J. Allen Hynek
Full Name: Josef Allen Hynek
Active Years: 1935 – 1986
Occupation: Astronomer, astrophysicist, and scientific advisor to the U.S. Air Force
Known For: Founder of the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) and creator of the “Close Encounter” classification system
Overview
J. Allen Hynek began as a staunch skeptic of UFO reports, serving as a scientific consultant for the U.S. Air Force’s official investigations — Project Sign, Project Grudge, and later Project Blue Book. Initially tasked with debunking sightings, Hynek’s views shifted over time as he encountered credible witnesses and radar-visual cases that defied easy explanation.
Key Contributions and Research
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Scientific consultant to Project Blue Book (1952 – 1969), reviewing over 12,000 UFO reports.
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Introduced the Close Encounters system, defining categories based on proximity and interaction.
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Founded the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) in 1973 to promote objective scientific inquiry into the UFO phenomenon.
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Co-authored The UFO Experience (1972) and contributed to The Hynek UFO Report (1977), both of which remain cornerstones in modern ufology.
Associated Projects and Groups
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Project Blue Book – official U.S. Air Force UFO investigation.
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CUFOS – independent research organization founded after Blue Book’s closure.
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NICAP – Hynek maintained informal ties with the civilian UFO research group led by Major Donald Keyhoe.
Controversies
Hynek was criticized by both skeptics and believers. The scientific establishment dismissed his later pro-UFO stance, while some researchers accused him of downplaying key Blue Book cases during his government tenure. His willingness to entertain the “extraterrestrial hypothesis” late in life divided opinion but cemented his legacy as an open-minded scientist.
Key Quotes
“I’m not saying these things are extraterrestrial. I simply don’t know what they are. But I do know that they represent a phenomenon that’s worthy of scientific study.”
“The ridicule factor is what has stopped most scientists from looking at this seriously.”
Legacy and Impact
Hynek’s shift from debunker to serious investigator gave the UFO subject new credibility. His “Close Encounter” terminology became mainstream following the release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), on which he served as scientific consultant — even making a brief cameo in the film. CUFOS continues to archive and analyze sighting data, carrying on his goal of applying scientific rigor to the unexplained.