Manchester named UK area with most UFO sightings in 2022 - full list of other areas including London
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Greater Manchester has been named the area in the UK with the most UFO sightings in 2022. Using data from UFO Identified and their UK UFO Report 2022 based on Freedom of Information requests, researchers at Bonus Insider said the area tops the list with a total of 26 reports of either unidentified flying objects or unidentified aerial phenomena.
The study said there were a total of 497 sightings across the UK last year, an increase of 20% from the previous year when there were 413. Out of all 497 reports, assessed by UFO Identified for 2022, the vast majority were in England – 411 sightings compared to 52 sightings in Scotland, 30 in Wales, and only four in Northern Ireland.
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Hide AdThe figure also revealed the regions in England with the most UFO sightings last year, with the South East topping the list with 75 sightings, followed by the North West with 68 sightings and South West with 60 sightings. Meanwhile, London reported 24 sightings last year, trailing behind the East Midlands with 28 sightings.
According to the data, you are most likely to see a UFO in the evenings (between 9pm and 10pm) and on Saturdays, while the most common type of UFO is described by witnesses as “star-like”.
In comparison, there were 465 sightings in 2020 and 413 in 2021, which means that people saw more unexplained phenomena last year than they previously had. In fact, there has been an increase in sightings across all countries, with the exception of Northern Ireland.
The UK has a long history of UFO sightings, with reports dating back close to a century. While many of these sightings have been explained as misidentifications of natural phenomena or military aircraft, there are still a significant number of sightings that remain unexplained.
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Hide AdThis, said the study, refers to the mystery surrounding the three unidentified objects over North America recently which they deemed to be ‘spy balloons’ from China. Several agencies from Canada and the US conducted “systematic searches” over Alaska, Lake Huron, and the Yukon for a week, but were unable to spot anything of interest.
Ufologists have also warned alien origin cannot be excluded, since these objects were of various shapes and sizes, and it is unclear how they were able to fly at such high altitudes. The study said: “Were they manually steered, or did they float? One object had an octagonal shape, quite unusual for a balloon, while another was cylindrical.”
While there is no tangible evidence that UFO sightings are proof of extraterrestrial life, many people believe they are proof of alien visitations. So if you find yourself in one of the areas with a high concentration of sightings, keep your eyes peeled because the truth may just be out there.
What is a UFO?
According to Britanica, unidentified flying object (UFO), also called flying saucer, is an aerial object or optical phenomenon not readily identifiable to the observer. UFOs became a major subject of interest following the development of rocketry after World War II and were thought by some researchers to be intelligent extraterrestrial life visiting Earth.
UK areas with the most UFO sightings in 2022 - full list
- Greater Manchester - 26 sightings
- Greater London - 20 sightings
- Lancashire - 19 sightings
- Hampshire - 19 sightings
- West Midlands - 17 sightings
- Cheshire - 15 sightings
- Essex - 14 sightings
- Somerset - 14 sightings
- Staffordshire - 14 sightings
- Worcestershire - two sightings
- Cumbria - two sightings
- Isle of Wight - one sighting
- Herefordshire - one sighting
England regions with the most UFO sightings in 2022 - full list
- South East - 75 sightings
- North West - 68 sightings
- South West - 60 sightings
- East England - 53 sightings
- Yorkshire and Humber - 44 sightings
- West Midlands - 42 sightings
- East Midlands - 28 sightings
- London - 24 sightings
- North East - 17 sightings
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