Dr. Allen Hynek - Then and Now

[SolarPlexus]

Dr. Josef Allen Hynek (May 1, 1910 – April 27, 1986) was a United States astronomer, professor, and ufologist.

Hynek acted as scientific adviser to UFO studies undertaken by the U.S. Air Force under three consecutive names: Project Sign (1947–1949), Project Grudge (1949–1952), and Project Blue Book (1952 to 1969).

(link)

[booNyzarC]

There is absolutely no question that Hynek's stance on the subject changed over time.

There is also absolutely no doubt that his constant search after the reality of this phenomena never yielded absolute confirmation.

His extreme interest in the Hessdalen lights prior to his passing, however, leads me to the following belief...

He recognized that the regular occurrences in Hessdalen were of supreme significance to modern day UFOlogy. I just wish that he had been with us longer to see some of the fruition of that study. But even moreso, that he may have validated this study as the most likely source of most unexplained sightings and championed the previously proposed explanations from Philip Klass.

We truly do live on a wondrous planet.

[psyche101]

Hi SP

I have no sound ATM, can you offer an overview of the clip?

Always interested in Hyneks thoughts.

[karl 12]

SP, very interesting video - thanks for posting that one. Here's what Dr Hynek had to say about his work as chief scientific advisor on Project Bluebook, there's also another interesting statement made below about his change of opinion about the UFO/OVNI subject.

Bluebook:

"I was there at [Project] Bluebook and I know the job they had. They were told not to excite the public, not to rock the boat... Whenever a case happened that they coud explain--which was quite a few--they made a point of that, and let that out to the media. . .Cases that were very difficult to explain, they would jump handsprings to keep the media away from them. They had a job to do, rightfully or wrongfully, to keep the public from getting excited."

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, former Chairman of the Dept. of Astronomy at North Western University and scientific advisor to Project Bluebook from 1952-1969

"Project Blue Book was ballyhooed by the Air Force as a full-fledged top-priority operation. It was no such thing. The staff, in a sense, was a joke. In terms of scientific training and numbers, it was highly inadequate to the task. And the methods used were positively archaic. And that is the crack operation that the general public believes looked adequately into the UFO phenomenon".

Dr J Allen Hynek, Chairman of the Department of Astronomy at Northwestern University and scientific consultant for Air Force investigations of UFOs from 1948 until 1969 (Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book).

]"Blue Book was now under direct orders to debunk...I remember the conversations around the conference table in which it was suggested that Walt Disney or some other educational cartoon producer be enlisted in the debunking process".

Dr J Allen Hynek, Chairman of the Department of Astronomy at Northwestern University and scientific consultant for Air Force investigations of UFOs from 1948 until 1969 (Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book).

UFOs

Before I began my association with the US Air Force, I had

joined my scientific colleagues in many a hearty guffaw

at the "psychological postwar craze" for flying saucers

that seemed to be sweeping the country and at the naivete

and gullibility of our fellow human beings who were being

taken in by such obvious "nonsense." It was almost in a

sense of sport that I accepted the invitation to have a

look at the flying saucer reports....."

"I had started out as an outright 'debunker,' taking

great joy in cracking what seemed at first to be puzzling

cases. I was the arch enemy of those 'flying saucer

groups and enthusiasts' who very dearly wanted UFOs to be

interplanetary. My own knowledge of those groups came

almost entirely from what I heard from Blue Book

personnel; they were all "crackpots and visionaries.'"

"Now, however, documentation which puts the UFO-

U.S. government controversy in quite a new light has

become available. The authors have made revealing use of

documents released through the mechanism of the Freedom

of Information Act and other data which have been made

available to them, often through private sources, which

show that the CIA and NSA protestations of innocence and

lack of interest in UFOs are nothing short of

prevarication."

"The reader must judge for himself or herself just

how far these implications extend, but certainly no one

can deny any longer that various intelligence agencies of

our government were long cognizant of UFOs and the global

extent of this phenomenon. Official dispatches from our

embassies and air bases in other countries to these

agencies, to the State Department, and even, on occasion,

to the White House, bear incontrovertible witness to

this."

"For the government to continue to maintain that

UFOs are nonexistent in the face of the documents already

released and of other cogent evidence presented in this

book is puerile and in a sense an insult to the American

people."

Dr J Allen Hynek, Chairman of the Department of Astronomy at Northwestern University and scientific consultant for Air Force investigations of UFOs from 1948 until 1969 (Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book).

Cheers.

[SolarPlexus]

Hi SP

I have no sound ATM, can you offer an overview of the clip?

Ofcourse...

In 1966 they asked Hynek and Harold Brown, "What is the Airforce hidding in their investigation?"

Harold Brown (the former Secretary of Defense): "We are not hiding anything."

Dr. Allen Hynek: "None of the evidence i examined would indicate any proof at all that we are visited by extra-terrestrials."

... 19 years later...

In 1985, 1 year before his death, Hynek said:

"... I was there at Bluebook and i know the job they had... They were told not to excite the public... dont rock the boat... and i saw it in my own eyes happen that whenever a case happened that they could explain... which is quite a few... they made a point of that and let that out to the media... things that... Cases that were very difficult to explain... they would jump handsprings to keep the media away from that.. For them... They had a job to do... to, whether rightfully or wrongly, to keep the public from getting excited... [END] "

Edited November 24, 2010 by SolarPlexus

[SolarPlexus]

I found another interesting thing on wikipedia....

Steven Spielberg movie

Hynek developed the "close encounter scale" in his first book, to better catalogue various UFO reports. Dr. Hynek was also the consultant to Columbia Pictures and Steven Spielberg on the popular 1977 UFO movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and made a brief, non-speaking appearance in the film[16] (after the aliens disembark from the 'mother ship' at the end of the film, he can be seen, bearded and with pipe in mouth, stepping forward to view the spectacle). (link)

Well, well, well... i always wondered where do they get the ideas for the movies ...

...and i also found this....

Why Would NASA Write to Steven Spielberg?

"I really found my faith when I learned the government was opposed to the film. If NASA took the time to write me a 25 page letter, then I knew there must be something happening." Steven Spielberg said.

Spielberg spoke those words concerning the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind that was released in 1977.

Apparently, Spielberg either had a good imagination or was in touch with someone who knew something that wasn't released to the public. Either way, NASA apparently was opposed to the film and wrote to Spielberg.... (link)

Wow

Edited November 24, 2010 by SolarPlexus

[karl 12]

Well, well, well... i always wondered where do they get the ideas for the movies ...

SP, here's where they got the idea for the police chase scene in the movie:

[psyche101]

Ofcourse...

In 1966 they asked Hynek and Harold Brown, "What is the Airforce hidding in their investigation?"

Harold Brown (the former Secretary of Defense): "We are not hiding anything."

Dr. Allen Hynek: "None of the evidence i examined would indicate any proof at all that we are visited by extra-terrestrials."

... 19 years later...

In 1985, 1 year before his death, Hynek said:

"... I was there at Bluebook and i know the job they had... They were told not to excite the public... dont rock the boat... and i saw it in my own eyes happen that whenever a case happened that they could explain... which is quite a few... they made a point of that and let that out to the media... things that... Cases that were very difficult to explain... they would jump handsprings to keep the media away from that.. For them... They had a job to do... to, whether rightfully or wrongly, to keep the public from getting excited... [END] "

Thank you very much for that SP, might I add he also said he, as a scientist, never was or would be a "believer" in the sense of accepting something on blind faith.

In 1976, he also said

"I have come to support less and less the idea that UFOs are 'nuts and bolts' spacecrafts from other worlds. There are just too many things going against this theory. To me, it seems ridiculous that super intelligences would travel great distances to do relatively stupid things like stop cars, collect soil samples, and frighten people. I think we must begin to re-examine the evidence. We must begin to look closer to home."

I do not feel either of these statements contradicts the other, I think he died knowing no more about the phenomena than you or I?

[psyche101]

I found another interesting thing on wikipedia....

Well, well, well... i always wondered where do they get the ideas for the movies ...

...and i also found this....

Why Would NASA Write to Steven Spielberg?

Wow

I am pretty sure that when making star wars, Hawking said to Lucas

You know that Aliens probably would look nothing like this? This is very Anthropomorphic.

To which I believe Lucas siad something akin to

But that is not what the public wants.

And poor Carrie Fisher had to stap her boobs down! Aliens must not be busty

[lost_shaman]

I am pretty sure that when making star wars, Hawking said to Lucas

You know that Aliens probably would look nothing like this? This is very Anthropomorphic.

To which I believe Lucas siad something akin to

But that is not what the public wants.

And poor Carrie Fisher had to stap her boobs down! Aliens must not be busty

First, Carrie Fisher was great, nothing wrong there.

I think a hypothetical technological civilization would have Anthropomorphic traits; How could technology arise without such traits?

[psyche101]

First, Carrie Fisher was great, nothing wrong there.

Agreed, I was more upset that they made her strap her boobs down. I just do not see the logic there

Yes, you are completely correct, she was indeed great!

I think a hypothetical technological civilization would have Anthropomorphic traits; How could technology arise without such traits?

I think an opposable thumb would go a long way, bipedalism would also be an advantage, but working with a pool of one, it is hard to speculate. Although as we are looking at "earth like" planets,it seems hard to resolve that "earth like evolution" would not take place, I would say you have a good point there and I would have to agree.

Edited November 25, 2010 by psyche101

[skyeagle409]

I found another interesting thing on wikipedia....

Well, well, well... i always wondered where do they get the ideas for the movies ...

...and i also found this....

Why Would NASA Write to Steven Spielberg?

Wow

I think that Steven Spielberg also got the idea for his movie: "1941," from the 'Battle of Los Angeles' incident of 1942.

[psyche101]

I think that Steven Spielberg also got the idea for his movie: "1941," from the 'Battle of Los Angeles' incident of 1942.

I do believe you are correct, ironic that it is a comedy?

[Paxus]

US Gov or NASA opposed to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" ?!?!?!

That for real??!

That's BIZAARE!!!!!!!

[SolarPlexus]

yes paxus

[SolarPlexus]

I think he died knowing no more about the phenomena than you or I?

Allen Hynek? But how??

[bee]

Ofcourse...

In 1966 they asked Hynek and Harold Brown, "What is the Airforce hidding in their investigation?"

Harold Brown (the former Secretary of Defense): "We are not hiding anything."

Dr. Allen Hynek: "None of the evidence i examined would indicate any proof at all that we are visited by extra-terrestrials."

... 19 years later...

In 1985, 1 year before his death, Hynek said:

"... I was there at Bluebook and i know the job they had... They were told not to excite the public... dont rock the boat... and i saw it in my own eyes happen that whenever a case happened that they could explain... which is quite a few... they made a point of that and let that out to the media... things that... Cases that were very difficult to explain... they would jump handsprings to keep the media away from that.. For them... They had a job to do... to, whether rightfully or wrongly, to keep the public from getting excited... [END] "

How mean is that!!!

Denying the public a bit of excitement.....sheeesh.

I personally think we...the public...are a lot more resilient than THAT.

And can handle all the excitement we can get re this subject....

[DONTEATUS]

How mean is that!!!

Denying the public a bit of excitement.....sheeesh.

I personally think we...the public...are a lot more resilient than THAT.

And can handle all the excitement we can get re this subject....

But bee we may not bee able too See thru the Fog to See the Problems that would Indeed arise when the Gov`s of this world release the Facts that E.T`s Have been Keeping the Entire Planet From Just Going Poof !

THe Mice for many Millions of years Have kept the secret well and the Answer is really 42 . We all know that by now right?

As for Allen Hynek Im putting my money on the Cowboys to Win the Super Bowl SomeDay!

[psyche101]

Allen Hynek? But how??

Through research. I feel he was not biased by the pop culture that many others have been, and because of his collaboration with Jaques Vallee. Also, he looked at both sides of the tale. One can see at one time, all he wanted to do was discredit the phenomena, then he started to take an interest and kind of "evolved" with the phenomena and into one of the best researchers to attempt to make sense of the field. A true pioneer that tried to make sense of things that do not make sense. I see ET as our "new Gods". The ones we used to blame for throwing lighting bolts have also evolved, and now fly spaceships and cause atmospheric plasmas. I have little doubt that Hyneks research will offer grounding for future research into the field for decades to come.

Jacques Vallee is no slouch either

[bee]

But bee we may not bee able too See thru the Fog to See the Problems that would Indeed arise when the Gov`s of this world release the Facts that E.T`s Have been Keeping the Entire Planet From Just Going Poof !

Yikes...it's more serious than I thought...they do seem to be

more than a bit bothered about the nuclear thing....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DONTEATUS]

Yikes...it's more serious than I thought...they do seem to be

more than a bit bothered about the nuclear thing....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It will all bee better when we Find Badeskov`s and Get Him back on the project.!