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Here’s A Breakdown Of All The UFO Sightings In 2017
After the emergence of details about a formerly secret Pentagon program that monitored potential alien activity, public interest in UFOs has been piqued. So it’s high time to take a look at the annual report of UFO sightings from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), which recorded nearly 5,000 sightings in 2017.
As the New York Times first reported, new documents related to a previously secret Defense Department “X-Files” program, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), revealed some eye-opening evidence of what appears to be contact with UFOs. The former chief of AATIP, Luis Elizondo, a longtime intelligence officer with the Department of Justice who headed the program for five years, told The Telegraph last week that he believes the program proved “beyond reasonable doubt” that UFOs exist.
“In my opinion, if this was a court of law, we have reached the point of ‘beyond reasonable doubt,'” he said. “I hate to use the term UFO but that’s what we’re looking at,” he added, noting that UFO doesn’t necessarily mean alien spacecraft. “I think it’s pretty clear this is not us, and it’s not anyone else, so no one has to ask questions where they’re from.”
So now that we know “beyond reasonable doubt” that UFOs aren’t just a product of wishful thinking and bad shroom trips, we can take the findings of NUFORC’s report with more than a grain of salt. The organization, founded in 1974, “curates reports of UFO sightings in the U.S. and Canada via a web form and a phone hotline,” PJ Media’s Paula Bolyard notes. It then publishes those reports and organizes the data, of which Bolyard recently provided a helpful summary.
Bolyard notes that NUFORC “logged a total of 4,655 sightings in 2017, down from the 2016 total of 5,619.” The state reporting the most sightings in 2017 was California (490), followed by Florida (308), Washington (192), Arizona (180), and New York (170) (complete list below). A total of 17 states had over a 100 reported sightings; a majority of states had over 60. All 50 states had at least a handful of sightings last year. Here’s the complete list provided by Bolyard:
50. N. Dakota 6
49. Hawaii 13
48. S. Dakota 16
47. Vermont 17
46. Wyoming 17
45. W. Virginia 18
44. Alaska 19
43. Mississippi 21
42. Delaware 22
41. Nebraska 25
40. Rhode Island 28
39. Arkansas 30
38. Louisana 34
37. Maine 35
36. Iowa 40
35. Idaho 41
34. Montana 47
33. Oklahoma 47
32. Kansas 49
31. N. Hampshire 49
30. Indian 53
29. Nevada 55
28. Alabama 60
27. Kentucky 62
26. Utah 67
25. N. Mexico 73
24. Minnesota 81
23. Wisconsin 83
22. Illinois 85
21. Maryland 86
20. Tennessee 88
19. Massachusetts 99
18. Virginia 99
17. S. Carolina 103
16. Missouri 111
15. N. Jersey 111
14. Oregon 111
13. Georgia 113
12. Texas 116
11. Michigan 121
10 N. Carolina 135
9. Connecticut 146
8. Ohio 146
7. Colorado 147
6. Pennsylvania 161
5. New York 170
4. Arizona 180
3. Washington 192
2. Florida 308
1. California 490
NUFORC attempts to speak in person with those who submit reports and determine their degree of credibility. The organization cautions readers that some of the claims are more credible than others and notes that those submitted anonymously and refusing to provide contact info should be taken less seriously. NUFORC also offers a highlight list of reports over the years that it considers to be the “most noteworthy” and credible (see partial list below).
Bolyard provides some highlights of the reports of UFO sightings from 2017, including one of a woman who reported that on Dec. 4 in New Mexico, she and her husband saw a triangular flying object just a few hundred feet away from them moving at “about 100 mph or less” that suddenly “vanished.” NUFORC noted that they found her to be “very eloquent and sober-minded,” concluding that she was an “excellent witness.” Here’s Bolyard’s summary of the recent reports out of California:
Some recent reports out of California include: an “orange light flying in the sky that was changing direction very rapidly” in Sacramento; “a small, quiet, blinking object; it’s movements were very smooth, unlike a plane or a helicopter” in Carmichael; a “group of about 25 chevron shaped crafts all glowing a soft orange color” in Daly City; a “large, dull red-colored, round object with a darker brownish glow around the outside going very fast” in Watsonville; and a “RED light seen at night gliding together and lights disappearing one by one along with sound” in Hawthorn.
And here are the “most noteworthy cases” of UFO sightings since 2000 provided by NUFORC (see the full list here):
St. Clair County, IL – January 05, 2000 – 0410 hrs. (Central)
Officers from eight police departments witness, pursue, and photograph a huge, triangular object. Object “jumps” an estimate 20 miles in seconds. Scott AFB claims they did not see object. DETAILS
Rockford, IL; Prescott, AZ – February 2000 – Evenings
Multiple sightings of clusters of yellow lights appear over Prescott, AZ, and Rockford, IL. No explanation for replica watches sale the events. (See similar event over Carteret, NJ, for July 15, 2001.)
Washington & B.C. – April 28, 2000 – 2200 hrs. (Pacific) DETAILS
Multiple witnesses to a very bright, extremely bright object streaking over Puget Sound from south to north. Looks like a disc. Stops over Aldergrove, B.C., descends, and streaks off.
Rhode Island – June 22, 2000 – 2115 hrs. (Eastern)
A commercial pilot, flying from Nantucket Island, MA, sees a charcoal-black, egg-shaped object streaking toward his airliner. The object is seen on radar to reverse its course and track the a/c!
Oklahoma** – August 11, 2000 – 0200 hrs. (Central)
Law enforcement officer becomes lost at night on a rural road in Oklahoma. Is approached by strange creatures, and he rolex replica uk fires his service revolver. Witness found by police in roadway.
Victoria, B.C. – August 12, 2000 – 0001 hrs. (Pacific)
A group of people at a wedding celebration witness a cluster of lights in the night sky, which form a symmetrical pattern, and hover for 5-10 minutes. The lights then streak off to the east.
North Texas * – September 01, 2000 – 0230 hrs. (Central)
A young woman is driving alone through northern Texas, when a very large and strange light approaches her vehicle. She experiences missing time, and later returns to the site.
Houston, TX – September 08, 2000 – 0800 hrs. (Central)
A man driving to work on the outer ring road witnesses a very bizarre object moving slowly to the south over heavy traffic. He appears to be the only witness.
Northern Idaho* – September 27, 2000 – 2130 hrs. (Mountain)
Four deer hunters, all experienced outdoorsmen, witness a gigantic, unlighted triangular craft pass over their campsite. Two men drive to town. USAF jets fly over camp. FAA report.
Cygnet, OH* – October 31, 2000 – 1915 hrs. (Eastern)
Two young men, driving from Florida to Detroit, witness a “fireball” streaking in front of their car, from east to west. The object stops, and they see that it is a black, egg-shaped object. Hovers.
OR, WA, & B.C. – March 13, 2001 – Evening (3 hrs.) DETAILS
Multiple sightings of yellow lights streaking in night sky over Oregon. Three yellow lights seen by many witnesses streaking rolex replica sale from south to north over Puget Sound in formation.
Mahnomen, MN – March 28, 2001 – 0130 hrs. (Central)
A Canadian truck driver witnesses a disc-shaped object hovering low over the local airport. The disc suddenly accelerates and shoots across the airport, where it hovers above trees.
Bellevue, ID – April 24, 2001 – 1235 hrs. (Mountain)
A local businessman sees some movement in the western sky, and sees a disc-shaped object hovering against the mountains. Other discs streak up to the first, and then the cluster departs.
Carteret, NJ – July 15, 2001 – 00:30 hrs. (Easter)
Two clusters of yellow spheres move across New Jersey very rapidly, then slow and hover in the vicinity of Newark Airport. Multiple witnesses stop on New Jersey Turnpike to view.
Rock River, WY – August 17, 2001 – 2220 hrs. (Mountain)
Multiple reports from Wyoming of a fireball streaking across the sky very rapidly. Railroad conductor witnesses a large, flaming ball of light hovering over an empty field.
Roswell, NM – January 07, 2002 – 2107 hrs. (Mountain)
A man and his son see a dramatically bright fireball overhead, moving from south to north very rapidly. They could hear (!!) the meteor as they watched it pass overhead.
Cape Girardeau, MO – January 26, 2002 – 2145 hrs. (Central) Officer’s Written Report
A radar patrol officer witnesses an unlighted, disc-shaped object, move across the highway. He points his radar gun at the object, but gets no return. He pursues it, but it disappears.
California Desert – January 31, 2002 – 0530 hrs. (Pacific)
A senior INS Border Patrol officer and his dog witness a disc pass over their patrol vehicle very rapidly. Peculiar sound emanates from it. Seconds later, another dozen are witnessed.
Salem, OR – March 29, 2002 – 1920 hrs. (Pacific)
Three teenagers witness several extremely bright lights in the evening sky above an empty field. The object is a triangular, solid craft. It suddenly changes color, turns, and streaks off.
Bakersfield, CA – March 29, 2002 – 2130 hrs. (Pacific)
A young couple, driving south on Interstate 5 approximately 100 miles north of Bakersfield, witness a triangular shaped craft moving slowly above nearby houses, illuminating them.
Yuma, AZ – March 30, 2002 – 1430 hrs. (Pacific)
A group of boaters on the Colorado River, approximately 30 miles north of Yuma, witness three, bright, disc-shaped objects in the sky. Two more suddenly appear. All streak north.
Andrews AFB/Waldorf, MD* – July 26, 2002 – 01:30 hrs. (Eastern) DETAILS
Many people awakened by multiple launches of F-16 fighters, on afterburner, out of Andrews AFB. Many witnesses see two F-16’s in high-speed, low-altitude pursuit of “red ball of light.”
Meriwether Co., GA* – April 13, 2003 – 19:45 hrs. (Eastern)
Three adults are driving in a rural area of Georgia, when all three become aware of flashing lights behind their vehicle. Suddenly, the vehicle is filled with small spheres of red light.
Mexico – March 5, 2004 – Afternoon
A Mexican military surveillance aircraft captures multiple objects with its infra-red sensors. Objects not visible to the flight crew. Extensive publicity about event in May 2004.
Kingfisher, OK – March 21, 2004 – 19:26 hrs. (Central)
Two young women, both college students witness two very bright lights in the night sky, which suddenly descend. The object appeared to land. Other cars parked along the highway.
Rochester, IN – April 8, 2004 – 22:00 hrs. (Central)
Multiple witnesses in northern Indiana witness a very large, disc-shaped object near their respective residences. Analysis suggests that the object was approximately 200 feet in width.
Omaha, NE – March 25, 2004 – 19:00 hrs. (Central) DETAILS
The crew of an airliner report seeing four disc-shaped objects, which remain visible ahead of the aircraft for 10-15 minutes. Objects did not appear on FAA radar during the entire sighting.
Orlando, FL – April 15, 2004 – 06:00 hrs. (Eastern)
A woman awakens and walks to her screened bedroom window. She sees a self-luminous spherical object hovering above the ground. A cat notices objects, which suddenly streaks away.
Port Clements, B.C. – April 21, 2004 – 06:05 hrs. (Pacific)
A young woman walks out of her place of work and sees a contrail in the sky. Upon further observation, she sees a tiny object maneuvering near the aircraft. Object suddenly disappears.
McFall, MO – May 04, 2004 – 03:45 hrs. (Central)
A young woman on a newspaper delivery route witnesses a perfectly spherical, self-luminous “fireball” streak through the sky on the near side of nearby trees. Very fast object.
Seattle, WA – June 20, 2004 – 23:15 hrs. (Pacific)
An adult male was standing outside in the University District, looking to the west, when he observed a bizarre, triangular craft streak from north to south in the clear, cloudless sky.
Twin Cities, MN – August 19, 2004 – 09:00-20:00 hrs. (Central)
A very large, unidentified white object hovered over the Twin Cities area for approximately ten hours. No one, including the FAA or NWS, could identify the object.
Tinley Park, IL – August 21, 2004 – 22:30 hrs. (Central)
Multiple witnesses report seeing three, or more, distinctly red lights hovering in the night sky. The lights moved, relative to one another, and moved off to the south.