From the mysterious crash in Roswell to the secretive grounds of Area 51, America’s obsession with the otherworldly is longstanding. However, some states are much hotter hotspots for UFO enthusiasts than others.
Outforia, a nature-focused publication, used National UFO Reporting Center data to pinpoint which U.S. states have the most UFO sightings, a handy tip for skywatchers hoping to spot something extraordinary.
The typical UFO sighting, as reported in Outforia’s analysis of 27,760 cases, is most often a bright “light” in the sky. Witnesses also report a variety of other shapes, like “circles” and “triangles,” with 14,368 and 12,290 sightings, respectively.
So read on to find out which state’s sky is more often filled with unexplained lights, and where E.T. might choose to phone home if he visited Earth today.
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10. Michigan
UFO sightings: 3,383
Michigan may not lead the list of states with the most UFO sightings, but the Great Lakes State is a hotbed for unexplained aerial phenomena. In just the first half of 2023, there have been 40 reports of unidentified flying objects in Michigan. The state’s most noteworthy extraterrestrial event happened on March 8, 1994, when over 300 people across 42 counties witnessed an array of flickering lights in the sky, flashing in blue, red, white, and green, resembling festive airborne decorations. This “festive” celestial event remains a Michigan mystery, intriguing enough to feature in an episode of Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries.”
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9. Illinois
UFO sightings: 4,025
With more than 4,000 reports, Illinois has had its fair share of UFO sightings. One of the most famous incidents happened at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in November 2006 when multiple witnesses, including United Airlines employees and pilots, reported seeing a saucer-shaped object hovering over the airport
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8. Ohio
UFO sightings: 4,110
The Buckeye State is not a stranger to unexplained celestial events with over 4,100 reports of UFO sightings. Ohio’s most famous UFO sighting—an inspiration for a scene in Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” happened on April 17, 1966, in Portage County. Deputies Dale Spaur and Barney Neff chased a bright, dome-shaped object for 86 miles, starting near Randolph and ending in Pennsylvania.
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7. Pennsylvania
UFO sightings: 4,592
Ranked 7th on the list of the Top 10, Pennsylvania is increasingly becoming a hotbed for UFO sightings. The most infamous event in the state’s UFO history is the Kecksburg UFO incident of 1965, where a mysterious fireball was reported to have crashed in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania.
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6. Arizona
UFO sightings: 4,604
Arizona has long had a history of UFO sightings, but undoubtedly, the most reported event happened on March 13, 1997 when thousands witnessed mysterious lights over a 300-mile stretch from the Nevada line, through Phoenix, to the edge of Tucson. The sightings involved two key events: a triangular formation of lights gliding over the state and stationary lights hovering above Phoenix.
Image Credit: Paul Campbell / iStock.
5. New York
UFO sightings: 5,403
The 1984 Hudson Valley UFO sightings are among New York’s most significant, with countless locals reporting massive, V-shaped objects adorned with flashing lights. This mass sighting, observed by more people than any other event in the area, had everyone talking about possible extraterrestrial visitors. However, officials later attributed the phenomenon to local pilots flying in formation.
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4. Texas
UFO sightings: 5,631
Ranking fourth on the list of top 10 states for UFO sightings, the Lone Star State has its fair share of mysterious skyward events. One of the most talked-about incidents is the “Stephenville Lights” of 2008. In this small Texas town, dozens of people — including a pilot and a police officer — reported seeing large, silent, and fast-moving objects with bright lights. The sightings gained national attention, sparking debates and theories ranging from military jets to otherworldly visitors
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3. Washington
UFO sightings: 6,720
With almost 7,000 reported UFO sightings to date, Washington State is a hotspot for mysterious aerial phenomena. The state has a long history of UFO sightings, dating to 1947 when pilot Kenneth Arnold, who was flying from Chehalis to Yakima, spotted nine large, shiny objects flying near Mt. Rainier.
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2. Florida
UFO sightings: 7,513
The Sunshine State is a prime destination vacation spot for everyone, including apparently aliens, as it ranks second with more than 7,500 UFO reports to date.
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1. California
UFO sightings: 15,072
With 15,072 sightings recorded, the Golden State is not just about Hollywood stars – it’s also a hotspot for stars of a more mysterious kind. The most recent noteworthy UFO sighting in California occurred in April 2021 over Twentynine Palms, where dozens of people reported seeing a mysterious triangle in the sky.
This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.
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