n g yo u rselves a n d w ith the com m ittee in a k in d o f rou n dtab le discussion. M r. C h a irm a n the chairm an o f ou r fu ll com m ittee, M r . G e o rg e C h a irm a n Miller. I w a n t to jo in in w elco m in g y o u here. I w a n t to po in t out th at y o u r presence here is n o t a ch a lle n g e to the w o rk th a t is b ein g done b y the A i r F o rc e , a p a rtic u la r a g e n c y th a t h a s to deal w ith th is subject. U n fo rtu n a te ly there are those w h o are h ig h ly c ritic a l o f th e A i r F o rc e , s a y in g th a t the A i r F o rc e h a s n ot a p p ro ach ed th is problem p ro p e rly. I w a n t you to k now th a t w e are in no w a y t r y in g to g o into th e field th a t is th eirs b y la w , and th u s w e are not c ritic a l o f w h a t the A i r F o rc e is doing. _ W e should look a t the problem fro m e v e ry a n gle, a n d w e are h ere in th a t respect. I ju st w a n t to p o in t out w e are not h ere to c ritic iz e the actions o f the A i r Fo rce. T h a n k you. M r. Roush. I th in k it is o n ly a p p ro p ria te th a t D r . H y n e k be in tro duced b y ou r colleague, M r. R u m sfe ld . M r. R u m sfeld . M r. Rumsfeld. T h a n k yo u , M r. C h a irm a n . I t is a p leasu re to w elcom e a ll the m em bers o f th is d istin gu ish ed panel, and p a rtic u la rly to w elcom e D r . A lle n H y n e k , w h o is a son o f Illin o is, and p resen tly serves in th e D e p a rtm e n t o f A s tro n o m y and D ire cto r o f the L in d h e im e r A stro n o m ica l R e se a rch C en ter. D r . H y n e k is a m em ber o f a num ber o f scientific societies, a n d h as served in th e G o vern m en t service as w e ll as in th e acad em ic com m u n ity. A s h is C on gressm an I am d eligh ted h e h a s been in v ite d to a p p e a r on th is p an el, and w e c e rta in ly look fo r w a r d to h is com m ents. T h a n k yo u , M r. C h a irm a n . M r. Roush. D r . H y n e k , th e floor is yo u rs. (T h e b io g ra p h y o f D r . H y n e k is as f o l l o w s :) Dr. J. Allen Hy n ek: Born in Chicago, 111.. 1910. B.S. University of Chicago, 1931; Ph.D. (astrophysics) Professor Astronomy, Chairman of the Department and Director of Dearborn Observatory, Northwestern University, 1960 to present. Chief of the Section, Upper Atmosphere Studies and Satellite Tracking and Asso ciate Director, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 1956-60. Professor, Astronomy, 1950-56, Ohio State University. Instructor, Physics and Astronomy, Ohio State University, 1935-41; Asst. Prof. 1941-45; Associate Professor 1946-50. Asst. Yerkes Observatory, University of Chicago, 1934. Astronomer, Perkins Observatory, Ohio State, 1935-56. Assistant Dean of the Graduate School 1950-53. Supervisor of Technical Reports, Applied Physical Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 1942-46. - Visiting Lecturer, Harvard University, 1956-60. Civilian with U.S. Navy 1944. Scientific Societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science; Astronomy Society (secretary). Specialty: Astrophysics. Fields of Interest: Stellar spectroscopy; F type stars; stellar scintillation. STATEMENT OF DR. J. ALIEN HYNEK, HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, EVANSTON, ILL. D r . Hynek. T h a n k yo u . M y nam e is J . A lle n H y n e k . I am p ro fe sso r o f astro n o m y a t N o r t h w estern U n iv e r s ity , E v a n s t o n , 111., w h ere I serve as ch a irm a n o f the d ep artm en t o f astro n o m y and d ire cto r o f th e L in d h e im e r A s tro n o m i cal R e se a rch C en ter. I h a v e also served fo r m a n y y e a rs, a n d still do, as scientific co n su ltan t to the U .S . A i r F o r c e on U n id en tified F l y i n g O b jects, o r U F O s. T o d a y , h o w e ve r, I am sp e a k in g as a p riv a te citizen an d scien tist a n d not as a rep resen tative o f th e A i r F o rc e . W e are h ere to d a y , I g a th e r, to exam in e w h e th e r th e U F O ph enom enon is w o rth y o f seriou s scien tific attention. I h ope m y com m ents m a y con trib u te to y o u r u n d e rsta n d in g o f the pro b lem an d h elp lead to its even tu al solution. T h e U F O p roblem h a s been w ith us n o w fo r m a n y yea rs. I t w o u ld be difficult to find an oth er su b ject w h ich h as claim ed as m uch atten tion in the w o rld p ress, in the con versatio n o f people o f a ll w a lk s o f life , a n d w h ic h h a s c a p tu re d the im a g in a tio n o f so m a n y , o ve r so lo n g a p erio d o f tim e. T h e w o rd U F O , o r fly in g saucer, ca n be fo u n d in the la n g u a g e s a n d d ictio n a rie s o f a ll civiliz e d peoples, an d i f one w ere to collect a ll th e w o rd s th a t h a v e been p rin ted in n ew sp ap ers, m agazin es, a n d books in the p a st tw o decades, it w o u ld be a s ta g g e r in g assem blage. T h e b ib lio g ra p h y o f th e su b ject recen tly com p iled a t the L i b r a r y o f C o n g re ss is a m ost im p ressive docum ent, an d illu s tra tes th a t th e U F O becam e a pro b lem fo r the lib r a r ia n even before it d id fo r th e scientist. A s w e a ll k n o w , the scientific w o rld is a w o rld o f ex a ct calcu latio n s, o f q u a n tita tiv e d a ta , o f con tro lled la b o ra to ry exp erim en ts, an d o f seem in g ly w ell-u n d ersto o d la w s a n d p rin cip les. T h e U F O ph enom enon does not seem to fit into th a t w o r l d ; it seems to flaun t itse lf b efo re o u r p re se n t-d a y science. T h e su b ject o f U F O s h as engendered an in o rd in ate em otional reac tion in certa in q u a rte rs a n d h a s f a r m ore o ften called fo r th heated co n tro v e rsy ra th e r th a n calm con sideration . M o st scientists h a v e p re fe rre d to rem a in a lo o f fro m th e f r a y e n tire ly , th ereb y ru n n in g the ris k o f b e in g d o w n on w h a t th e y w ere not u p on, as th e o ld a d a ge I t is u n lik e ly th a t I w o u ld h a v e becom e in v o lv e d in the s tu d y o f the U F O phenom enon h a d I n ot been officially asked to do so. I p ro b a b ly w o u ld h a ve an d in fa c t d id f o r a tim e re g a rd e d th e w h ole subject as rank nonsense, the product of silly seasons, and a peculiai y American craze that would run its course as all popular crazes - I was asked by the Air Force 20 years ago to assist them, as < astronomer, in weeding out those reports arising from misiden 1 < tion of planets, stars, meteors, and other celestial objects and eve In the course of doing my homework I found that some 30 per of the then current cases very probably had astronomical causes, my curiosity was aroused by some of the patently nonastronon reports. y , , These were ostensibly being explained by the consultant PSJC \ gist, but I frequently had the same feeling about the explana 10 offered for some of these cases that I have had when I have seen magician saw a woman in half. How he did it was beyond my w field of competence, but I did not question his competence, les, was quite sure that he did not actually saw the woman in halt. My curiosity thus once aroused led me to look into reports otner than those of a purely astronomical nature, and in the course of years I have continued to do so. I have pondered over the continuing now of strange reports from this and a great many other countries, tor it is a gross mistake to think that the United States has any exclusive claim to the UFO phenomenon. , Those reports which interested me the mostand still dowere those which, apparently written in all seriousness by articulate indi viduals, nonetheless seemed so preposterous as to invite derisive dis missal by any scientist casually introduced to the subject. Such baffling reports, however, represent a relatively small subset of reports. I did notand still do notconcern myself with reports which arise from obvious misidentifications by witnesses who are not aware of the many things in the sky today which have a simple, natural explana tion. These have little scientific value, except perhaps to a sociologist or an ophthalmologist; it matters not whether 100 or 100,000 people fail to identify an artificial satellite or a high-altitude balloon. The UFO reports which in my opinion have potential scientific value are thoseand this may serve us as a working definition of UFOsare those reports of aerial phenomena which continue to defy explanation in conventional scientific terms. Many scientists, not familiar with the really challenging UFO data, will not accept the necessity for a high order of scientific inquiry and effort to establish the validity of the dataand therefore such detailed, conscientious, and systematic inquiry has yet to be undertaken. We cannot expect the world of science to take seriously the fare offered at airport newsstands and paperback shelves. I have been asked by some why, as consultant to the Air Force for so many years, I did not alert the scientific world to the possible ser iousness of the UFO problem years ago. The answer is simple; a scientist must try to be sure of his facts. He must not cry wolf unless he is reasonably sure there is a wolf. I was painfully aware, and still am, of the amorphous nature of the UFO data, of the anecdotal nature of UFO reports, of the lack of followup and serious inquiry into reports (which would have re quired a large scientific staff and adequate funding), of the lack of hardware, of the lack of unimpeachable photographic evidence, and of the almost total lack of quantitative dataof all those things which are part and parcel of the working environment of the scientist. I was aware that in order to interest scientists, hard-core data were needed, and, while, the store of unquestionably puzzling reports from competent witnesses continued to grow the wherewithal to obtain such hard-core data which w