J. Allen Hynek
Referenced in 4 episodes
Definition
An American astronomer and UFO researcher known for his work with Project Blue Book and for formulating the Close Encounters classification system. He was a key figure in bringing UFOs into the scientific discourse.
Related episodes
The Andreasson Abduction: Aliens, Religion & the Paranormal (SITS CLASSIC)
Somewhere in the SkiesOct 2, 2026
On January 25, 1967, Betty Andreasson of South Ashburnham, Massachusetts, says small gray beings walked through her kitchen door, froze her family in place, and took her aboard a craft for strange tests that felt like a religious experience. Investigated for 12 months by a five-person team and documented by Raymond Fowler in the 1979 book The Andreasson Affair, the case is one of the first major abduction accounts to blend hard UFO evidence with paranormal and spiritual themes. Host Ryan Sprague and guest Peter Robbins weigh its credibility against skeptics' objections and a 2007 hoax allegation from a family member.
The Cote UFO Photo: The Clearest UFO Image Ever Captured?
Somewhere in the SkiesSep 7, 2026
In 1971, a Costa Rican government aerial mapping mission over Lake Cote captured a sharp, disc-shaped object on a single frame of high-resolution cartographic film, and no one aboard saw it. Filmmakers Adam Pillen and Megan Woomer discuss their documentary The Cote Photo, which traces the image's unbroken chain of custody, its analysis by researchers like Jacques Vallée and Richard Haines, and the lifelong UFO experiences of cartographer Sergio Loaiza. The conversation explores why this photo has held up to scrutiny for decades and why it may be one of the clearest UFO images ever taken.
The Untold Story of Childhood UFO Encounters w/ Michael Huntington (SITS CLASSIC)
Somewhere in the SkiesJul 16, 2026
Host Ryan Sprague and UFO researcher Michael Huntington explore a frequently overlooked side of the UFO phenomenon: encounters witnessed by children. They trace cases from the 1917 Fatima apparitions through mass school sightings in Australia, Florida, Wales, and Zimbabwe, along with landing and creature reports in West Virginia, California, and the Soviet Union. The conversation asks why so many children, often in large groups, report remarkably similar craft and beings, and whether perception, hysteria, or genuine contact explains it.
Paul Hynek on His Father J. Allen Hynek, Steven Spielberg, and UFO Disclosure (SITS CLASSIC)
Somewhere in the SkiesJun 17, 2026
In this episode, Paul Hynek sheds light on his father, Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a pivotal figure in the study of UFOs and government inquiries. He discusses the relevance of his father's work amidst today's conversations around UAP, including congressional hearings and scientific scrutiny. The discussion provides a unique perspective on the history and evolution of UFO research and its impact on contemporary understandings of the phenomenon.