Person
J. Allen Hynek
Also known as Allen Hynek, Hynek, Dr. Hynek
- Astronomer, Ohio State and Northwestern University; scientific consultant to Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book (1948–1969)
J. Allen Hynek (1910–1986) was an astronomer at Ohio State and later Northwestern University who served as the U.S. Air Force's scientific consultant on UFOs for Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book from 1948 to 1969. He began as a sceptic and became an advocate of serious scientific study of the reports.
He coined the "close encounters" classification and founded the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) in 1973. He testified at the House Armed Services hearing in 1966 and the House science committee symposium in 1968.
Sources: House hearing records (1966, 1968) · Wikipedia
Facts and claims
- claimed Began as a skeptical Air Force consultant and became an advocate for serious scientific study. He coined the “close encounters” classification and founded the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) in 1973. Source: cufos.org (archived)
Connected files
Books
- The Edge of Reality: A Progress Report on Unidentified Flying Objects (authored)
- Forbidden Science: Journals 1957–1969 (subject of)
- The Hynek UFO Report (authored)
- Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings (authored)
- The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry (authored)
- UFO's: A Scientific Debate (authored)
Claims
Documentaries
- UFOs: Past, Present, and Future (appears in)
Incidents
- St. Helens, Oregon, police sighting over the Columbia River (investigated) — His Center for UFO Studies interviewed the officers and analysed the tape; he called it “a total puzzle”
People
- Donald H. Menzel (debated)
Hearings & briefings
- House Science and Astronautics Committee — Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects (testified at)
- House Armed Services Committee hearing on Unidentified Flying Objects (testified at)
Programs
- Project Blue Book (worked at)
- Project Sign (consultant to) — Ohio State University analysed the reports for astronomical causes; Ruppelt names the astronomer J. A. Hynek
Videos
- Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt's presentation on the Air Force UFO investigation, 26 March 1952 (PURSUE audio, DOW-UAP-PR160) (discussed in)
- CBS Reports: “UFO: Friend, Foe or Fantasy?” (Walter Cronkite, 10 May 1966) (appears in)
- April 5th House Armed Services Hearing on UFOs (1966 news footage) (appears in)
- Citizen Hearing 2013: Nuclear Tampering, Part 1 (discussed in)
- Christopher Mellon on the Joe Rogan Experience (clip, 2021) (discussed in)
- Calvin Parker: The Pascagoula UFO incident (UFO Congress, 2019) (discussed in)
- Hynek and Air Force Secretary Harold Brown at a press conference (1966 news footage) (appears in)
Mentioned in documents and records
- Anatomy of a Phenomenon: UFOs in Space
- UFO Contact at Pascagoula
- The World of Flying Saucers: A Scientific Examination of a Major Myth of the Space Age
- Unidentified Aerial Objects: Project “SIGN” (Air Materiel Command, Technical Report No. F-TR-2274-IA, February 1949)
- Hearing transcript: Unidentified Flying Objects — House Armed Services Committee (April 5, 1966)
- Hearing transcript: Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects — House Committee on Science and Astronautics (July 29, 1968)
- Pascagoula abduction
- Project Grudge