Close encounter

Close Encounters redirects here. For the lm, see 1.3 Radar-Visual
Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
UFO reports that seem to have radar conrmation.
In ufology, a close encounter is an event in which a Though seeming to oer harder evidence of physical reradar propagation often make the
person witnesses an unidentied ying object. This ality, the vagaries of [9]
ascription
ambiguous.
terminology and the system of classication behind it
was started by astronomer and UFO researcher J. Allen
Hynek, and was rst suggested in his 1972 book The UFO
Experience: A Scientic Inquiry.[1] He introduced the
rst three kinds of encounters; more sub-types of close
encounters were later added by others, but these additional categories are not universally accepted by UFO researchers, mainly because they depart from the scientic
rigor that Hynek aimed to bring to ufology.[2]

1.4 Close Encounters of the First kind

Visual sightings of an unidentied ying object seemingly
less than 500 feet away that show an appreciable angular
extension and considerable detail.[10]

1.5 Close Encounters of the Second kind

Sightings more than 500 feet (150 m) from the witness

are classied as Daylight Discs, Nocturnal Lights,
or Radar/Visual Reports.[3] Sightings within about 500
feet are subclassied as various types of close encounters. Hynek and others[4] argued that a claimed close encounter must occur within about 500 feet to greatly reduce or eliminate the possibility of misidentifying conventional aircraft or other known phenomena.

A UFO event in which a physical eect is alleged. This

can be interference in the functioning of a vehicle or
electronic device; animals reacting; a physiological eect
such as paralysis or heat and discomfort in the witness;
or some physical trace like impressions in the ground,
scorched or otherwise aected vegetation, or a chemical
[10]
Hyneks scale became well known after being referenced trace.
in a 1977 lm, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which
is named after the third level of the scale. Posters for
1.6 Close Encounters of the Third kind
the lm recited the three levels of the scale, and Hynek
himself makes a cameo appearance near the end of the
See also: First contact (anthropology)
lm.

UFO encounters in which an animated creature is present.

These include humanoids, robots, and humans who seem
to be occupants or pilots of a UFO.[11]

Hyneks scale

Hynek devised a sixfold classication for UFO 1.6.1 Bloecher subtypes

sightings:[5][6] They are arranged according to increasing
proximity.
The UFO researcher Ted Bloecher proposed six subtypes
for the close encounters of the third kind in the Hyneks
scale.[12]

1.1

Nocturnal Lights

A: An entity is observed only inside the UFO.

Lights in the night sky.[7]

1.2

B: An entity is observed inside and outside the

UFO.
C: An entity is observed near to a UFO, but not
going in or out.

Daylight Discs

D: An entity is observed. No UFOs are seen

by the observer, but UFO activity has been reported in the area at about the same time.

UFOs seen in the daytime, generally having discoidal or

oval shapes.[8]
1

4
E: An entity is observed, but no UFOs are seen
and no UFO activity has been reported in the
area at that time.

First contact (science ction)

F: No entity or UFOs are observed, but the subject experiences some kind of intelligent communication.

HC SVNT DRACONES

Subtypes D, E, and F may be unrelated to the UFO phenomenon.

Extensions of Hyneks scale

2.1

Close Encounters of the Fourth kind

REFERENCES

List of UFO sightings

4 References
[1] Hynek, Allen J. (1998) [First published 1972]. The UFO
Experience: A Scientic Inquiry. Da Capo Press. ISBN
978-1-56924-782-2.
[2] Clark, Jerome (1998). The UFO Book. Detroit: Visible
Ink Press.
[3] Hynek, 1972, 1998, p. 6

A UFO event in which a human is abducted by a UFO or

its occupants.[13] This type was not included in Hyneks
original close encounters scale.[14]

[4] Hynek, 1972, 1998, p. 20; see also the program UFO
Hunters episode Alien Contact aired on 23 April 2008
on the History Channel.

Hyneks erstwhile associate Jacques Vallee argued in the

Journal of Scientic Exploration that a CE4 should be described as cases when witnesses experienced a transformation of their sense of reality, so as to also include nonabduction cases where absurd, hallucinatory or dreamlike
events are associated with UFO encounters.[15]

[5] Steven J. Dick (28 December 1999). The Biological Universe: The Twentieth Century Extraterrestrial Life Debate
and the Limits of Science. Cambridge University Press.
pp. 309. ISBN 978-0-521-66361-8. Retrieved 24 October 2011.

The lm The Fourth Kind makes reference to this ranking.

[6] Donald Goldsmith; Tobias C. Owen (April 2001). The

search for life in the universe. University Science Books.
pp. 521. ISBN 978-1-891389-16-0. Retrieved 24 October 2011.

2.2

Close Encounters of the Fifth kind

A UFO event that involves direct communication between aliens and humans.[13] This type of close encounter
was named by Steven M. Greer's CSETI group and is
described as bilateral contact experiences through conscious, voluntary and proactive human-initiated cooperative communication with extraterrestrial intelligence.[16]
[17]

2.3

Close Encounters of the Sixth kind

[7] J. Allen Hynek, The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry,

Ballantine Books, 1972, p. 41.
[8] J. Allen Hynek, The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry,
Ballantine Books, 1972, p. 59.
[9] J. Allen Hynek, The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry,
Ballantine Books, 1972, pp. 80-1.
[10] J. Allen Hynek, The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry,
Ballantine Books, 1972, pp. 98-9.
[11] J. Allen Hynek, The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry,
Ballantine Books, 1972, p. 158.

Death of a human or animal associated with a UFO sight- [12] Hendry, Allan (August 1979). The UFO Handbook: A
Guide to Investigating, Evaluating and Reporting UFO
ing, although some might consider this as a more severe
Sightings. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-385-14348-6.
example of a second-kind encounter.[18][19]

2.4

Close Encounters of the Seventh kind

[13] What're close encounters of the rst, second, third, fourth

and fth kind?. S.P.S. Jain. The Times of India. 22
March 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2014.

The creation of a human/alien hybrid, either by sexual [14] The UFO Experience: A Scientic Enquiry. 1972. ISBN
reproduction or by articial scientic methods.[18]
978-1-56924-782-2.

See also
Contactee
Extraterrestrial hypothesis

[15] Vallee, Jacques. "Physical Analysis in Ten Cases of Unexplained Aerial Objects with Material Samples. 1998.
Journal of Scientic Exploration. Vol. 12, No. 3., pp.
359-375. URL accessed 23 August 2009
[16] Haines, Richard (1999). CE-5 Close Encounters of the
Fifth Kind.. Sourcebooks, Inc.

[17] McCarthy, Paul (December 1, 1992). Close encounters

of the fth kind. (communicating with UFOs)". Omni
(magazine). Archived from the original on 2007-05-12.
Retrieved 2007-05-12.
[18] Judith Joyce, The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal:
Abductions, Apparitions, ESP, Synchronicity, and More
Unexplained Phenomena from Other Realms 2010, pp. 7.
[19] Stuart A. Kallen, Aliens (Monsters, and Mythical Creatures) 1995, pp. 24.

General
Close Encounters with Extra-terrestrials. BBC h2g2. 25 April 2010 [19 May 2003].
C.D.B. Bryan of Close Encounters Of The Fourth
Kind"". Retrieved 2007-02-13.
close encounters. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
UFOLOGY Resource Center.
sci.com.
Archived from the original on 2007-03-21.
Retrieved 2007-04-12.
UFO.WHIPNET.ORG. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
The Black Vault Encyclopedia Project. Retrieved
2009-11-04.
Dniken, Erich von (1972). Chariots of the Gods.
Berkley Publishing Group. ISBN 0-425-16680-5.

5 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1

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Close encounter Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_encounter?oldid=708233985 Contributors: Paul Barlow, Ixfd64, Rlandmann, Furrykef, David Shay, Topbanana, Ashley Y, Auric, Moink, Catbar, JackofOz, Ferdinand Pienaar, Andycjp, The Singing Badger, Beland, Sam Hocevar, Wyllium, Mike Rosoft, KillerChihuahua, Xezbeth, El C, Marcok, Cmdrjameson, Retran, SidP, RPH, Jeffrey O. Gustafson, Woohookitty, Igny, GregorB, IronyWrit, Marskell, Rjwilmsi, Eubot, JdforresterBot, MacRusgail, ElfQrin, Tysto,
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5.3

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