After decades of secrecy, images of a mysterious object in the sky over Scotland are shared publicly for the first time.
Around 9 PM on August 4, 1990, two hikers on a hillside near Calvine, Scotland, captured images of a mysterious diamond-shaped flying object in the sky. Known as the “Calvine Photograph”, the images were kept under wraps for a long time, sparking various rumors and theories.
After 32 years, the images were restored and publicly shared by Dr. David Clarke, a British journalist and Associate Professor at Sheffield Hallam University. Craig Lindsay, a former press officer for the Royal Air Force (RAF), retained the last remaining copy of the photograph before handing it over to Clarke for restoration.
Images Hidden for Over 30 Years
This is considered the clearest photograph of an unidentified flying object (UFO) that the public has ever seen. The image shows a diamond-shaped object flying in the sky, with a military jet in the distance pursuing it.
Six photographs were brought to the Daily Record newspaper’s office in Scotland by the two hikers in 1990 for publication. However, rather than publish them, the newspaper handed the photographs over to the UK Ministry of Defence for safekeeping until now.
The clearest image of a UFO restored and shared publicly after over 30 years. (Photo: Sheffield Hallam University).
“The editor of the Daily Record at that time sent the images to Craig Lindsay, the RAF press officer in Scotland. He forwarded the print to the Ministry of Defence in London, which then requested he hand over the negative film. Therefore, he returned to the Daily Record to propose sending the film to London. The proposal was accepted, and that’s when they disappeared,” Clarke explained.
According to Clarke, the Calvine Photograph and related information are being released at this time to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the photograph’s capture. However, the UK Ministry of Defence will not reveal the identities of the two photographers until 2076 due to “privacy concerns.”
“Despite all the public information, the identities of the two photographers have never been disclosed. The negative film has never been found since it arrived at the Ministry of Defence. Now, the Ministry claims to have returned the film to the Daily Record, but the newspaper insists it never received the film, and it’s unclear what happened to it,” Clarke shared.
No Signs of Photo Manipulation
Former officer Lindsay shared with Clarke some information about the two photographers. Specifically, they worked as chefs in a hotel in Pitlochry, located in the Scottish Highlands. One summer evening, both decided to go for a walk in the hills near Calvine.
While walking, the two spotted a huge diamond-shaped object silently moving across the sky. “They saw this and were frightened,” Clarke told Newsweek.
“They ran into the woods and ducked down, listening to the sound of a fighter jet rushing down into the valley, and two minutes later, it pulled back and flew around the object. That was when they took the photograph,” Clarke stated.
A pen drawing created to analyze the Calvine Photograph. (Photo: UAP Media UK).
The object hovered silently, observed for about 10 minutes, with an estimated length of 31 meters. The two photographers reported that the object shot up into the sky at high speed and then vanished.
Currently, it’s impossible to determine whether the object in the photograph is indeed a UFO. Andrew Robinson, a photography lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, believes the image shows no signs of alteration.
“This could be a genuine unidentified flying object, but it could also be any manipulation or staging to make this appear before the camera lens, with no impact on the film during shooting or processing,” Hallam noted.
After being handed over to Clarke, the photograph is now archived at Sheffield Hallam University. While he claims this is “the most beautiful UFO image,” Clarke does not believe the object in the photo is an alien spacecraft.
“I don’t think that mysterious aircraft comes from another galaxy. I believe it was created by humans in some secret base, everything related to the object is very confidential and sensitive,” Clarke stated in an interview with DailyMail.
America’s Top Secret Project?
Clarke speculates that the object in the photograph could be Aurora, a top-secret reconnaissance aircraft rumored to have been developed by the U.S. in the 1980s. However, there is no concrete evidence of the project’s existence, and the U.S. government has always denied it.
“While there is no solid evidence that Aurora was ever manufactured or took off, many unexplained cases and incidents have occurred in the U.S. and the UK that have fueled rumors about Aurora, including the Calvine Photograph,” Clarke shared.
A depiction of Aurora, the rumored top-secret aircraft project by the U.S. in the 1980s. (Photo: 19FortyFive).
“The Calvine Photograph is one of the biggest mysteries in UFO history,” said Dan Zetterstrom, a representative of UAP Media UK, an organization that compiles images and documents related to UFOs.
While he asserts that “someone in a military base in either the UK or the U.S. knows exactly what the object in the photograph is,” Clarke does not rule out the possibility that the photograph could be a prank.
“The purpose of sharing this story is so that the photographers or anyone who knows them can come forward and shed light on the mystery,” the journalist noted.
