Some say “they” are out there, you only need look.

Unidentified Flying Objects have captured the imaginations of people for centuries, sparking literature, movies and even documentaries.

For those who believe we are not alone in the universe, tracking these elusive bodies can be a fascinating pastime.

Psychic reader Tana Newberry leads her own “Nightwatch Encounters” in Benicia. She guides intrepid explorers using military-grade night-vision goggles and offers tips about what to look for.

First, she says, it’s important to know what not to look for: airplanes, satellites, stars that dance and even the occasional group of bats.

But once those things are identified, what’s left? This is where it gets interesting.

“Look for big lights, ‘power-ups,’ and things that move in threes then ‘blink blink blink’ and disappear,” said Newberry to a group of about eight burgeoning “ufologists.” Everyone had gathered at Angel Heart 4 You on First Street on Friday night to prepare for the evening’s hunt.

On a really good night, a “structured craft” might be seen way up in the heavens glowing brightly then abruptly darting this way or that, only to disappear completely. A “power-up” is when a far-off light in the sky suddenly glows brighter and then fades back down.

“OK,” said Newberry after she’d given folks the rundown. “Let’s go, the gettin’ is good right now.”

The sun had just dipped completely, which to “ufologists” is the best time to see things in the sky because it’s dark, yet the light of the sun is still refracted towards celestial bodies off the arc of the earth.

Everyone walked a few blocks down to the water and took their seats, bundling up a bit in the cold. The goggles are quite expensive, so they were shared among everyone.

At first glance through them, a wealth of stars come to life. The next thing you notice is that things are moving. Yes, beyond the naked eye, there’s a lot going on up there. Much if it is satellite activity and you can tell which ones they are because they move steadily from horizon to horizon, Newberry said.

Airplanes were easy to spot because of their blinking lights in a recognizable formation. They also fly much lower than many of the things that can be spotted.

But then there was the other stuff: Lights that suddenly appeared and began moving. Lights that shot across the sky then disappeared. Lights that burned brighter and then ebbed. These were indeed “unidentified flying objects” in the barest sense.

“I’ve got one!” a participant shouted out, using a laser pointer to show other gazers where to look.

The big question of course is, if there are so many things flying around up there, why don’t we hear more about it? Newberry and other ufologists argue that we don’t hear about them because the government and other powers that be are making sure we don’t. At the 50th anniversary of the Roswell Incident in 1997, a CNN poll showed that 80 percent of the public believe that the government is hiding information about UFO’s.

Newberry believes in them all right, and she says that she was once confronted by a triangular craft the size of a car that hovered over her once then zipped off.

She’s apparently not the only one. Newberry said that 53 percent of people have reported some sort of experience with a UFO.

Just last month, the U.S. military released a video of two pilots following a glowing, white oval object that “accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen,” according to the Navy pilot. The video of the incident can be found online.

Even the most sceptical watchers in Benicia on Friday night had to find themselves scratching their heads. What were these things?

“There’s like four! They’re all moving and then splitting up!” exclaimed Emily, an 8-year-old from Lafayette.

“Oh wow!” said Newberry.

And just like that, the far off blinking orbs disappeared.

UFO Nightwatch Encounters are hosted by Tana Newberry and begin at Angel Heart 4 You on First Street in Benicia. The events cost $65 and children under 9 are free. For more information, go to www.UFO NightwatchEncounters.com.

Source: Daily Democrat