Letter printed in Flying Saucers Magazine, August 1967
Dear Editor:
As is stated in BRAD STEIGER'S book, STRANGERS FROM THE SKIES, N.Y.-C 1966, in Chapter 10 entitled "Outer Space Tourists Are Messy, Too", on pages 60-61, it says:
"People who try to catch and retain drifting globs of "angel's hair" experience difficulty in preserving the mysterious substance, which, according to those who have witnessed falls of the wispy material, seems to evaporate in the hand.
Mrs. W.J.Daily of Puente, California, phoned the Mt.Wilson Observatory on February 1, 1954, seeking on how to best collect a specimen of "saucer exhaust".
Mrs. Daily had just experienced an UFO sighting when she was astonished to note a shiny, cobweb-like material flow out of the reddish coloured saucer. The substance drifted down to earth and draped itself over trees, bushes, and telephone wires. According to Mrs. Daily: "It was long, silvery, like spider webs. But it vanished when I tried to touch it with my hands."
On November 16, 1953, such a large quantity of "angel's hair" fell in the San Fernando Valley that a bakery truck became completely enveloped in the wispy stuff. Two city blocks literally received a "blizzard" of the unearthly substance.
"It looked like finely shredded wool or spun glass," a resident was quoted. "But held between the fingers, it dissolves into nothing."
In October of 1952, over 100 citizens of Gaillac, France reported the formation of 16 flying saucers, which surrounded a large, cigar-shaped object. According to news acconts: "This object discharged a substance described as a bright, whitish filament, to treetops and telegraph wires and "many eyewitnesses gathered whole tufts of it. Unfortunately, it disintegrated and disappeared before it could be taken to a laboratory for analysis."
If only, some day, a co-operative UFO WOULD DISCHARGE some of this residue near a convenient chemical laboratory, a clue might be found to either the aliens fuel supply or their garbage.
Mr.Palmer, Sir, I can fruitfully state that this substance known as "angel hair" does not evaporate in the hands, vanish when touched, dissolve into nothing when held between the fingers, or disintegrate and disappear. I know this because of personal experience. I have seen and handled the "unearthly substance" myself. At this moment I have a container within holding a sample of the matter concerned. Its characteristics fit all reported case statements of appearance. (I have seen photograph of the substance, thus verifying my positiveness.)
The people in the described instance have used the wrong terminology in telling of the response of the substance to handling. I would say the substance is wispy and very fibrous and that when handled, it contracts when pressured by the hands, and does not dematerialize, but upon close examination becomes compressed into a minute conglomeration.
Thus the material, as I see it, does not have to be dropped by a co-operative UFO near a convenient chemical laboratory, since it confirms to remain a material substance if a person will but handle it respectively.
The Aerial Phenomena Research Organization has gathered impressive evidence that some UFOs give off the substance called "angel's hair". Is there a connection between the strange droppings of wispy angel's hair-like substances and UFOs? Many observers seem to think so.
-"There appears to be sufficient evidence to prove to a reasonable-minded person the reality of these falls from the sky and the close associations of these falls with the observation of UFOs." -Professor Charles Maney.
-"The yearly migration of spiders and sloughing of gossamer is an established fact. As an explanation of angel hair it is far less fantastic than a still-hypothetical cruising spaceship." -Dr.Donald Menzel.
Professor Maney's statement is feasible, but is it really reasonable as far as an answer to the subject matter of the "angel hair" phenomena? Is it partly assertion?, or fact?
Dr.Menzel's statement appears more probable and digestive. Is it not more thoughtful?
Here we have controversy between 2 prominent authorities. from this conflict I am asked to judge which of the men do I feel more at home with. I cannot choose.
What we need on this matter is highly convincing and substantial proof.
I hope, you realize, Mr.Palmer, what I have tried to designate here. The "angel's hair" phenomena seems to be apocryphal as to its relation to UFOs. Unfortunately, since angel hair does remain a physical substance, why can't it be examined and analyzed at a chemical laboratory to determine definitely its composition and if the "mysterious stuff" is earthly ot alien in origin?!
Until I have a SCIENTIFICALLY acquired analysis of this "saucer exhaust", I will remain a little pessimistic. Mike Bullington, 865 Kimball Ave., Seaside, California 93955.