UFO Sightings in Illinois
4,055 UFO sightings reported in Illinois since 1946, peaking in 2012 (270 reports); most often described as light.
- Total sightings
- 4,055
- Span
- 1946–2025
- Peak year
- 2012 (270 reports)
- Dominant shape
- Light
1946–2025 · peak 2012 (270 reports)
Top cities in Illinois
Chicago
1952–2021 · peak 2012 (29 reports)
Tinley Park
1971–2021 · peak 2004 (92 reports)
Rockford
1964–2022 · peak 2001 (42 reports)
Springfield
1979–2021 · peak 2020 (8 reports)
Oak Lawn
1946–2020 · peak 2010 (10 reports)
Orland Park
1995–2019 · peak 2005 (15 reports)
Peoria
1966–2020 · peak 2012 (7 reports)
Naperville
1997–2022 · peak 2001 (4 reports)
Northbrook
1999–2022 · peak 2020 (16 reports)
Bloomington
1972–2020 · peak 2012 (5 reports)
Oak Forest
2003–2016 · peak 2005 (18 reports)
Aurora
1995–2022 · peak 2012 (5 reports)
Plainfield
1999–2020 · peak 2016 (5 reports)
Joliet
1979–2021 · peak 2012 (5 reports)
Palatine
1961–2021 · peak 2012 (4 reports)
Crystal Lake
1968–2021 · peak 2011 (4 reports)
Norris City
2018–2022 · peak 2018 (13 reports)
Elgin
1982–2021 · peak 2013 (4 reports)
Frankfort
1996–2017 · peak 2004 (4 reports)
Lombard
1997–2019 · peak 2013 (4 reports)
Rockford · IL, USA
A witness in Rockford, Illinois, described an object in August 1969 that resembled a vintage World War II-era aircraft but behaved unlike any known plane, during a three-minute sighting.
Geneseo (outside of) · IL, USA
Questionable Abduction
Champaign · IL, USA
Witnesses in Champaign, Illinois, debated in July 1969 whether an object covered in numerous lights resembled a disk or an enormous spider-like shape, visible about five minutes.
Peoria · IL, USA
A flying disk-shaped object was reported passing over northern Peoria, Illinois, one evening in July 1969, remaining visible for about one minute.
Barrington · IL, USA
((HOAX??)) shiny light and elecromagnetic energy.
Moline · IL, USA
A witness in Moline, Illinois described a series of sightings, including a dull silver object, spanning the late 1960s to late 1970s; this report is dated June 1969, lasting fifteen minutes.
Oak Lawn · IL, USA
Two witnesses, a driving instructor and his student, reported two large disk-shaped objects in Oak Lawn, Illinois in March 1969, during a thirty-minute sighting.
London Mills · IL, USA
I was working at the Mecco mine near London Mills, IL on 10/05/68. Fall was dry so need for pumps in the strip mine after a rain was
Crystal Lake · IL, USA
A witness in Crystal Lake, Illinois reported a cigar-shaped object hovering over a farm field in October 1968, observed for about thirty minutes.
Freeport/Rockford · IL, USA
A witness driving between Freeport and Rockford, Illinois reported a brilliant, round, disk-shaped object following their car for several miles late at night in July 1968, over ten to fifteen minutes.
Chicago · IL, USA
A witness in Chicago, Illinois reported an oval-shaped object with no wings, tail, or struts and a blunt nose and tail, resembling an elliptical fuselage, during a four-minute sighting in June 1968.
Downers Grove · IL, USA
Three witnesses in Downers Grove, Illinois reported a disk-shaped object flying by at roughly airplane altitude under clear morning skies in June 1968, during a sighting under five minutes.
Chicago · IL, USA
I've have seen a real alien up close.
Chicago · IL, USA
Witnesses in Chicago, Illinois, reported a saucer-shaped object with two and a half visible portholes and a red light on top, which moved away at high speed, during a sighting in November 1967.
Greenville · IL, USA
My son and I went to a ballpark close by to play- we were the only ones there, I happened to look up and right over us, were 3 round uf
Chicago · IL, USA
Witnesses in Chicago, Illinois, reported a triangular object flying low and slowly along power lines and railroad tracks at dusk, during a two-minute sighting in August 1967.
Peoria · IL, USA
Witnesses in Peoria, Illinois, reported two or three disk-shaped objects flying in formation during daylight, which then shot away quickly, in a sighting lasting several minutes in June 1967.
Glenview · IL, USA
Witnesses in Glenview, Illinois, reported a large ball of light hovering above a road, observed by an estimated 25 to 30 people during a sighting lasting 15 minutes or more in 1967 or 1968.
Galesburg · IL, USA
Witnesses in Galesburg, Illinois, reported a close encounter with an oval, saucer-shaped object during a sighting lasting two to three minutes in March 1967.
Rockford · IL, USA
Close encounter experience. 500 Lights On Object0: Yes
Zion · IL, USA
We spotted a large extremely bright light in the sky, maybe half the size the moon appears as a half moon. ((anonymous report))
Chicago · IL, USA
Witnesses in Chicago, Illinois, reported a cigar-shaped object during a ten-minute sighting in September 1966, noting that no aircraft were reportedly flying in the area at the time.
Caseyville · IL, USA
UFO in trouble?
Galesburg · IL, USA
Huge Disk Hovering Over Neighbor's Home
Waukegan · IL, USA
hummung hovering then quick exit