Thomas Jefferson's report to the American Philosophical Society, regarding a UFO

reply to post by Chronon


Very interesting read. Great first post BTW, star for you.

I, myself, have seen a meteorite, 'as big as a house', and I have witnessed a very slow meteorite, both times with multiple witnesses. The first, I admit, my fellow witnesses were somewhat impaired and declared it a ufo and sure that it had crashed behind the mountains, (we were camping high in the sierras). I tried to patiently explain the fireball with blazing chunks falling off of it was a meteor and that it must have been like 50 miles up so it must have went over our hometown of Sonora, (we were close to Tahoe) Sure enough, when we got back to town, the story was in the Union Democrat, headline read, "Whatever it was, it was as big as a house!" Sorry, I don't remember the date, but must have been summer of '83. Looked like it could have mostly flamed out before it hit the ground.

Why is something that is so obviously a meteor racking up over 100 flags? Because it's tied to a famous dead person? I don't understand why people are so into this sighting.

Had this thing stopped, changed direction, we'd have ourselves a story. But this is just a really old meteor crashing. Big deal. And whoopdee doo that Thomas Jefferson saw it.

Scorched ground, dead plants, were it landed or crashed, it does sound like a meteor. But from one letter you really cant determine anything. But speaking hypothetically I'f it was a alien ship that crashed, what happened to it, and who would of covered it up in that time, how far back in human history do these organisations or whatever is covering these type of things up go. Since we get painting on cave walls in cavemen times and through out history of things that could be interpreted as ufos or unknowns in the sky, either they don't exist, or this type of thing goes farther and deeper then thought, and what is actually covering these type of events up if they happen from time to time, might not always be human.

Anyways just some thoughts. interesting letter and info about Jefferson, didn't know people in that time really looked or wondered what is in the skies, but then again from what I read, Jefferson was an odd duck even for the people in that time, so it fits exactly with some of the things he would keep an eye on.

Originally posted by karen61057
reply to post by Kayzar

 

Good point. However this meteor was described as being the size of a house. Wouldnt a meteor that size do enough damage that we would have physical proof of its crash still today? Wouldnt a meteor of that size have been a phenomena that would have been reported in the news papers of the day? I think that if a meteor that size fell in the United States at any time since we have occupied these shores it would be well documented as a very unusual event.

The light show it would generate coming into the atmosphere would of made it seem bigger then it actually was, especially to the people of those times who would of been witness to such an event. So a big as a house would of been deceptive of its actual size, and the damage it would of done when it hit the ground, depending on what it was made of and how much mass burnt up in entry.

Star and Favorited is what it means. "S&F"

Or Star and FLAGGED. But, hey. . .

Can't believe this is still going. So here it is.
There is very little evidence of this happening at all, the evidence that does exist describes a meteorite. The measurements given cannot possible be accurate if it was in fact glowing.
Im not sure what people want to hear as there is no evidence that it is not a meteorite the best any UFO believer could do is say "It is not a meteorite". And besides i thought the aliens did not master crash landing a super maneuverable intergalactic faster than light traveling vehicle from accross the univers until the 1940s.

Is that letter a fake? Only Americans spell the word 'Colour' as 'Color'

"In passing, a considerable degree of heat was felt, but no electric sensation."

Question:

Why would they mention the lack of an "electric sensation," especially at a time when electricity was not something the average person had much experience of? Faraday's invention of the electric motor was still 21 years in the future at this point.

Is it possible there had been other UFO reports during this same era, ones which did involve the witnesses feeling some type of electric sensation? If so, that might explain the author's need to specifically state that such a sensation was absent from this sighting.

Is it possible someone here contact the APS and ask them if they have a copy with the plate?

www.amphilsoc.org...

Originally posted by alr2011
Is that letter a fake? Only Americans spell the word 'Colour' as 'Color'

Those spellings were not made "standard" until webster published his dictionary in 1828 and even then it took a while for it to catch. Many people in america in the 1800s were still comming over from the old world. So while they may have been educated they may have been educated over seas or educated by someone that was educated over seas. The point is, that would have been common back then.

Since as a child (about 1967 I think) I witnessed a meteor that was wider than the house across the street it passed over and which lit up the whole sky like daytime and since this description sounds similar in size and appearance, I'd have to say this is a report of a meteor sighting. The one I witnessed traveled another 150+ miles after it passed over me and landed somewhere north of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. On the next days news they estimated it to be the size of a VW Bug when it hit. That was also misreported as a UFO by people in Eureka, Utah even though it was an obvious meteor. It was an incredible sight though that I'll never forget. Even as a child though, I knew what it was.

I also don't get why this would be presented as anything other than a meteor? Sorry, but I don't see it as having any value as a UFO topic?

Seeing this many flags here and seeing how often eye witness accounts that do have merit go ignored, makes me wonder how many of you are actually serious about this? Possibly good accounts are ignored and accounts that don't even merit being included in this topic get huge attention. There is something not right about that to me.

This would be a good post for one of the associated science forums though. Very interesting in that regard.

Originally posted by Kayzar
It was seen by William Dunbar Esq, not thomas jefferson.
As for the actual letter it is taken waaaaay out of context, he was talking about a meteor he saw not a UFO. Dubar did this for a living
www.jstor.org...

This was just communicated by Jefferson because Jefferson thought it was interesting. Im not sure if anyone knew about this little not so famos quote made by thomas jefferson
""Gentlemen, I would rather believe that two Yankee professors would lie than believe that stones fall from heaven"
Thomas Jefferson would have thought anything in the sky was a "UFO". I guess he was the first Doe Eyed believer

edit on 10-1-2011 by Kayzar because: (no reason given)

If you're going to make an assumption like that, make sure the description in the memo actually matches what you call a meteor. Can't believe your comment received 13 stars lmao.

Originally posted by Ewok_Boba

Originally posted by Kayzar
It was seen by William Dunbar Esq, not thomas jefferson.
As for the actual letter it is taken waaaaay out of context, he was talking about a meteor he saw not a UFO. Dubar did this for a living
www.jstor.org...

This was just communicated by Jefferson because Jefferson thought it was interesting. Im not sure if anyone knew about this little not so famos quote made by thomas jefferson
""Gentlemen, I would rather believe that two Yankee professors would lie than believe that stones fall from heaven"
Thomas Jefferson would have thought anything in the sky was a "UFO". I guess he was the first Doe Eyed believer

edit on 10-1-2011 by Kayzar because: (no reason given)

If you're going to make an assumption like that, make sure the description in the memo actually matches what you call a meteor. Can't believe your comment received 13 stars lmao.

screw stars, why don't you read about meteors then re-read the description.

I realized immediately it's fake. The writing style is very modern. Another silly hoax.

"...of a colour resembling the sun near the horizon in a cold frosty evening"

Ok I know this is kind of derailing the topic to an extent but I can't seem to figure out how to make a new topic altogether. Either I'm totally daft or blind. If someone could let me know that would be great.

In any case I came across this great news clip on youtube. Check it out and apologies if this has already been put up on ATS.

www.youtube.com...

What really got my attention was the 'dogfights' between the Royal Airforce and UFO's. I mean isn't that a direct admission that UFO's exist? I seriously doubt any airforce would get into dogfights with weather balloons/swamp gas/CGI effects/frisbees/kites/birds etc

reply to post by SonOfTheLawOfOne

Dont forget jimmy Carter's statement and the obscure remarks by Pres. Reagan..concerning UFO's and alien life.

reply to post by miken777


It was reportly a meteorite..however did anyone creditiable wittiness the remains or did a government agency come out ..secure the area ..produce some chunks of debris and call it a meteor...believe what you what to believe..that is how it happened in Spotsalvania, Virgina back in the 80'' except for mutlitple eye wittinesses from locals that reported a recovered object metallic in appearance that was large enough to be taken away on a flat bed truck.

reply to post by Kayzar


Roswell anyone ?

reply to post by Juston
Thanks for posting this I'm pretty new here and didnt see it the first time, this is very intresting to me and I shall be looking into this more,to see what if any more information can be found about what had crashed there.