FOX 5 viewers notice mysterious 'orb' flying over NYC skyline

NEW YORK - Eagle-eyed FOX 5 NY viewers first noticed a mysterious "orb" zooming across their screens when we aired video of the Lower Manhattan skyline – and some of you reached out wondering, "Is that a UFO?"

As an outlet committed to delivering news to New Yorkers, we feel it is important to address the mystery and clarify what was actually captured during our broadcast.

On Monday’s Good Day New York Wake Up 6 a.m. newscast, we aired SkyFOX footage featuring an orb-like object moving swiftly over the Hudson River.

The footage, which was part of FOX 5 NY's Hayley Fixler's congestion pricing report, showed the object crossing from the New Jersey side toward Lower Manhattan before disappearing out of frame at rapid speed.

Here's what a SkyFOX helicopter photojournalist had to say.

Looking over the footage

In response to viewer curiosity, Good Day anchor Dan Bowens, who was anchoring the newscast, explained that a viewer had sent him the clip and asked for his thoughts.

"To me, it looks like a balloon or something fairly small, not a tiny spacecraft piloted by aliens. It could also be a drone, but it seemed too small," Dan said.

Not satisfied with his initial assessment, Dan decided to dig a little deeper. He asked the show's director and control room team to review the footage again. "We also looked at it from a different feed in our newsroom. It didn’t show up" he said. The team wondered if it was a transmission issue or something on the receiving end of the TV. 

Does Dan think it was an unidentified anomalous phenomenon, or UAPs -- the government’s term for UFOs? Does he believe in aliens?

 "I think since the beginning of humanity, people have looked into the sky and wondered what’s out there. Are we all alone? Every generation, literally for centuries, thinks they will be the ones to figure it out," he said. "To some people, it might be terrifying if human beings are really the best the galaxy has to offer, and we are truly alone. I don’t think we are going to be the ones to figure it out. But then again, if I’m wrong ... and there are aliens now making their presence known... it doesn’t really matter."

As for the footage itself, the object appears white in the distance, gradually turning a blue tint as it nears the camera.

SkyFOX helicopter photojournalist says orb was likely a lens flare

We also spoke with Dan Rice, a reporter and aerial photojournalist with Helicopters Inc., who believes the orb was likely a lens flare caused by a blemish on the camera lens.

Rice explained that the helicopter used in the shot typically flies at about 120 miles per hour and is equipped with a gyro-stabilized camera lens. This lens has an additional layer that can sometimes catch blemishes or specks of dust, which may appear to move at the speed of the helicopter.

He concluded by saying, "I think we're overthinking this."

Given its speed, some viewers immediately speculated it could be something extraordinary. This parallax-type effect, where objects seem to move erratically relative to a camera's position, has been used in the past to explain other UAP footage, including the famous "GOFAST" video recently addressed by the Pentagon.

However, while UAPs remain a topic of intrigue, we remain confident that the object filmed is not an alien craft. Experts suggest the object is more likely a drone operating near the Hudson River, a common sight in urban skies.

FOX 5 NY also reached out to the camera team responsible for monitoring the feeds. One producer mentioned that they had "never seen anything like that," noting that such objects are typically "just bugs or flying trash."

We want to assure our viewers that the footage was not altered in any way by our production team, nor has it been tampered with digitally. After thoroughly reviewing the footage, our news team has concluded that the mysterious object was most likely just a strange glare.

While UAP sightings often prompt curiosity, we urge our audience to consider all possibilities before jumping to conclusions.

Tune into Good Day New York every weekday from 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. EST for the latest updates and breaking news.