sciencetech-blog

comments

Get ready for a close encounter - of the blurred kind.

In recent weeks there have been bizarre claims of alien cities on Mars, hovering saucers and artificially designed rocks.

But now a shaky video has shown a UFO floating above the Statue of Liberty - leading some to question if extraterrestrial life has been secretly making its way to Earth.

A video posted to YouTube shows a black object floating above the Statue of Liberty in New York (shown in red ring). In the video the object moves across the screen before staying still. It moves at a steady speed across the sky before coming to rest. Some have suggested that it might be an alien UFO

The video, posted to YouTube by Scott Kensington, shows a black orb hovering above the famous landmark in New York.

The object makes its way slowly across the screen from right to left before then appearing to remain stationary in the air.

And some have speculated that it may be an alien spaceship making its way slowly across the sky.

'Of course, there's always the possibility this was a real UFO sighting,' reported the Examiner.

'Silver orb spaceships are the latest trend, along with triangular aircraft performing amazing aeronautical feats.

'So far, this UFO sighting seems to be the first incident catching a pulsating black orb UFO on video.'

On the video Mr Kensington explained how his wife and sister filmed the UFO while they were visiting New York City.

He said the shaking was due to her being 'freezing from holding the camera for so long with no gloves.'

He continued: 'She said at first she thought it was a balloon but it stopped all of a sudden and stayed in one place for a while.

'She also ran out of disc space hence why the footage suddenly stopped.

'What the hell was this guys. Please tell me someone else got this on video to [sic].'

Mystery UFO flies over the Statue of Liberty in New York

While the prospect of this being an alien spaceship is alluring, the real answer is almost certainly that it is actually a solar balloon.

A solar balloon is a black or dark object that gains buoyancy by being heated by the sun's radiation.

Heat inside the balloon expands as it is heated, causing it to rise as it has a lower density than the surrounding air.

Some have suggested that solar balloons could be used to explore Mars quickly and easily some day in the future.

But for now they are only used on Earth - sometimes to perform experiments in the sky.

While the prospect of this being an alien spaceship is alluring, the real answer is almost certainly that it is actually a solar balloon (pictured). A solar balloon is a black or dark object that gains buoyancy by being heated by the sun's radiation

UFO expert Nigel Watson explained to the MailOnline that it was indeed most likely a solar balloon or possibly also a drone 'as it flies on a steady course'.

He speculated that it may have been staged, saying it is suspicious because 'it flies directly behind one of the world's most famous landmarks.'

And he added: 'Also the camera suddenly cuts to a wider angle before the UFO re-emerges.

'It is noteworthy that hoaxers have used helium filled Mylar plastic 'solar balloons' in South America to create mass sightings of UFOs.

'Solar balloons are cheap to make or purchase, and can be identified because they do not make sudden or erratic movements and travel at a regular speed.'