Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2006 05:48:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: RB47x@aol.com
Subject: Re: Tom's Comment/MANTELL THEODOLITE
To: nicap@insightbb.com


My computer died today and I had to get a new one and configure it, try to restore settings, etc., to avert disaster.  Everything is backed up but adjusting a new computer is time-consuming, re-loading software, etc. 
 
 
In a message dated 6/6/2006 4:31:46 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, nicap@insightbb.com writes:
At 01:18 PM 6/6/2006 -0500, Tom wrote:

>The "Plan 62" information about the 8" telescope observation is
>elsewhere (Loren Gross, for instance) an early afternoon observation
>from Madisonville, KY, not made from Godman Field, or the crash
>site, and not made by Hudson himself.

Brad, first of all, what is Plan 62?
B:  I think it is the intercom system between Godman, Standiford, Lockbourne, Clinton County, etc., which was patched together the afternoon of Jan 7, 1948, to keep everyone up to the minute on events.  People mention hearing about sightings at the other bases as it happened.
 
 

And what the hell is Tom talking about?
 
B:  I think the theodolite readings were Godman Field's Lt Paul Orner who reported that at 5:35 PM he had the object at 240 azimuth 8 elevation and disappeared close to the horizon at about 250.  These figures (which I saw but could not find again) fit in.  They were heard over the intercom net at Clinton County AFB by Cpl. Hudson.


>The evening Godman theodolite measurements are, I think, a good
>match for Venus. I can't check the numbers until later.

We need to get the final Venus numbers so that it can no longer be brought
in to confuse the issue. I'll post them.

Fran

B:  Here are the figures based on US Naval Observatory calculations:
 
 
Godman Field Control Tower
Latitude    N  37 54.4                
Longitude   W  85 58.0 
 
 Jan 7, 1948      
 
TIME                    OBJECT (UFO)                       VENUS
                        Azimuth       Elevation       Azimuth           Elevation 
5:35 PM CST        240 degs  + 8 degs         232.9 degs  +15 degs 23.0 mins
6:54 PM CST        254.6       + 2.4              246.3           + 2  11.7
6:56 PM CST        253.9       + 2.0              246.7           + 1  51.6
7:02 PM CST        253.0       + 1.2              247.5           + 0  52
7:06 PM CST        disappeared                   248              + 0  12
7:07 PM CST                                              Venus set below horizon
 
(Corrected for refraction, parallax, etc.)
 
 
The problem with this being Venus is that the azimuths are off by 7-8 degs and the elevation by 7 degs at first, but more troubling is that the object WENT SOUTH from 6:54 to 7:02 PM, instead of Venus which WENT NORTH.  A setting celestial body cannot do this.  However the nearly simultaneous disappearance of Venus and the object is troubling too. 
 
Even if we postulated that the theodolite was miscalibrated by 7-8 degrees, that would mean all the directions are shifted consistently by that same angle (it's called a "systematic error").  The amount of that shift does not CHANGE from minute to minute!!!  Once the theodolite is anchored that is it, a 7 degree error stays 7 degrees from then on.  Thus a miscalibration still doesn't explain the RELATIVE azimuth changes heading SOUTH when they should have been heading NORTH.  Also the magnitude of azimuth change is problematic.  The object moved South (to the left) by 1.6 degs in 6 minutes when at the same time Venus moved 1.2 degs to the North (to the right). 
 
And of course it could not possibly be a Skyhook balloon which would be invisible in the darkness.