Mysterious Orb Spotted Over Hudson River Sparks Debate Among Experts

Mysterious Orb Spotted Over Hudson River Sparks Debate Among Experts

Edited by: TJVNews.com

A puzzling and otherworldly sighting over New York City’s iconic Hudson River has captured the imagination of both locals and UFO enthusiasts. A mysterious, orb-like object was inadvertently filmed gliding across the crystal-clear sky by a Fox 5 news helicopter. The eerie footage aired during a segment of Good Day New York, and as The New York Post has reported, the video has sparked intrigue and skepticism alike.

The footage, which aired on Monday, shows a small, orb-shaped object making an arcing path through the sky, moving past Lower Manhattan and heading toward the news chopper near Battery Park. Initially white in appearance, the orb takes on a faint blue hue as it seems to approach the helicopter. Its motion—smooth, rapid, and seemingly effortless—outpaces the boats visible on the Hudson River below, creating an effect that some described as almost ethereal.

However, despite the apparent strangeness of the sighting, experts consulted by The New York Post have raised doubts about the orb’s origins, suggesting more mundane explanations for what has been described as a “UFO” or “UAP” (unidentified aerial phenomenon).

Avi Loeb, a Harvard theoretical physicist and cosmologist, provided a measured and science-based analysis to The New York Post. According to Loeb, the orb is most likely not a physical object but rather a visual artifact caused by light reflections on the helicopter’s glass. He explained that as the helicopter’s orientation changes relative to the sun and the ground, the camera could capture a bright spot resembling a floating orb. Loeb dismissed any extraordinary claims about the orb’s speed, stating that its movement was “of an order [of] the speed of sound and not extraordinary.”

Tim Gallaudet, a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy and current CEO of Ocean STL consulting, echoed Loeb’s skepticism in comments to The Post. Gallaudet emphasized that the sighting appears to be an optical artifact rather than evidence of an unidentified aerial phenomenon.

Both experts suggested that while the footage is visually compelling, it is more likely a mundane phenomenon rather than an indication of extraterrestrial activity.

Speculation about the orb’s nature has included theories that it could be a drone, with its apparent speed exaggerated by the helicopter’s movement and the camera’s frame rate. According to The Post report, this explanation aligns with the “parallax effect,” a phenomenon recently cited in resolving the Pentagon’s famous “GOFAST” UAP FLIR radar video. In that instance, the perceived rapid movement of a UAP was determined to be an optical illusion caused by the relative motion of the observing platform.

Despite these explanations, Good Day New York confirmed to The New York Post that the footage had not been digitally altered. While the exact timing of the recording remains uncertain, a representative for the program suggested that the clip was likely captured within the past year.

The footage has stirred public curiosity, with viewers debating whether the orb represents a drone, an unexplained technological anomaly, or merely a trick of light. The Post report indicated that while ufologists and skeptics scrutinize the video, the mystery surrounding the orb has added yet another chapter to New York City’s long history of UFO lore.

Unlike typical lens flares, which are translucent and display distinct aperture marks caused by light refraction, this orb appeared to be opaque. This detail was highlighted by photographic experts consulted by The New York Post, who ruled out a standard lens artifact. At the start of the video, the object seems to cross in front of a building near Hoboken, New Jersey. A faint shadow appears on the building, which the object itself—or possibly a photographic anomaly—picks up as it moves.

The orb’s trajectory is striking. It first crosses the tree line and enters the airspace above the Hudson River, moving away from New Jersey. It then banks sharply along the Lower Manhattan shoreline before heading toward the mouth of New York Harbor. Notably, The New York Post reported that the object’s path involves two distinct arcs, first moving left to right across the camera frame, then banking back to the left. The movement appears purposeful, which raises questions about its origin and nature.

The orb’s speed is perhaps its most remarkable feature. If the object began its journey near Hoboken and traveled the approximately three-mile distance to the tip of Manhattan in just four seconds, its speed would be roughly 2,700 miles per hour. This velocity is more than twice the speed of an F-18 fighter jet and well beyond the capabilities of most known terrestrial aircraft.

The New York Post noted that such speeds and directed movements have been observed in similar UAP incidents globally. The Pentagon has previously released footage of metallic orbs moving through controlled airspace at high speeds, with no clear explanation for their origin.

The sighting caught the attention of Good Day New York co-anchor Dan Bowens, who reacted in real time to the footage during Monday’s broadcast. The report in The New York Post indicated that Bowens later posted a clip of the orb’s journey on Instagram, writing, “Anyone else see this on Good Day? What is that? A balloon?” Despite his interest, Bowens was unavailable for comment, leaving viewers to speculate about the phenomenon.

Social media users and UAP enthusiasts have drawn parallels between the Hudson River orb and other mysterious sightings, including cases investigated by the Pentagon. The footage has reignited public fascination with UAPs, particularly as it coincides with recent developments in UAP-related government investigations.

As the New York Post reported, the sighting occurs amidst a wave of heightened interest in UAPs. Just this past week, members of Congress held hearings in which witnesses alleged the existence of secret crash retrieval programs and communication with non-human intelligence. Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, former director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, has stated that the military is unable to identify many of the objects captured on radar or camera in controlled airspace.

The Hudson River orb joins a growing catalog of unexplained phenomena, raising questions about whether these sightings are natural occurrences, advanced technology, or something beyond human understanding. Some experts suggest that these incidents demand rigorous scientific inquiry, while skeptics argue for caution in interpreting such events.