Growing up in rural Illinois, far from the nighttime orange glow of Chicago, the skies were dark, crystal clear, and dazzled with glittering stars. Picking out the Big Dipper was easy, and the muffled sounds from airplanes barely made a peep. So, when something felt out of place, people tended to notice. Every once in a while, you’d cock your head to the side and wonder, “What’s that?” while staring up. And for those who saw an infamous mysterious UFO sighting near Chicago, IL nearly 20 years ago, the answer has yet to be found.

On August 21, 2004, residents and visitors to the southwestern suburb of Tinley Park saw something in the sky that, while familiar, wasn't quite like anything they'd seen before. Less than an hour outside Chicago, the area was used to seeing planes flying to and from O'Hare and Midway airports — however, witnesses didn't believe what they were seeing was an airplane, even though the Chicago Air Show was taking place that weekend.
mysterious UFO sighting near Chicago, IL
History/YouTube
In addition to residents, the mysterious lights were spotted by many concertgoers who were leaving the then-Tweeter Center (today the Credit Union 1 Amphitheater) after seeing Ozzy Osbourne perform.
Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre/Facebook
When eyes turned to the sky, witnesses reported seeing groups of three white or red lights that formed a triangle. The lights appeared to move in a coordinated pattern and would change between moving and sitting stationary for 30 minutes at a time. Unlike the airplanes, the objects made no sound.
tinley park lights
History/YouTube

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Though it was at times hard to see, astonished and confused witnesses rushed to capture photos and video footage that showed the glowing lights and their movement.
History/YouTube
A zoomed-in photo of one of the lights fails to provide an explanation, only adding to the mystery.
tinley park lights 2004
History/YouTube
Then, 71 days later on Halloween, the lights reappeared. They came back on Oct. 1, 2005, and again on Halloween in 2006. With hundreds or more of eyewitnesses, it's a phenomenon that's never truly been explained, although some leading theories have been debunked.
History/YouTube
While many reported seeing the lights over Tinley Park, the nearby suburbs of Orland Park, Oak Forest, Mokena, Matteson, Lake in the Hills, and more also saw the action. Interestingly, a similar light formation was seen in British Columbia and Minnesota in the two days leading up to the Tinley Park sighting.
tinley park lights ufo sighting
AMYamasaki/Flickr
After the sightings in Illinois, the lights were reported in Houston, Texas, then in Melbourne, Australia.

In fact, the sightings were so prolific that they attracted national media attention, including from the History Channel TV show “UFO Hunters,” which featured the lights in an episode. During the segment, witnesses share videos and recall their experiences, and experts attempt to recreate, explain, and experiment on theories related to the lights. Ultimately, no one could explain what had been seen.

Have you ever heard of this mysterious UFO sighting near Chicago, IL? Do you have any UFO sightings in Illinois of your own? Tell us in the comments! And for those who want to believe the truth is out there, this best-selling Etsy shirt was made for you, and this in-demand collection of more than 700 ebooks and documents on UFOs is perfect for ongoing research.

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