DISCLOSURE / FILE
Soviet Astronomers Witness Red Saucer, 1967
A 1967 CIA report relaying a US astrophysicist's conversations with Soviet astronomers about UFO sightings and attitudes during a trip through observatories in the USSR.
DISCLOSURE / FILE
A 1967 CIA report relaying a US astrophysicist's conversations with Soviet astronomers about UFO sightings and attitudes during a trip through observatories in the USSR.
CIA-UAP-010, Report on Conversations with Soviet Scientists on Subject of Unidentified Flying Objects in the USSR
A 1967 CIA report relaying a US astrophysicist's conversations with Soviet astronomers about UFO sightings and attitudes during a trip through observatories in the USSR.
The document, numbered 00-B-321/23490-67, summarizes a US scientist's discussions about unidentified flying objects with Soviet astronomers at observatories in Kiev, Crimea, and Alma Ata in 1967. At the Main Astronomical Observatory in Kiev, astronomer I.K. Koval described seeing a reddish object he and colleagues were convinced was neither a satellite nor a meteorite, an observation L.I. Galkin confirmed at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory and characterized as possibly a "saucer." Soviet scientists repeatedly cited Donald Menzel's book to dismiss the subject, but several, including institute director G.M. Idlis, conceded after hearing McDonald's critical study that it remained an open question. The report concludes that no official Soviet treatment of the UFO problem existed, while awareness and interest among astronomers were widespread.
Extracted text · Page 1
Page 1 · vision OCR
Release 20 ee A rove Mode co . oo — |. oo _ _ rr a oa 7 ee cet ‘ Nialicas CC a. oo . 4 . —— oo ai a Pa oo 7 a ha is ine ro - . oo — A es . nc . as the | evn ciedoibin Yee os in sl A _ . ... ele €° — a vith in ne ne ou Sy ao co aC oe . oo . = fee ae oe a. ‘ ‘United « ue ba MAQUI oC oe ‘ | . .. - — ey -Detense c qe koe any manner '0 @ oo Se _ Ves es | a) — cc -.. oe at aS Ses or revels : sn re —. oo lll hn reece — a. Bal een secs. 793 and 79. ine ra rereoennema at i PONV eo | a a a _. a. a ’ D " oe oo oo oo iy ad ; oy a Co ld _ . — hoa aa | . ' Lo a oo. Paget | ee ' a ve yO eS vi eo ee oe tone ais ‘ied : GES fo x ye ae 4 er be fe 4 oF 4 a ars 4 bh 4 , —— Haat I | Uv nS we aoe % AS Gh autre it . oT a # renee nner i. Mir ce the ste ted from as | oe ay. se IS citizen; an as in thi ‘) representative | ae rt. We oketn ‘The inf : ir Force (AFNI} o a en Br ae feport ia a course for t ed in plan rs, and in- ear ay [| eee te _ observatorie tacted dur s and interpre ations, en attempt ges wes ‘Romical observ ists con rvation limite peveral eel: ee N as made to ai : cow, whe rranslator, = os ce Ce a radio (O6t) a SR and et origin. ‘ ¥ ' ntione . soe ee in the US, a Leningrad, tified obje a but was open- ey ee that she She was \ who was very 11 —< Pe ee a minded on oS oe was to N, 7 2 : (wht ss 2 — ev knew oo a ee i ..... a tc ’ : cr SD | t edu a 4 aoa. oo Co ‘The US sci e problem. not accep the USSR, but ipers because : ee ae - ae es by oT Russ seni nort in Sov eae nt ; Coe “a eo oo . i ee ¢t cA the . ed : Mr tdi aca, sai — a oo oo a i me a ee ace e & ii ; ar observ “ev bo (Vaal Ls . =e are a oo ks ee ie eno fantas' eee rs 0 é ev has : In fact, ee i i a a — ee uu ‘etal -sanct: ial “2 adily ace originat oe ific Oop: LE i a gas i a Pes Bae og AS as rcs 9. eon on that of . ea onus as oe ee ia ae oo (oo. oe a a ae a oo : “m ~ i NY f Nf OF eR ee a ‘ mamta aun “— — —. as aie be OE fos ee oo oo a —. oe oo So po So SS, en ee . bey I i — oT si cae " We SRRERE oe He at ae ve a oe ay owe i ee ae asec ‘ ak a ee ce compeonc oe cS a .. oe eg ee _ a ) / and act 7pon the inform es sinchie i Hi orsd be 7 oc oo oD a ao eo oe we ene employees _ : pes rien: A tg a fel atl au > ie ciel enaio a a oo 4 ak uber | graph € of OCID 1 7, it ence, iT SHALL NC te the U. $. G yl an canteen a ee oo oo Ee a x Fade Vo a ks ees oe coe _ Ho oe oe a a poe ee Poe oa uu ae se _ | _ oo oo ... _ oe a — —o — es tee tm ~ «
Page 2 · vision OCR
| 2: 00-B-321/23490-67
experience of this effect. (Commenc: Kozyrev is a controversial figure
in the Soviet scientific community as well as internationally, Appar-
ently one of his questionable observations (the activity of the central
peak in the lunar crater Alphonsus) has turned out to be correct, On
the other hand, it is really more accurate to say that this observation
led to an intensive search for activity on the Moon that has produced
some positive results, There may be no connection between the two sete
of data, however.)
5. At the Main Astronomical Observatory, Kiev, little interest is shown in
the UFO question. I,K, Koval mentioned that he and several other as-
tronomers had been out in the countryside one evening and had seen a
curious, reddish object flashing through the sky that they were convinced
was neither a satellite nor a meteorite, However, their immediate in-
terpretation was that this object might have been a fragment of a satel-
lite or rocket returning from orbit, burning up in the atmosphere. Koval
thought that UFO's had been seen in the USSR but he could not be specific .
as to locations and characteristics.
6. At the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Crimea, again little interest
was shown, One of the astronomers, L.I. Galkin, was with the group men-
tioned by Koval and confirmed the observation of a peculiar object. He |
did not discuss the experience in detail but clearly had been struck by
the possibility that the object might have been a "saucer."
: 7, <At the Astrophysical Institute, Alma Ata, there was considerable interest.
The institute includes an Atmospheric Optics Section presided over by
G.S. Lifschitz. However, the initial discussion of the problem was with
the director of the institue, G.M. Idlis. He too had read Menzel's
book, but considered it an adequate treatment of the subject which he
; consequently felt was closed. He indicated that no observations of UFO's A
had been made by his etaff and that they had received no reports of such
observations. However, when the US scientist proceeded to indicate the
results of McDonald's critical study of the problem, Idlis readily con-
ceded that there might be more to it and concluded by stating that it
was "clearly still an open question."
8. Another astronomer mentioned that in ths northern part of Kazakhstan
there had been repeated sightings of ball lightning. The University in
Alma At. had sent a team out to investigate and discovered that what wa: vn,
being seen were reflections of automobile headlights from an inversion ~~
layer,
9. Later, a discussion was held with Lifschitz. He was not very impressed ~
with Menzel's book, but was also not impressed with the significance of
the phenomenon. Tt is possible that some interest was kindled that might
lead to additional investigations,
10. A stellar spectroscopist, Dr. wny Kupo, was also interested in this
problem, partly as an adjunct to her attempts to locate fragments from
bolides. Sha was eleso dissatisfied with Menzel's book and felt that
there was definitely an opportunity for additional research.
11. The general feeliug one gets is that no official treatment of the UFO
problem has been given in the USSR, Instead people refer to the US
2g work, principally Menzel's book, to demonstrate the absence of real
f scientific problems. At the same time, there is an almost universal
. awareness of the history and characteristics of the phenomenon often as- Me
sociated with considerable interest, The reault is that a demonstration |
{ of the inadequacy of US Official explanations coupled with some proof of S|
the reality of the observations might excite entiusiesm more rapidly
among Soviet astronomers than among their US counterparts who are more
; strongly influenced by the official ridicule associated with UFO's in -
ms & _ the US. oy < 8
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a ee ee a oye i ee ef Re ek a aod
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Release 20 ee A rove Mode co . oo — |. oo _ _ rr a oa 7 ee cet ‘ Nialicas CC a. oo . 4 . —— oo ai a Pa oo 7 a ha is ine ro - . oo — A es . nc . as the | evn ciedoibin Yee os in sl A _ . ... ele €° — a vith in ne ne ou Sy ao co aC oe . oo . = fee ae oe a. ‘ ‘United « ue ba MAQUI oC oe ‘ | . .. - — ey -Detense c qe koe any manner '0 @ oo Se _ Ves es | a) — cc -.. oe at aS Ses or revels : sn re —. oo lll hn reece — a. Bal een secs. 793 and 79. ine ra rereoennema at i PONV eo | a a a _. a. a ’ D " oe oo oo oo iy ad ; oy a Co ld _ . — hoa aa | . ' Lo a oo. Paget | ee ' a ve yO eS vi eo ee oe tone ais ‘ied : GES fo x ye ae 4 er be fe 4 oF 4 a ars 4 bh 4 , —— Haat I | Uv nS we aoe % AS Gh autre it . oT a # renee nner i. Mir ce the ste ted from as | oe ay. se IS citizen; an as in thi ‘) representative | ae rt. We oketn ‘The inf : ir Force (AFNI} o a en Br ae feport ia a course for t ed in plan rs, and in- ear ay [| eee te _ observatorie tacted dur s and interpre ations, en attempt ges wes ‘Romical observ ists con rvation limite peveral eel: ee N as made to ai : cow, whe rranslator, = os ce Ce a radio (O6t) a SR and et origin. ‘ ¥ ' ntione . soe ee in the US, a Leningrad, tified obje a but was open- ey ee that she She was \ who was very 11 —< Pe ee a minded on oS oe was to N, 7 2 : (wht ss 2 — ev knew oo a ee i ..... a tc ’ : cr SD | t edu a 4 aoa. oo Co ‘The US sci e problem. not accep the USSR, but ipers because : ee ae - ae es by oT Russ seni nort in Sov eae nt ; Coe “a eo oo . i ee ¢t cA the . ed : Mr tdi aca, sai — a oo oo a i me a ee ace e & ii ; ar observ “ev bo (Vaal Ls . =e are a oo ks ee ie eno fantas' eee rs 0 é ev has : In fact, ee i i a a — ee uu ‘etal -sanct: ial “2 adily ace originat oe ific Oop: LE i a gas i a Pes Bae og AS as rcs 9. eon on that of . ea onus as oe ee ia ae oo (oo. oe a a ae a oo : “m ~ i NY f Nf OF eR ee a ‘ mamta aun “— — —. as aie be OE fos ee oo oo a —. oe oo So po So SS, en ee . bey I i — oT si cae " We SRRERE oe He at ae ve a oe ay owe i ee ae asec ‘ ak a ee ce compeonc oe cS a .. oe eg ee _ a ) / and act 7pon the inform es sinchie i Hi orsd be 7 oc oo oD a ao eo oe we ene employees _ : pes rien: A tg a fel atl au > ie ciel enaio a a oo 4 ak uber | graph € of OCID 1 7, it ence, iT SHALL NC te the U. $. G yl an canteen a ee oo oo Ee a x Fade Vo a ks ees oe coe _ Ho oe oe a a poe ee Poe oa uu ae se _ | _ oo oo ... _ oe a — —o — es tee tm ~ «
| 2: 00-B-321/23490-67
experience of this effect. (Commenc: Kozyrev is a controversial figure
in the Soviet scientific community as well as internationally, Appar-
ently one of his questionable observations (the activity of the central
peak in the lunar crater Alphonsus) has turned out to be correct, On
the other hand, it is really more accurate to say that this observation
led to an intensive search for activity on the Moon that has produced
some positive results, There may be no connection between the two sete
of data, however.)
5. At the Main Astronomical Observatory, Kiev, little interest is shown in
the UFO question. I,K, Koval mentioned that he and several other as-
tronomers had been out in the countryside one evening and had seen a
curious, reddish object flashing through the sky that they were convinced
was neither a satellite nor a meteorite, However, their immediate in-
terpretation was that this object might have been a fragment of a satel-
lite or rocket returning from orbit, burning up in the atmosphere. Koval
thought that UFO's had been seen in the USSR but he could not be specific .
as to locations and characteristics.
6. At the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Crimea, again little interest
was shown, One of the astronomers, L.I. Galkin, was with the group men-
tioned by Koval and confirmed the observation of a peculiar object. He |
did not discuss the experience in detail but clearly had been struck by
the possibility that the object might have been a "saucer."
: 7, <At the Astrophysical Institute, Alma Ata, there was considerable interest.
The institute includes an Atmospheric Optics Section presided over by
G.S. Lifschitz. However, the initial discussion of the problem was with
the director of the institue, G.M. Idlis. He too had read Menzel's
book, but considered it an adequate treatment of the subject which he
; consequently felt was closed. He indicated that no observations of UFO's A
had been made by his etaff and that they had received no reports of such
observations. However, when the US scientist proceeded to indicate the
results of McDonald's critical study of the problem, Idlis readily con-
ceded that there might be more to it and concluded by stating that it
was "clearly still an open question."
8. Another astronomer mentioned that in ths northern part of Kazakhstan
there had been repeated sightings of ball lightning. The University in
Alma At. had sent a team out to investigate and discovered that what wa: vn,
being seen were reflections of automobile headlights from an inversion ~~
layer,
9. Later, a discussion was held with Lifschitz. He was not very impressed ~
with Menzel's book, but was also not impressed with the significance of
the phenomenon. Tt is possible that some interest was kindled that might
lead to additional investigations,
10. A stellar spectroscopist, Dr. wny Kupo, was also interested in this
problem, partly as an adjunct to her attempts to locate fragments from
bolides. Sha was eleso dissatisfied with Menzel's book and felt that
there was definitely an opportunity for additional research.
11. The general feeliug one gets is that no official treatment of the UFO
problem has been given in the USSR, Instead people refer to the US
2g work, principally Menzel's book, to demonstrate the absence of real
f scientific problems. At the same time, there is an almost universal
. awareness of the history and characteristics of the phenomenon often as- Me
sociated with considerable interest, The reault is that a demonstration |
{ of the inadequacy of US Official explanations coupled with some proof of S|
the reality of the observations might excite entiusiesm more rapidly
among Soviet astronomers than among their US counterparts who are more
; strongly influenced by the official ridicule associated with UFO's in -
ms & _ the US. oy < 8
ee en pee OER ENTSE Se
a ee ee a oye i ee ef Re ek a aod
ee ee