UFO seen above Statue of Liberty?

© Mister Enigma / YouTube

Flying high: Is it a black orb an alien craft scouting out Earth?

There is something mysterious flying in the sky over New York.

Is it a black orb an alien craft scouting out Earth, Father Christmas coming early or just a boring, old, run-of-the-mill solar balloon?

Spotted hovering above the Big Apple this week, the bizarre black blob flew through the sky before coming to a mysterious halt near the Statue of Liberty.

Footage of the strange object has prompted some to ask whether extra terrestrial life has been making its way to our planet in time for Christmas.

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But others have been more sceptical, saying it is either a hoax, a solar balloon, or both.

Posted on YouTube by Scott Kensington, after being filmed by his wife and sister, the battery of the camera ran out before the blob's journey ended.

"Sorry for the shaking," wrote Kensington. "[My wife] said she was freezing from holding the camera for so long with no gloves.

"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.

"What the hell was this guys? Please tell me someone else got this on video too."

The idea the object is an alien craft was entertained by Examiner.com, which said: "So far, this UFO sighting seems to be the first incident catching a pulsating black orb UFO on video."

But according to expert Nigel Watson is is most likely the object is a solar balloon - or possibly a drone taking images of landmarks.

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

"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."

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