Dr. Robert Nathan

The National Enquirer inquired, but before committing to purchase Walters' photos, it sent them to NASA's Dr. Robert Nathan for analysis.Nathan was unable to certify them as genuine, and the Enquirer passed. (Gasp!) Enter William Morrow & Co., publisher of Whitley Strieber's Communion and Transformation (see last column).

- Dr. Robert Nathan, NASA, JPL

Dr. Robert Nathan, NASA, JPL

On one hand, NASA's Dr. Robert Nathan was given copies of the photos to determine whether or not they were genuine.He was unable to reach a conclusion one way or the other.

Experts who participated in this investigation include Pulitzer Prize Winning Author and Harvard Prof. Dr. John Mack / University of Mexico Prof. Victor Quesada / University of Pisa Prof. Corrado Malanga / University of Mannheim Prof. Manfred Kage / University of Louvain Prof. Auguste Meessen / Academy for Future Science Prof. James J. Hurtak / Dr. Robert Nathan, NASA, JPL / Photo Techn.

Dr. Robert Nathan of NASA-JPL in Pasadena/CA, the father of computer-based image processing;
...
With the sole exemption of Prof. Nathan, a declared sceptic regarding UFOs, all consulted experts were convinced of the authenticity of the 1981 photo.Nathan stressed that he did not give the photo "any greater attention", since he was already sure that it can only be a model and that "careful measurements will either confirm or rule out this possibility, if someone wants to take the effort".

None of the other experts, which studied the photo for many hours and working days, both in extreme enlargement and at the computer, found any indication of a forgery.They all concluded that it was definitely a large object, 60 – 150 feet in diameter, appearing behind real trees and bushes.A careful study of the edges ruled out any possibility of a "photoshop" montage.The object must have moved upwards in a jerky way during exposure.The light it emitted, was unusual; it was coherent light, like the light of a laser.

Dr. Robert Nathan of NASA-JPL in Pasadena/CA, the father of computer-based image processing;
...
With the sole exemption of Prof. Nathan, a declared sceptic regarding UFOs, all consulted experts were convinced of the authenticity of the 1981 photo.Nathan stressed that he did not give the photo "any greater attention", since he was already sure that it can only be a model and that "careful measurements will either confirm or rule out this possibility, if someone wants to take the effort".

The National Enquirer was initially interested in the Walters account, but before committing to purchase the photos, it sent them to NASA's Dr. Robert Nathan for analysis.Nathan was unable to certify them as genuine, and the Enquirer passed on the option.