Bright ground light in Illinois

Summary

In January 1958, a farmer in Hillsboro, Illinois, observed a bright white light that burst with a sound like thunder. At first, he thought it was a car's lights, but after it exploded and was too intense, he dismissed that possibility. The witness saw the phenomenon for 2 to 4 minutes, but no photos or radar were used. The light was located on the ground and was not considered a flying object.

The St. Louis air base contacted the Illinois State Police for more information, but no response was received. The report concluded that there was insufficient data to evaluate the phenomenon. Although reported to the military, it was not presented to local authorities, perhaps due to the lack of clarity about its nature.