The field guides
Practical guidance for amateur observers.
Twelve guides covering observation, recording, reporting, and the reading the Council recommends. Each guide includes a "Council recommended" gear list, a frank statement of what the guide does not do, and links to the cases the technique applies to.
Starter
For new observers — minimum-viable kit and first-step guidance.
Observation
Tools and techniques for looking at the sky.
Choosing your first telescope for UAP observation
A practical buyer's guide to amateur telescopes with UAP observation in mind. Covers aperture, mount type, computerized tracking, and the trade-offs between portability and capability. Includes the Council's three top picks at different price points.
Night vision for civilians: a buyer's guide
A practical guide to civilian night-vision technology for sky observers. Covers the differences between digital, image-intensifier, and thermal systems; the trade-offs each makes; and the Council's recommended units at different commitment levels.
Tracking 3I/Atlas through 2026: an amateur's calendar
A practical observation guide for amateur astronomers tracking the third confirmed interstellar object, 3I/Atlas, through its 2026 apparition. Covers visibility windows, equipment recommendations, and what to look for during the anomalous brightening period.
Building a backyard observation post
A practical guide to building a permanent or semi-permanent UAP observation setup in a residential backyard. Covers weatherproofing, power, mount selection, automation, and the discipline required to operate a sustained observation program.
Recording
Capturing what you observe in a way that survives review.
Recording the sky: cameras for UAP investigators
A practical guide to cameras for sky observation and UAP recording. Covers low-light mirrorless cameras, action cameras for set-and-forget deployments, and dedicated astronomy cameras for telescope-based imaging.
EMF and field measurement: tools, methods, and limits
A practical guide to electromagnetic field measurement in the context of UAP investigation. Covers what EMF meters actually measure, how to interpret readings, and what 'EM anomaly' claims can and cannot be evidence of.
Reporting
Filing, verifying, and contributing observations.
How to file a sighting the Council will publish
A practical guide to filing a UAP sighting report that meets the Council's evidentiary standards. Covers timestamps, location precision, witness corroboration, and the documentation that converts an account into a record.
Identifying mundane explanations: the Council's debunking checklist
A practical checklist of the most-common mundane explanations for purported UAP sightings. Covers Starlink trains, lens flares, conventional aircraft, atmospheric optics, and the small number of sources that account for the majority of false-positive reports.
How to verify a viral UAP video before sharing
A practical workflow for evaluating UAP videos that appear in your social media feed before re-sharing. Covers reverse image search, satellite-pass checks, EXIF data analysis, and the small number of techniques that catch most fakes.
Joining the Hessdalen-style citizen science effort
A practical guide to participating in the global citizen-science observation effort modeled on Project Hessdalen. Covers protocol design, data collection standards, equipment requirements, and how to contribute observations that professional researchers can actually use.
Reading