Skip to main content
Glama

Historical UFO cases near a place

nearby_cases
Read-onlyIdempotent

List historical UFO/UAP reports from the Hatch UDB archive (1900-2002, compiled by Larry Hatch) near a point, optionally filtered by country or text. Use it for the history of a region; it is not a live feed of recent sightings (use sky_events) and geocoding is approximate. Read-only query of the Vigi-Sky API; default radius 50 km, 200 km when filtering by country or text.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
qNoOptional text filter on the case summary, e.g. 'cigar' or 'Valensole'.
latYesObserver latitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (north positive).
lngNoObserver longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (east positive). lon and lng are aliases: give one.
lonNoObserver longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (east positive). lon and lng are aliases: give one.
langNoLanguage of the text fields: fr (default) or en.
countryNoOptional country filter as written in the archive, e.g. FRANCE, USA.
radius_kmNoSearch radius in kilometres (default 50, or 200 with country/q; maximum 20000).

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
casesNo
queryNo
archiveNo
returnedNo
citationsYes
provenanceYes
not_vigisky_liveNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed8 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / country
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Optional country filter as written in the archive, e.g. FRANCE, USA.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / lang / description
      Added value: +"Language of the text fields: fr (default) or en."
    • changedInput schema / properties / lat / description
      Previous value: -"Latitude WGS84"New value: +"Observer latitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (north positive)."
    • changedInput schema / properties / lng / description
      Previous value: -"Longitude WGS84. lon and lng are aliases — provide either."New value: +"Observer longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (east positive). lon and lng are aliases: give one."
    • changedInput schema / properties / lon / description
      Previous value: -"Longitude WGS84. lon and lng are aliases — provide either."New value: +"Observer longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 (east positive). lon and lng are aliases: give one."
    • addedInput schema / properties / q
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Optional text filter on the case summary, e.g. 'cigar' or 'Valensole'.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / radius_km / description
      Added value: +"Search radius in kilometres (default 50, or 200 with country/q; maximum 20000)."
    • addedOutput schema / description
      Added value: +"Returns archive, query, returned, cases [...], not_vigisky_live (always true)."
  2. Changed8 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / archive
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / cases
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "array"
      +}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / doctrine
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / not_vigisky_live
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / never
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / query
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / returned
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "integer"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / required
      Added value: +[
      +  "citations",
      +  "provenance"
      +]
  3. First observed

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuine context beyond that: the archive's provenance and date range, approximate geocoding, and the non-obvious radius defaults (50 km, 200 km when filtering). It doesn't mention pagination or result limits, which keeps it short of a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three compact sentences with the core purpose front-loaded and the exclusion plus radius caveat trailing. 'Read-only query of the Vigi-Sky API' slightly duplicates the readOnlyHint annotation, a minor redundancy in an otherwise tight description.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With a full output schema, rich annotations, and 100% parameter coverage, the description only needs to supply scope, alternative routing, and data-quality caveats — and it does all three. Nothing required to call this tool correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents lat/lng/lon aliasing, the lang enum, country format, and the radius_km default logic. The description restates the default-radius behaviour rather than adding new semantics, so the baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource — 'List historical UFO/UAP reports from the Hatch UDB archive (1900-2002)' — plus the spatial scoping ('near a point') and optional filters. It is immediately distinguishable from sibling tools like sky_events and hatch_stats.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes the agent: 'Use it for the history of a region' and 'it is not a live feed of recent sightings (use sky_events)'. It also warns that geocoding is approximate, which is a real usage caveat an agent needs before trusting radius results.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Try in Browser

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.

Resources