UFO sightings by period

UFO sightings in the 1970s: 481 reports

SkyUnknown lists 481 UFO sightings in the 1970s worldwide, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES) for 365 cases, Aeronautica Militare (Italie) for 100, and PURSUE (gouvernement des États-Unis) for 16. The busiest year was 1978, with 156 cases.

Of the 481 cases with a conclusion from their source, 31% are explained (with certainty or probably), 42% lack the data to conclude, and 133 remain unidentified. The most frequent identified causes: moon (10); aircraft (6); optical phenomena (4).

Most frequently named places: Kourou (3), Reims (3), Fontvieille (2), Jeumont (2), and Nancy (2).

cases: 481
unidentified: 133
period: 1970–1979
sources: 3

Map of the cases

Notable cases

The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.

All decades

Sightings by year

70 4

71 9

72 18

73 9

74 8

Identified causes

For cases explained with certainty or probably.

By country

The 200 most recent sightings (out of 481)

Date	Place	Status	Identified cause
December 20, 1979	Le Vigen · Haute-Vienne	Explained	Optical phenomena
December 18, 1979	Haucourt-Moulaine · Meurthe-et-Moselle	Insufficient data
December 15, 1979	Nantes · Loire-Atlantique	Unexplained
December 14, 1979	Villemontais · Loire	Insufficient data
December 12, 1979	Paris	Insufficient data
December 8, 1979	Arc-sur-Tille · Côte-d'Or	Unexplained
December 7, 1979	Neuvy-le-Roi · Indre-et-Loire	Explained
December 6, 1979	Plancoët · Côtes-d'Armor	Insufficient data
December 5, 1979	Decize · Nièvre	Insufficient data
December 3, 1979	Metz · Moselle	Unexplained
December 2, 1979	Pithiviers · Loiret	Probably explained	Aircraft
December 1, 1979	Braux · Alpes-de-Haute-Provence	Explained	Moon
November 29, 1979	Le Fousseret · Haute-Garonne	Explained
November 27, 1979	Pont-Sainte-Maxence · Oise	Insufficient data
November 26, 1979	Cergy Pontoise · Val-d'Oise	Probably explained
November 26, 1979	Tilh · Landes	Insufficient data
November 25, 1979	Le Port · La Réunion	Insufficient data
November 21, 1979	Châteauponsac · Haute-Vienne	Unexplained
November 18, 1979	Homécourt · Meurthe-et-Moselle	Insufficient data
November 15, 1979	Reims · Marne	Insufficient data
November 14, 1979	Circourt · Vosges	Unexplained
November 11, 1979	Loiret	Insufficient data
November 1, 1979	La Réole · Gironde	Insufficient data
October 25, 1979	Fresnay-le-Comte · Eure-et-Loir	Explained	Optical phenomena
October 20, 1979	France	Insufficient data
October 10, 1979	Troyes · Aube	Insufficient data
October 9, 1979	Louhans · Saône-et-Loire	Probably explained
October 3, 1979	Aeroporto Di Viterbo	Unexplained
September 24, 1979	Yzeure · Allier	Insufficient data
September 23, 1979	Maubeuge · Nord	Unexplained
September 20, 1979	Vouillé · Vienne	Insufficient data
September 19, 1979	Lyons-la-Forêt · Eure	Unexplained
September 17, 1979	Vieille-Église · Pas-de-Calais	Insufficient data
September 13, 1979	Mortara	Explained	Balloons
September 8, 1979	Noirmoutier · Vendée	Insufficient data
September 8, 1979	Évrecy · Calvados	Probably explained
September 1979	Donchery · Ardennes	Insufficient data
September 1979	Foucherans · Jura	Insufficient data
August 31, 1979	Montpellier · Hérault	Insufficient data
August 30, 1979	Lus-la-Croix-Haute · Drôme	Explained
August 28, 1979	Bonneuil-sur-Marne · Val-de-Marne	Insufficient data
August 24, 1979	Athis-Mons · Essonne	Insufficient data
August 22, 1979	Belvédère-Campomoro	Probably explained	Aircraft
August 11, 1979	Mirebeau · Vienne	Probably explained
August 5, 1979	Achères · Yvelines	Insufficient data
July 28, 1979	Herblay · Val-d'Oise	Insufficient data
July 25, 1979	Colombes · Hauts-de-Seine	Insufficient data
July 23, 1979	Saint-Lys · Haute-Garonne	Insufficient data
July 21, 1979	Pranles · Ardèche	Unexplained
July 20, 1979	Annecy · Haute-Savoie	Probably explained
July 16, 1979	La Garenne-Colombes · Hauts-de-Seine	Explained
July 16, 1979	Le Pouliguen · Loire-Atlantique	Explained	Moon
July 16, 1979	Saint-Pierre et Miquelon	Unexplained
July 15, 1979	Castetnau-Camblong · Pyrénées-Atlantiques	Insufficient data
July 14, 1979	Beauvais · Oise	Probably explained
July 14, 1979	Toulouse · Haute-Garonne	Insufficient data
July 13, 1979	Argenteuil · Val-d'Oise	Insufficient data
July 13, 1979	Fréjus · Var	Probably explained	Balloons
July 10, 1979	Cholet · Maine-et-Loire	Probably explained
July 4, 1979	Foix · Ariège	Explained
July 1979	Carentoir · Morbihan	Insufficient data
June 30, 1979	Saint-Florent · Loiret	Explained	Moon
June 30, 1979	Salon-de-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône	Probably explained
June 21, 1979	38.02°, 17.41°	Probably explained	Re-entries
June 18, 1979	Treviso	Unexplained
June 15, 1979	Soulaines-Dhuys · Aube	Explained
June 10, 1979	Challain-la-Potherie · Maine-et-Loire	Insufficient data
June 8, 1979	Bourgneuf-en-Retz · Loire-Atlantique	Insufficient data
June 3, 1979	Argilly · Côte-d'Or	Insufficient data
June 3, 1979	Rueil-Malmaison · Hauts-de-Seine	Insufficient data
May 31, 1979	Gentilly · Val-de-Marne	Explained
May 30, 1979	Avize · Marne	Insufficient data
May 29, 1979	Merfy · Marne	Explained
May 26, 1979	-1.22°, -81.12°	Insufficient data
May 25, 1979	Lyon · Rhône	Probably explained
May 15, 1979	Le Châtelard · Savoie	Probably explained
May 14, 1979	Vienne · Isère	Probably explained
May 8, 1979	Sellières · Jura	Explained
April 27, 1979	Saint-Germain-le-Gaillard · Manche	Insufficient data
April 17, 1979	Courthézon · Vaucluse	Insufficient data
April 15, 1979	Châteaugiron · Ille-et-Vilaine	Probably explained
April 7, 1979	Cozes · Charente-Maritime	Insufficient data
April 2, 1979	Beaucourt · Territoire de Belfort	Explained
March 31, 1979	Morgny-la-Pommeraye · Seine-Maritime	Probably explained
March 22, 1979	Chef-du-Pont · Manche	Insufficient data
March 22, 1979	Montguyon · Charente-Maritime	Insufficient data
March 21, 1979	Gardouch · Haute-Garonne	Explained
March 19, 1979	Nice · Alpes-Maritimes	Probably explained
March 18, 1979	La Motte-Servolex · Savoie	Insufficient data
March 18, 1979	Landivisiau · Finistère	Unexplained
March 15, 1979	Le Coteau · Loire	Probably explained
March 11, 1979	Saint-Marcel (01) 11.03.1979 « les Poissons »	Explained
February 26, 1979	Murviel-lès-Béziers · Hérault	Probably explained
February 22, 1979	Pietralcina	Unexplained
February 14, 1979	Agro Perinaldo	Unexplained
February 14, 1979	Sanremo	Unexplained
February 14, 1979	Vénissieux · Rhône	Insufficient data
February 6, 1979	Nice · Alpes-Maritimes	Probably explained
February 4, 1979	Boulay-Moselle · Moselle	Explained
January 31, 1979	Sondernach · Haut-Rhin	Insufficient data
January 29, 1979	Hourtin · Gironde	Insufficient data
January 26, 1979	Valenciennes · Nord	Insufficient data
January 25, 1979	Châteauneuf-de-Galaure · Drôme	Insufficient data
January 24, 1979	Finistère	Explained	Ground lights and lasers
January 19, 1979	Marseille-en-Beauvaisis · Oise	Explained
January 14, 1979	Coulonges-Cohan · Aisne	Probably explained
January 14, 1979	Pulfero	Unexplained
January 13, 1979	Nègrepelisse · Tarn-et-Garonne	Probably explained
January 13, 1979	Saint-Mandé · Val-de-Marne	Explained
January 13, 1979	Trélou-sur-Marne · Aisne	Insufficient data
January 11, 1979	Aix-en-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône	Probably explained
January 11, 1979	Brive · Corrèze	Explained
January 10, 1979	Fiume Veneto	Unexplained
January 8, 1979	S. Croce Arno	Unexplained
January 6, 1979	Bannalec · Finistère	Probably explained
January 3, 1979	Saverne · Bas-Rhin	Probably explained
January 2, 1979	Civitelia Casanova	Unexplained
January 2, 1979	Mauléon-Licharre · Pyrénées-Atlantiques	Insufficient data
January 2, 1979	Noyant-la-Gravoyère · Maine-et-Loire	Insufficient data
January 1979	Jeumont · Nord	Insufficient data
December 31, 1978	Stagno Longu Di Posada	Unexplained
December 29, 1978	Masone	Unexplained
December 29, 1978	Ormoy-la-Rivière · Essonne	Unexplained
December 28, 1978	Bayonne · Pyrénées-Atlantiques	Insufficient data
December 27, 1978	Scoffera Di Torriglia	Unexplained
December 25, 1978	Trino Di Cicagna	Unexplained
December 25, 1978	Veyre-Monton · Puy-de-Dôme	Explained
December 24, 1978	Caltagirone	Unexplained
December 24, 1978	Cournon · Puy-de-Dôme	Insufficient data
December 24, 1978	Pietraca Mela	Unexplained
December 24, 1978	Porto Empedocle	Unexplained
December 22, 1978	Policoro	Unexplained
December 20, 1978	Aramon · Gard	Insufficient data
December 20, 1978	Citta’ Ducale	Unexplained
December 20, 1978	Licata	Unexplained
December 20, 1978	Mazzarino	Unexplained
December 19, 1978	Caltagirone	Unexplained
December 19, 1978	Meaux · Seine-et-Marne	Explained
December 17, 1978	Spino D’Adda	Unexplained
December 17, 1978	Tortona	Unexplained
December 16, 1978	Caltanissetta	Unexplained
December 16, 1978	Montebello Di Bertona	Unexplained
December 15, 1978	Airola	Unexplained
December 15, 1978	Frosinone	Unexplained
December 15, 1978	San Benedetto Del Tronto	Unexplained
December 15, 1978	San Cataldo Notturno	Unexplained
December 15, 1978	Vasto	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Carcare	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Chieti	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Corigliano Calabro	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Loreto	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Matelica	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Pescara	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Pezza Piana	Unexplained
December 14, 1978	Sciacca	Unexplained
December 13, 1978	Fano	Unexplained
December 13, 1978	Lanciano	Unexplained
December 13, 1978	Neive	Unexplained
December 12, 1978	Amaseno	Unexplained
December 12, 1978	Candela	Unexplained
December 12, 1978	San Tifeo	Unexplained
December 11, 1978	Donnici	Unexplained
December 11, 1978	France	Probably explained	Re-entries
December 11, 1978	Messina	Unexplained
December 11, 1978	Pianecrati	Unexplained
December 11, 1978	S. Erasmo	Unexplained
December 11, 1978	T. Imerese	Unexplained
December 10, 1978	Andria	Unexplained
December 10, 1978	Pomezia	Unexplained
December 10, 1978	Roussillon · Isère	Explained
December 10, 1978	Ugento	Unexplained
December 9, 1978	Monte Urpinu	Unexplained
December 8, 1978	Barletta	Unexplained
December 7, 1978	Chamonix-Mont-Blanc · Haute-Savoie	Probably explained	Aircraft
December 6, 1978	Saint-Fons · Rhône	Insufficient data
December 4, 1978	Trévoux · Ain	Insufficient data
December 3, 1978	Pierrefort · Cantal	Insufficient data
December 1978	Fontvieille · Bouches-du-Rhône	Insufficient data
November 29, 1978	Giulianova	Unexplained
November 25, 1978	Saint-Junien · Haute-Vienne	Insufficient data
November 21, 1978	La Mure · Isère	Probably explained	Weather and storms
November 21, 1978	Marolles-lès-Saint-Calais · Sarthe	Explained
November 19, 1978	Suni	Unexplained
November 15, 1978	Poindimié	Probably explained
November 14, 1978	Javerdat · Haute-Vienne	Probably explained
November 8, 1978	France	Probably explained	Re-entries
November 6, 1978	Mareuil-sur-Lay-Dissais · Vendée	Insufficient data
November 2, 1978	France	Insufficient data
October 30, 1978	Lormes · Nièvre	Probably explained
October 28, 1978	Mornant · Rhône	Probably explained
October 23, 1978	Casteljaloux · Lot-et-Garonne	Unexplained
October 15, 1978	Labruguière · Tarn	Insufficient data
October 13, 1978	France	Probably explained
October 12, 1978	Broyes · Marne	Insufficient data
October 8, 1978	Niergnies · Nord	Explained
October 6, 1978	Lhuis · Ain	Probably explained
October 3, 1978	Mouzon · Ardennes	Unexplained
September 30, 1978	Paris	Insufficient data
September 29, 1978	Pescara	Unexplained
September 27, 1978	Sète · Hérault	Probably explained

Search and filter all cases

The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method

Notable cases

Nantes

Arc-sur-Tille

Metz

Châteauponsac

Circourt

Aeroporto Di Viterbo

Maubeuge

Lyons-la-Forêt

Pranles

All decades

Sightings by year

Identified causes

By country

The 200 most recent sightings (out of 481)