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)
Chicago · IL, USA
SITTING IN AVALON PARK ON A FALL NIGHT AT APP.1030 PM I SAW A METALIC OBJECT TRAVELING FROM E TO W I DIDNT GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT BUT IT
Chicago · IL, USA
In the summer of 1962, witnesses in Chicago, Illinois, reported a disk-shaped lighted object in the sky, an event some later associated with a plane towing an illuminated sign.
Chicago · IL, USA
In 1962, a witness in Chicago, Illinois, reported a large object with colored revolving lights positioned between two metallic cylindrical objects, over about thirty minutes.
Benton · IL, USA
In 1962, a young witness in Benton, Illinois, reported a saucer-shaped object that nearly landed nearby in daylight before flying away when their mother approached.
Lawrence County (rural agriculture field) · IL, USA
In 1962, a witness in rural Lawrence County, Illinois, reported a disk-shaped craft observed at close range over a rural agricultural field, for about fifteen minutes.
IL/IN state line (near; rural crop field) · IL, USA
In 1962, a witness near the Illinois-Indiana state line reported a disk-shaped craft hovering about 25 feet above a rural crop field, observed from as close as 10 to 20 feet.
Palatine · IL, USA
In 1961, a witness near a missile base in Palatine, Illinois, reported five orange disk-shaped objects bobbing up and down and side to side, over about thirty minutes.
Arlington Heights · IL, USA
Saucer shaped object hovering near flight path of O'Hare Airport at about same level as airplanes going in for a landing
Chicago · IL, USA
In 1961, a witness in Chicago, Illinois, reported a disk-shaped saucer in the sky over the city, remaining visible for about five minutes before it left.
Rockford,il · IL, USA
While walking home from small store in our apt.Complex, I saw a bright lite heading down from sky. I thought the light looked as th
Chicago · IL, USA
AS I LYE IN THE NIGHT, MY EYES FOCUSED ON HEAVEN, FIVE DISCS SILENTLY PASSED OVER SOMETIME ROUND ELEVEN. THESE OVAL SHAPED OBJECTS GAVE
Jacksonville · IL, USA
In late 1959, a witness in Jacksonville, Illinois, reported bright lights from a hovering, unidentified object that emitted a repetitive electrical-sounding noise, for about a minute.
Evanston · IL, USA
In 1959, a group of witnesses in Evanston, Illinois, reported a distant object appearing in the same part of the sky on three consecutive nights, each for about 20 minutes.
Riverside · IL, USA
In 1958, a witness in Riverside, Illinois, near Chicago, reported strange lights and described encountering figures nearby, an event lasting about ten minutes.
Davis Jct. (on highway72 east to highway 51 north) · IL, USA
red light with A GLOW AROUND IT DRIVING TO WORK 10;20PM DRIVING EAST SAW THIS LIGHT MAKING TRIANGLE MOTION CONTINIOUS MOTION IT WENT N.
Rantoul · IL, USA
We had fallen out to the parking lot awaiting marching orders to go to (chow) it was still dark and we saw a light approaching from the
Springfield (rural area near) · IL, USA
This happened many years ago when I was a child. Object, 3' long, crystal type cylinder, pinkish color came in fast from the East and
Quincy (rural) · IL, USA
A witness near Quincy, Illinois reported a saucer-shaped object with lights and a dome atop it, seen for about seven seconds in May 1954.
Cicero · IL, USA
Witnesses in Cicero, Illinois, just west of Chicago, reported an object or formation passing overhead in a triangular pattern for about two minutes in November 1953.
Chicago · IL, USA
A radar operator near Chicago reported tracking an unidentified object moving at an extreme reported speed for about 45 seconds in December 1952.
Chicago (south suburb) · IL, USA
A witness in a south Chicago suburb reported two objects, observed as a preteen in the early 1950s, for about 10 minutes.
Chicago · IL, USA
A witness in Chicago, Illinois reported a metallic, silver, round, saucer-shaped object, observed for about 45 minutes in April 1952.
Johnston City · IL, USA
A 13-year-old witness in Johnston City, Illinois reported watching an object in the sky on a warm July evening in 1947, observed for about 45 seconds.
Keeneyville · IL, USA
A witness in Keeneyville, Illinois reported a burning particle from the sky coinciding with an unusual high-altitude overflight, observed for about five minutes in July 1947.
Oak Lawn · IL, USA
V-formation 5 silver disks with 1 trailing behind, size of small peas high & fast heading NE bypassing Chicago to Indiana