Case · C-119

Kyiv 2022: the study on “ghosts” in the sky rejected by the scientific council

Meteor stations in Kyiv and Vinarivka (Main Astronomical Observatory), Ukraine · Ukraine · 2022

In flight Civilian witnesses Video Instruments

What happened

In August 2022 three researchers from the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine published on arXiv a preprint according to which two meteor stations, in Kyiv and Vinarivka, had recorded in daytime numerous objects of unclear nature, divided into bright “cosmic” ones and dark “ghosts,” with estimated speeds of up to 15 km/s. The study received wide international coverage. In September the Observatory's scientific council stated that the results had not been discussed internally, that the footage had been shot in test mode during meteor observations and that the publication was premature, asking that it be made clear that the institute had not taken part in the study.

Proposed explanation

The Observatory's scientific council judged the processing and interpretation of the data to be of an inadequate scientific standard, with significant errors in the estimation of distances, and noted that the authors had not discussed the possibility that the objects included natural phenomena or terrestrial man-made objects. Mick West, on Metabunk, disputed the estimated distances and observed that the “ghosts” closely resemble insects near the camera. The first author declined to discuss the criticism with the press; in November 2022 the authors released a second part of the study.

Official investigation

Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (scientific council)

Sources

1. B. E. Zhilyaev, V. N. Petukhov, V. M. Reshetnyk, “Unidentified aerial phenomena I. Observations of events”, arXiv:2208.11215 (v2, September 16, 2022) (primary source)
2. The Debrief, “Controversial Ukrainian UAP Study Shot Down in Statement by Scientific Council” (October 4, 2022) (press)
3. Vice, “Ukraine's Astronomers Say There Are Tons of UFOs Over Kyiv” (2022) (press)
4. B. E. Zhilyaev, V. N. Petukhov, V. M. Reshetnyk, “Unidentified aerial phenomena II. Evaluation of UAP properties”, arXiv:2211.17085 (November 13, 2022) (primary source)
5. Metabunk, “Ukrainian UAP Study: ‘Observation of Events’” (analysis by Mick West) (analysis, skeptical)

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