UFOs over Champaign, Illinois May 2001...

I came across this on youtube while looking at a completely different topic. Gotta love the youtube suggestions section

The video says it was filmed this year but it wasn't. I googled it and can't really find much on this particular video since it was just uploaded this month. According to the comments by the uploader It was filmed in May 2001 on an old school Panasonic VHS recorder.

These lights hovered over the Market Street Apartments, moving in differnet formation till they were in the formation you see now on the video. Then in a very low, deep hum, the lights started to move very slowly north to Rantoul while flashes in different patterns and colors.

Rantoul, Illinois is the former home of Chanute AFB(closed 8yrs before this video,btw)... it's pretty open country in that region of Illinois, really dark outside of the city limits as its mainly farmland. My guess, is that area is about a 3-4 on the light pollution scale (NYC is a 9.5-10)
And Champaign...birthplace of IE(check 'about IE' in browser to verify) Youtube and Playboy, well i've seen enough odd stuff in those clear skies to not be too surprised.

Now they did have a skydiving company open up there on the base after it was shut down, from what i saw the last I was up there so....

guess 1) Night divers??

reply to post by ahmonrarh


Interesting! I didn't know that about the area. I found it looking for music videos lol.

I will have to look into the area more after I get home from the beach later.

Not sure what night time sky divers look like. I'll check youtube


I live near an AFB and the Kennedy Space Center and I have seen some odd stuff in the skies here. Makes you wonder what they could be testing late at night when people are suppose to be asleep.

Thanks for the reply.



Also could you tell what you have seen in that area?

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Here's one example of nighttime skydivers.



I have to wonder, if we assume the video in the OP is of skydivers, what would be the purpose of the apparently ultra-bright flashing light that we see at random on some of the objects? Maybe someone with some military knowledge could shed some light on that.

Ahhh, I love this part of IL. It is amazing the things you can see in the sky when you drive your 4x4 out to the middle of a muddy cornfield.You just let down the tailgate and lay back and enjoy the show.

There are several sightings that happen in IL. This video is interesting! I really do not think that at that time and place you would have Chinese Lanterns floating around, IMO.

Thanks for reminding me of those fabulous IL skies. I will be watching this one develop.

They look like these in my opinion ....military parachute flares .

I thought so too, Gortex. What's up with that flashing though? Do flares do that?

First thing that comes to mind was stealth blimp(s). Surveillance platforms, or for moving large payloads, etc, etc. Any guess on the size?

reply to post by Orkojoker


Thanks and I've been looking at night time sky diving videos.

IDK still not sure if I think it is a night time sky diver vid. From the ones I've watched the last couple days none seem to look like the video from Illinois.

The lights in the sky dive videos move, these seem to be more stationary for the most part. As for the flashing light, still not sure.

I'll try and message the uploader on youtube and see if I can get in contact with the people who actually witnessed it.

Thanks

reply to post by gortex


Thanks Gortex but the objects in your video show smoke from the flare, the video I posted shows nothing like that. I don't think they are the same. The flares in your video drop down rapidly, the objects in the video I posted do move the same way.

I will look at more flare videos though. Thanks

Originally posted by Doodle19815
Ahhh, I love this part of IL. It is amazing the things you can see in the sky when you drive your 4x4 out to the middle of a muddy cornfield.You just let down the tailgate and lay back and enjoy the show.

There are several sightings that happen in IL. This video is interesting! I really do not think that at that time and place you would have Chinese Lanterns floating around, IMO.

Thanks for reminding me of those fabulous IL skies. I will be watching this one develop.

I loved growing up there also. I memorized the constellations by the time I was 8, I spent every possible clear/warm night laying back on a towel, looking up and referencing a constellation book my dad gave me.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Chinese lanterns........flashing lights are just flame ups. I used to live there and had never heard of night jumps. Too close to Willard airport in Cham-bana. My 2 cents.