Scotland has been treated to a wave of earthly activity recently, from seeing the Northern Lights overhead to feeling earthquakes beneath our feet. Now, there are murmurings of movements from extra-terrestrial life.
Scots have always been partial to a UFO sighting. Just days before Christmas, an orange ball of light in the skies over Alva, Clackmannanshire, was recorded on a database of potential UFO sightings.
The spate of happenings may move people to wonder how Scotland fares against the rest of the UK in terms of spotting glowing teardrops, speedy silver circles, massive stretches of light, or simply bizarre objects in the skies.
According to Slotwise, Glasgow ranks fourth in the UK cities with the most number of UFO sightings. The Dear Green Place notes 51 sightings, only pipped to the post by London, Manchester, and Birmingham, which recorded 280, 88, and 73 reports of phenomena respectively. Maybe aliens are big fans of Glasgow Green or Kelvingrove Park.
One of the most intriguing aspects of UFO sightings is the description of the objects. According to reports, one UFO truther in the West Dunbartonshire town of Dumbarton said they saw a “massive stretch of light going at least 500mph”.
The year with the most UFO sightings in the UK was 2009 with 286. In comparison, 2024 was a relatively quiet year, with 89 supposed sightings over the 12 months. Saying that, certain months see a noticeable spike in sightings.
Summer evenings often producing the most reports. With Earth bustling and lively during these months, it might just be the perfect time for intergalactic tourists to pay a visit. Either that or the skies are brighter and it’s easier to see mysteries at twilight.
UFOs seem to come in all shapes and sizes, too, according to the data. The most common thing people see when they believe they spot one is a beam of light. Circles and triangles are the second and third most popular shapes.
City | Number of UFO Sightings |
---|---|
London | 280 |
Manchester | 88 |
Birmingham | 73 |
Glasgow | 51 |
Liverpool | 48 |
Bristol | 38 |
Nottingham | 38 |
Coventry | 31 |
Cardiff | 31 |
Sheffield | 28 |
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