UFO sightings increase around the 4th of July

Two weeks from today is the 4th of July, when fireworks fill the sky, and loud bangs send skittish dogs into a frenzy. It's also the time of year when UFO sightings are on the rise, Abby Ohlheiser reports for The Washington Post. While some of those sightings could be attributed to a neighbor shooting off a Roman candle, it might not always be the case. (Metrocosm graphic: Rate of UFO sightings)

For those wondering if anyone else saw the same strange lights they saw, or where in the U.S. the most people claim to see UFO's, Max Glaka of Metrocosm has created interactive maps that chart UFO sightings and has a detailed list of the cities and regions with the most corroborated sightings. That would be Tinley Park, Ill., where in 2004 a total of 77 reports were made of a UFO sighting. Tinley Park is also third and sixth on the list, with 72 reports of a sighting in 2005 and 45 sightings on a different day in 2004. Two of the top 10 incidents occurred on July 4.

While six of the top 10 most reported sightings were at least partially in Illinois, Washington and Vermont have the most sightings, with 37 sightings per every one million people. Montana is third, followed by Oregon, Alaska, New Hampshire, Maine, Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico. The least number of sightings are in the South, led by Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. (Metrocosm map: For an interactive version, click here)