Persons

Antonín T. Horák

Discoverer & Original Witness (1897–1976)

A linguist and captain in the Slovak National Uprising who, while hiding from German forces in October 1944, explored a cave and documented a crescent-shaped shaft with glass-smooth, blue-black walls. He later emigrated to the United States and settled in Pueblo, Colorado, spending decades trying to persuade scientists to study his 'moonshaft.' His war journal, published in NSS News in March 1965, is the sole first-hand record of the cave and the foundation of every later search.

Walter Pavliš

Speleologist, Field & Archival Researcher

Walter Pavliš is a Czech speleologist and field researcher who has dedicated years to systematically exploring cave systems in the mountain ranges around Stará Ľubovňa in search of the Moonshaft. His expertise in cave surveying and underground navigation has been instrumental in narrowing down suspected locations. More recently, he has extended his work into genealogical and archival research, reconstructing Antonín Horák's family origins from period European records to better illuminate the discoverer's background.

Petr Sittek is a Czech researcher and archivist who has uncovered and preserved key historical documents related to the Moonshaft legend. His archival work has surfaced rare primary sources, including materials from the 1970 APRO expedition planning and documents from the MUFON UFO Journal.

Ted Phillips

Physical Trace Researcher

Ted Phillips was an American researcher widely regarded as the world's foremost authority on physical trace cases — incidents where UFOs or unidentified phenomena reportedly leave measurable effects on the environment. A colleague of Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Phillips was one of the experts assembled by APRO in 1970 to evaluate Antonín Horák's Moonshaft account and plan a scientific expedition to Czechoslovakia. The expedition was ultimately called off, but his involvement illustrates the level of credibility the Moonshaft claim commanded among serious researchers of the era. Ted Phillips has since passed away. His work is continued by Thomas Ferrario.

Thomas Ferrario

Physical-Trace Researcher (continuing Ted Phillips's work)

An American researcher who continues the physical-trace work of the late Ted Phillips, including interest in the Moonshaft. As Phillips's successor he carries forward the field methodology and case files of one of the experts APRO once assembled to evaluate Horák's account.

An APRO member and deputy sheriff in Pueblo, Colorado who in June 1970 presented Antonín Horák's account at APRO headquarters in Tucson, helping set the 1970 expedition planning in motion. He was a key early link between Horák and organized research into the case.

Martin Lavay

Author & Researcher

Czech author of the 2019 book Měsíční šachta (The Moonshaft), the fullest popular synthesis of the legend, its history, and the many theories about it. For many readers — including the founder of this archive — Lavay’s book was the spark that turned curiosity into an active search.