UFO sightings in Illinois
There are 147 civilian UFO sighting reports from Illinois in the NUFORC data on this site, dated 1959 to 2013. The busiest year was 2005, with 38 reports. The shapes witnesses reported most were orb (39), disc (22) and sphere (16).
Most reports come from Chicago (13), Tinley Park (13) and Oak Forest (11), out of 85 places in the state with at least one report.
UFO sightings by city in Illinois
Places with at least three reports. 73 other places in Illinois have one or two.
Recent sighting reports from Illinois
The 100 most recent of 147 reports, newest first. The full set is on the map and in the list view.
ufos over i80 between morris and bolingbrook illinois.
Show on mapLoud aircraft with bright colored lights buzzes my neighborhood.
Show on map- 19 Oct 2013 · 20:10SwanseaOther· 7 min
Lights in the clear night sky over Swansea Illinois.
Show on map - 19 Oct 2013 · 10:45MurphysboroOther· 10 min
Orange globes in Southwest sky traveling Northeast toward Benton, Illinois.
Show on map - 15 Oct 2013 · 19:30RockfordAmorphous· 25 min
Bright red, white, and orange lights hovering in the western sky.
Show on map - 14 Oct 2013 · 18:00Vernon HillsCigar· 4 min
Silent tube-like crafts-objects like nothing I have ever seen anywhere!
Show on map - 13 Oct 2013 · 19:30OswegoSphere· 10 min
4 bright orbs in loose triangle over Oswego, IL, planets or hovering craft?
Show on map - 12 Oct 2013 · 22:30LombardOther· 2 min
Two thin, pinkish glowing rings drifting through the air.
Show on map Several stationary orange lights in sky west of Peoria, in a descending arc which dissappeared in twos after a short period of time.
Show on map- 11 Oct 2013 · 22:10LombardFormation· 1 min
5-8 orange lights over suburban Chicago
Show on map - 27 Oct 2012 · 19:15WheatonSphere· 5 min
Orange fly object over Wheaton, IL.
Show on map Bright Light @ Great Speed
Show on map- 24 Oct 2012 · 07:00Blue IslandOrb· 4 s
As I entered my place of business I suddenly looked up west and noticed a blue flame in the sky streaking across at a 45 degree angle m
Show on map - 24 Oct 2012 · 00:30Arlington HeightsOrb· 1 min
Around 12:30 am Wednesday morning, me and my friend witnessed an orange orb-like object hover across the sky. We had been sitting in a
Show on map Unexplained "formation" of red lights that slowly disappeared.
Show on mapFive UFO's went past the three of us
Show on map5 red/orange ovals traveling SW to NE in a straight line , spaced equally apart.
Show on mapElongated rectangular object flying slower than an airplane, but faster than a blimp.
Show on mapSeveral bright copper-colored lights moving across the sky.
Show on map- 13 Oct 2012 · 20:30LemontDisc· 40 min
MULTIPAL YELLOW-ORANGE LIGHTS RISING IN NORTHERN SKY THEN DRIFTING EAST
Show on map - 13 Oct 2012 · 19:20PekinTriangle· 2 min
EIGHT ORANGE AND RED LIGHTS OVER PEKIN, IL.
Show on map UFO’s spotted in Chicago in the early morning on 10/12/12.
Show on map- 11 Oct 2012 · 22:15Blue IslandSphere· 45 s
Red circular object surrounded by yellow glow flying w/no sound quickly coming out of east turning southbound
Show on map - 10 Oct 2012 · 20:30MarionOrb· 4 min
I was leaving my friend's house to go home. My friend and her 3 1/2 year old daughter walked me to her front door when she noticed all
Show on map - 2 Oct 2012 · 06:15CantonDisc· 5 s
This is my second sighting near this area since 2001.
Show on map - 1 Oct 2012 · 19:30HinsdaleOrb· 3 min
Orange fireball quickly ascending in sky in West suburbs of Chicago
Show on map Triangle formation of 3 Bright White Lights in Sky over matteson IL
Show on mapTriangle Formation of Bright lights in SKY
Show on mapLight-filled balloon-like objects [15-25]in the eastern sky drifted northward for about 3min.,stopped for 1min, then disappeared.
Show on mapThey were round in shap moving very fast up and down lights were flashing fast i seen at least four they were poping in and out for abo
Show on mapStrange object observed in sky near Dresden Nuclear Station, Illinois
Show on map- 18 Oct 2011 · 19:00Country Club HillsDisc· 10 min
A saucer seen by 3 peole hat wen very slow,.
Show on map - 18 Oct 2011 · 01:40BaylisOther· 5 min
Strange lights and crasing object near Bayliss IL.
Show on map - 17 Oct 2011 · 19:45New LenoxDisc· 3 min
Two witnesses watch 30ft disc fall from high altitude in seconds, change axis, stop 30ft over highway, pass slowly and silently between
Show on map A bright blue light all around it and a red light under it., it was not moving for about 10mins after that started moving very slow
Show on map- 15 Oct 2011 · 21:49Sugar GroveOrb· 10 min
White lights in the clouds over US Rt 30, three separate witnesses, no alternate explanation to be found.
Show on map - 11 Oct 2011 · 03:15OmahaBoomerang· 2 min
I noticed the craft as it had just passed over Rt 1. i brought my semi to a stop and shut down the engine. the craft was very large,as
Show on map - 1 Oct 2011 · 20:30PalatineOrb· 2 min
Orange and Red light
Show on map - 26 Oct 2010 · 07:30BolingbrookRectangle· 20 min
Bright light.
Show on map - 25 Oct 2010 · 22:45PlainfieldTriangle· 1 min
I went outside for a cigarette on my front porch. I heard a crazy sound and immediately got sort of frightended. I looked up and saw a
Show on map - 15 Oct 2010 · 02:00Western SpringsOther· 10 min
light when i took picture i see object in pic disk
Show on map - 13 Oct 2010 · 17:30FloraOther· 2 min
Strange gray object spotted in my small town
Show on map - 13 Oct 2010 · 16:00NapervilleCigar· 15 min
Vertical cigar shaped object in western horizon sited, then disappears...
Show on map - 10 Oct 2010 · 20:45SterlingCigar· 10 min
It had rows of white lights with red lights pulsating in between them
Show on map - 2 Oct 2010 · 09:00GalenaTriangle· 20 s
10/02/10 - Galena, Illinois a triangular shaped object flying low, straight, silent with constant lights on each corner. Lasting 20 SEC
Show on map - 24 Oct 2009 · 20:35Crystal LakeCigar· 2 min
Several Hundred Foot Long Orange/Gold Cylindrical Object
Show on map - 19 Oct 2009 · 06:15Hanover ParkDisc· 2 s
Floating Disc with three colors
Show on map UFO Sighting on October 25, 2008 in Tinley Park, Illinois West on I-80
Show on mapAre The Tinley Park Lights coming back for Halloween 2008?
Show on map- 23 Oct 2008 · 21:05GalesburgOrb· 7 s
Fireball accross sky, didnt seem like meteor.
Show on map - 19 Oct 2008 · 17:00CaryDisc· 35 s
at 4:00pm i saw a silver football shaped object in the skies above Cary Ill.
Show on map - 18 Oct 2008 · 19:50KankakeeOrb· 1 s
I was traveling north on I-57 just south of Kankakee, IL. I saw a single bright white light that either moved straight down or straight
Show on map - 11 Oct 2008 · 20:30Villa Park/LombardAmorphous· 5 min
Several Orange Lights Over Vila Park Lomabrd Areas 10-11-2008
Show on map On October 21, 2007 I observed 2 UFO's in Chicago's northern suburbs at 8p.m..
Show on map- 20 Oct 2007 · 21:55PittsfieldTriangle· 2 min
Triangle shaped craft spotted about 75ft. off the ground made no noise as it hovered. Had white, red, and green lights.
Show on map Dark object moving papidly to the east
Show on mapOversized jet fastest thing i ever seen no noise at all
Show on map- 1 Oct 2007 · 13:00LitchfieldDisc· 2 s
Seen shiny aluminum colored craft @ Yeager Lake in Litchfield
Show on map - 25 Oct 2006 · 19:15FairburyDisc· 10 s
2 OVAL SHAPED OBJECTS PURSUING EACH OTHER
Show on map - 25 Oct 2006 · 16:00ChampaignAmorphous· 10 min
Object or objects sighted over field
Show on map - 20 Oct 2006 · 15:00EvanstonCigar· 30 s
Object emerged from clouds and disappeared again
Show on map Apparent fixed wing aircraft flying at a few thousand feet making no noise.
Show on map- 17 Oct 2006 · 21:15Downers GroveBoomerang· 3 min
A vertical chevron shaped object with lights on the top and bottom floating from West to East.
Show on map It was a dark circle with several exrememly bright, shiny, silver lines/beams emitting from the entire circle. It moved quickly from ea
Show on map- 1 Oct 2006 · 14:00PlainfieldDisc· 5 min
My dad wanted me to tell you that in October of 2006 he was putting up christmas lights and my brother was with him and my dad looked u
Show on map - 27 Oct 2005 · 19:30EdwardsvilleAmorphous· 1 h
Bright white balls over Edwardsville, Iillinois. ((NUFORC Note: Possible advertising lights. PD))
Show on map Strange glowing redish orange light hovering over 88th Avenue in Tinley Park, IL
Show on mapRed light moving over Chicago's South Suburbs during White Sox World Series.
Show on map- 20 Oct 2005 · 23:00GenevaOther· 15 min
Circular cloud formation surrounding the moon. ((NUFORC Note: Probable "Moon dog," caused by high-altitude ice crystals. PD))
Show on map - 20 Oct 2005 · 22:30MolineTriangle· 2 min
A huge giant black isoceles triangular craft flew over in total silence and then took off at Mach 10
Show on map ((NUFORC Note: Possible sighting of Mars? PD)) A BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT HANGING IN THE SOUTHWEST SKY.
Show on map- 18 Oct 2005 · 01:15Hickory HillsFormation· 15 s
one object with three strobe lights pulsating - been over 10min in one position then moved very fast thru other position .
Show on map Multicolored strange object over Chicago. ((NUFORC Note: Possible twinkling star. PD))
Show on map- 15 Oct 2005 · 11:00JolietOrb· 1 s
A large flash in the sky, only for a short time.
Show on map I saw a red lite moving accross the sky very slowly and totally silent.
Show on mapSeen over the Tinley Park, IL. area. Three red lights hovering in the sky. Changed from red to green and back again.
Show on map- 1 Oct 2005 · 03:00PosenOrb· 20 min
3 Red lights in triangle formation moving slowly and silently
Show on map RED LIGHTS SEEN IN ALSIP ILLINOIS
Show on map- 1 Oct 2005 · 01:10CrestwoodOrb· 5 min
3 small lights formed a triangle then straight line, took a digital picture, zoomed in a saw 3 lights inside each individual
Show on map - 1 Oct 2005 · 01:10HillsideAmorphous· 7 s
Initially observed a white dot in the northwestern sky which prompted me to obtain my binoculars to obtain a closer look. I then observ
Show on map - 1 Oct 2005 · 01:10ManhattanTriangle· 10 s
Tinley Park Lights Are Back!!!
Show on map There were 3 red lights, sometimes they were in a trianlge and than in straight line. they went away one by on. After 1:00 am
Show on map3 red lights over chicagoland area
Show on mapit lasted for about one minute
Show on mapTwo red lights sitting in the sky, but I couldn't not make out an object.
Show on mapred dots seen in sky formed triangle
Show on map- 1 Oct 2005 · 01:00MidlothianOrb· 25 min
Red lights, southland Chicago
Show on map 3 red lights altered formations and each indiviadual light disappeared at different times
Show on mapThat night after closing my garage door I glanced as I normally do towards the North Star..to my amazement just west of the North star
Show on map- 1 Oct 2005 · 01:00Posen/MidlothianFormation· 15 min
3 Red Lights slowly flew over South Suburbs of Chicago at 1am 1Oct05, then disappeared one at a time.
Show on map Three red blinking dots in the sky that hoovered unlike an airplane that I know of.
Show on map3 red lights in Tinley Park sky
Show on mapThree Red Lights Over Tinley Park
Show on mapI saw 3 red flashing/blinking lights in sky 1:00am 10-1-05 over Tinley Park IL
Show on mapsaw three red glowing lights in the sky above, in Tinley park Il.
Show on mapRed lights in sky over Orland Park, Illinois
Show on mapRed lights over Orland Park
Show on map- 1 Oct 2005 · 00:55Midlothian/PosenOrb· 15 min
3 pulsing red lights in triangular formation over Midlothian & Posen, IL...One by one they flicker out and dissappear.
Show on map 3 red lights over Tinley Park
Show on map3 red lights hovering in the northeast sky
Show on map
47 older reports are not listed here. Open the list view to read them all.
Where these reports come from
Reports are from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) public database: what members of the public said they saw, in their own words. Nobody has checked them, and most sightings have ordinary explanations.