There are many mysteries in this world: Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the abominable snowman. None of these are as popular as UFOs though. Recorded evidence to support their existence are so overwhelming that even the US government had admitted at one point that these unusual things are actually out there. Their official statement made it clear though that they didn’t find them a threat to national security. But don’t take their word for it. If you want to know the truth about UFOs, you should hunt them down yourself. You better get started!

1. Do Some Stargazing

Most UFO sightings happen at night when sunlight does not flood the sky, so do some stargazing. The great thing about this is that even if you don’t get to see a UFO, you can relax under the beautiful starry sky.

2. Look Out for Daylight Discs

UFOs can be seen day or night. Your regular nighttime UFOs are called nocturnal lights while daytime UFOs are called daylight discs. Most nocturnal lights are self-illuminating while most daylight discs are metallic in color. So while you’re walking down the street, look up at the clouds. You may just spot a sparkling daylight disc zipping across the sky.

3. Don’t Mistake Venus for a Martian Spaceship

The night sky is peppered with constellations, planets, and occasional meteors. If you don’t familiarize yourself with it, you’re bound to mistake a star for a UFO. Obtain star charts from the Internet and visit your local planetarium to know which lights are supposed to be there and which should not. This way, you won’t get overexcited when you see blue and red lights twinkling in the sky, and shout out to the neighborhood that an invasion is coming.

4. Volunteer to Become a Weather Spotter

Anything that can help you develop your observation skills is a plus. You’ll get plenty of training in meteorology as a weather spotter. You will learn to identify all kinds of anomalous weather phenomena. Not only will you have more opportunities to see a UFO hiding in fluffy cumulus clouds, but you will get to serve your community as well.

5. Join a Bird Watcher’s Club

Joining a bird watcher’s club is more fun than being a weather spotter, but you get about the same amount of time watching the skies. Don’t tell your club buddies though that you’re in it just for the UFOs.

6. Learn Which is Man-Made and Which is Alien

If you live in the US, the perfect way to do this is to join the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). During the Cold War, CAP volunteers were taught to identify the configurations of different kinds of aircraft. Today, CAP has lessened that kind of training, but they still teach their members some cool observation skills.

7. Go to UFO “Flap” Areas

Researchers have found out that UFOs can be seen in waves of “flaps” that happen every few years. Flaps are generally confined to specific geographic locations and last from several days to a couple of weeks. Travel to these places to increase your chances of spotting a UFO.

8. Pack Your UFO Hunter Bag

Wherever you choose to hunt UFO, make sure that your UFO hunter bag is packed with the right gadgets: a video camera, a telescope, binoculars, star charts, maps, and a laptop for some quick Internet research. For more serious UFO hunters and investigators, night vision and thermal-imaging equipment will also help you search for UFOs and make you look good too.

9. Avoid Densely Populated Areas

It’s not advisable to hunt for UFOs in densely populated areas. The noise may interfere with your concentration and the smog above may also reduce visibility at night. In contrast, you’ll have more peace of mind observing the sky in a sparsely populated area. Absence of light from other sources also makes everything clearer.

10. Don’t Try Too Hard

Accept the fact that you many not be able to see a UFO your whole life. Many people have investigated UFOs for decades, but they are nowhere near solving these UFO mysteries as you are. Don’t try too hard. If you feel too sleepy to watch the skies, postpone your stargazing session for tomorrow. After all, you won’t be able to see any UFO with those droopy eyes.

11. Can’t Spot a Live One? Spot a Recorded One

Hundreds of thousands of hours of film have captured the sky, both at nighttime and daytime. If you really want to see a UFO, go through some of these videos, especially the ones where the sky is always shown. The “rod,” an insect-like UFO, is being investigated by researchers this way. It has appeared in many videos, including one where it appeared near a tornado without minding its powerful winds at all.

UFOs reportedly cause all kinds of strange complications to people when they’re nearby, including: fatigue, headaches, skin burns, and even leukemia. In the very rare chance that you get too lucky and you find yourself too near a UFO, run away from it as fast as you can. Abduction is always a risk in UFO hunting.