Belgium in UFO Photographs: Volume 1 (1950-1988)

This monograph, titled 'Belgium in UFO Photographs: Volume 1 (1950-1988)', is the seventh report in the FOTOCAT series, authored by Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos and Wim van Utrecht. It provides a comprehensive, chronological catalog and critical analysis of photographically substantiated UFO reports from Belgium between 1950 and 1988. The authors aim to examine the history and veracity of these reports by assessing the images themselves, often tracking down the original photographers or using modern analytical techniques to re-evaluate cases that were previously considered unexplained. The document is divided into two parts: a catalog of events and a review of the data, which includes statistics and conclusions. The authors argue that the 'UFO data base' is heavily contaminated by misidentifications, mistakes, hoaxes, and delusions. By applying knowledge of geometry, optics, meteorology, and human perception, they demonstrate that many of these cases can be explained by prosaic causes. Notable cases discussed include the 1953 Bouffioulx incident, which the authors conclude was a hoax involving damage to the photographic emulsion, and various sightings attributed to astronomical bodies like Venus, Jupiter, or the Moon, as well as atmospheric phenomena like light pillars or contrails. The authors also highlight the role of 'repeater witnesses' and the influence of media coverage in generating UFO 'waves'. The monograph concludes that the vast majority of the reviewed reports (92%) can be explained without resorting to exotic theories, and that the remaining 8% could not be properly assessed due to a lack of information. The authors stress that the study of these reports is valuable for understanding human perception, sociology, and national security, even if they do not provide evidence of alien visitors. The document includes a bibliography and an appendix detailing the FOTOCAT spreadsheet.