At the end of December 1978, the residents of Pleven, Vratsa and Sofia reported strange phenomena in the sky, which can be observed with the naked eye. Early in the morning of December 30, many citizens in the capital stated that they witnessed the flight of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Eyewitnesses describe luminous bodies with an unusual shape and movement, which cause confusion among the population. A day earlier, the same reactions regarding the observation of unexplained phenomena in the air came from Pleven and Vratsa. The authorities come out with an official explanation that the citizens are actually observing the planet Venus, which is particularly bright at that time. This version is considered unconvincing by many researchers and witnesses due to the dynamics of the objects' movement.
This is recalled by BTA.
In its last issue of the year, the French daily Le Méridional wrote an article on the subject, describing the presence of two objects, absolutely identical, standing motionless at approximately 1,000 meters in height before quickly rising vertically and disappearing to the west. According to the article, the objects "emit a strong red light on one side, and a silvery one on the other."
The chairman of the Bulgarian Committee for the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Professor Kiril Serafimov, rejects any assumption that allows for the existence of "flying saucers" coming from extraterrestrial civilizations. Asked by a reporter from the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency about the phenomenon, he said that no sound effect was recorded and the phenomenon was not photographed. The other argument given is the calm maintained by the Bulgarian air defense, which makes him think that this is a natural phenomenon.
The chief assistant of the University Astronomical Observatory Simeon Vladimirov is also skeptical that it is a UFO. He repeats the thesis of the authorities that in the period 29-31 December the bright object in the sky was actually the planet Venus.
In the BTA bulletin “Inside Information“ we read about the phenomenon and the reactions in society:
Unidentified flying objects over Pleven?
Pleven, December 29, 1978 /correspondent of BTA – Dimitar Mustakerski/ This morning at 05:40 above the village of Bohot, Pleven district, an unusually luminous body was noticed. At 06:10 the body, according to the people who observed it, was as big as the Moon and stood motionless at a height of about 1000 meters. Later it was seen over Pleven as a large, brightly shining star, noticed by hundreds of citizens. It looked like a ball, bright red on one side and silver on the other. For about an hour the body stood almost motionless over the city, and at nine o'clock it slowly moved to the west.
According to the information, at first the body was at a height of 400-500 meters. For some time it fell behind clouds, then gained height. At 07:00 a second similar glowing ball appeared from the direction of Bohot, which moved horizontally only at a height of 400-500 meters. After lingering for some time over the village, the body quickly rose vertically and disappeared to the west.
The two bodies observed with binoculars were completely identical, with a bright radiant light with a bluish tint.
Following the correspondent's announcement, a BTA reporter contacted Prof. Dr. Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Kiril Serafimov – Chairman of the National Committee for the Study and Use of Outer Space and Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Astronautical Society:
- In my opinion, this is not a serious phenomenon, because I have long said goodbye to flying saucers. There are at least six phenomena that can be interpreted as UFOs (unidentified flying objects).
First - these are reconnaissance balloons and space reconnaissance equipment - they have the strangest shapes. But there are some who do not want to read the repeated statements of pilots about a number of such objects that have been shot down.
Secondly - these are natural phenomena, where we have a wide spectrum - from mirages to ball lightning that amaze the human imagination.
Thirdly - we can talk about artificial human influence on nature.
Fourthly - everything can be the result of a social psychosis, when a balloon can be taken for anything. In this case, I exclude this, because the body was seen by many people, but unfortunately we often receive a number of reports of flying saucers and other objects that people compose. And so on.
So far, there have been no manifestations of extraterrestrial forces and, in my opinion, this is a purely earthly phenomenon - natural or human, which has not yet been explained, because we have very little information.
There were no sound effects and the body was not photographed. The height was not measured, but was determined by eye. The fact that the body was colored makes me think that it was something like a balloon.
I am convinced that there really was some phenomenon, because it was observed by many people, but what exactly it was, cannot be said. The calmness with which our air defense responded proves the unfoundedness of the claim about unidentified flying objects.
***
In the spotlight - Venus
Sofia, December 30, 1978 /BTA/ Today before noon the capital was disturbed by a “celestial“ psychosis - UFO over Sofia! Thousands of people crowded the central streets and watched a strange body with a changing shine and color.
BTA reporter Sergey Nakov contacted the chief assistant of the University Astronomical Observatory Simeon Vladimirov.
Here is what he said:
- From the observatory we could see the Sun, Venus and a few clouds.
Venus was barely visible, as it should be. Sometimes this luminary can be seen during the day, but only by people with strong eyesight.
With a small telescope, we went to the center of Sofia, where many people had gathered. They showed us the body that was disturbing the citizens. We aimed the astronomical tube and saw... Venus!
It was very beautiful and looked like the Moon, because at the moment its phase is 0.4 - i.e. it is a half-disk. As always, a change in its color was observed, since the atmosphere was not calm due to the strong wind.
Why was the illusion created that the observed luminous body, i.e. Venus, was moving?
If we observe at night, this illusion will not be there, because besides Venus in the same direction you will see many other stars, and relative to them it moves imperceptibly to the eye. During the day, we observe it relative to terrestrial objects, and since a person cannot stand absolutely still, and knows that buildings and other objects do not move, the illusion is created that the planet is moving.
The rapid movement of low clouds near the Earth also contributes to this illusion. For example, on December 28 and 29, the wind direction at altitude over the country was northwest with a force of 20-40 m/s, and today the direction is southwest with a force of 20-45 m/s. As a result of the change in wind direction, the direction of cloud movement also changes.
The phenomenon observed today in Sofia could have been and has been observed in other parts of the country.
And so - there is no reason to worry. Venus can be seen tomorrow - in the same place, at the same time.
***
Wind and celestial bodies - additional data on the unidentified “guests“
Vratsa, December 30, 1978 /BTA correspondent Emil Borisov/ It is claimed here that the unidentified celestial bodies observed yesterday in Pleven and the district headed west with the clear intention of violating the airspace of the Vratsa district. It was quite natural to assume that the first to see them were the residents of Knezha, Byala Slatina, Oryahovo - towns with a population of 15,000, located not far from Pleven. But, as the secretaries of the City People's Councils Andrey Kolchev from Knezha, Georgi Tsanev from Byala Slatina and the deputy chairman of the City People's Council - Oryahovo Petar Florov shared - the citizens did not see the celestial bodies.
The residents of Vratsa did not see them either. On the other hand, at 7 o'clock in the morning a temperature of 15 degrees was measured here and a strong wind blew at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It broke windows, cut power lines, carried laundry from balconies, took dozens of television antennas off roofs and created jobs for many men who did not want their families to miss the New Year's television program. Some citizens claimed that this wind was unidentified. And that the reason for it was the celestial bodies that appeared yesterday in the Pleven region. Others sharply opposed it, claiming that there had been a celestial wind before without an unidentified celestial body around.
In any case, the main reason why the citizens of Vratsa and the district did not see the luminous bodies is that they rose very high, very high.... it is subject to clarification whether this high rise is the reason for the wind here to gradually subside...