Did NASA spot an alien spaceship near Mercury?

A massive flying object flashes near the planet and then vanishes — sending UFO enthusiasts into a frenzy

The bright spot just below Mercury has some conspiracy theorists convinced that there's a giant alien spacecraft hanging out in our solar system.
(Image credit: YouTube)

The video: UFO believers are touting new evidence that E.T. is out there. Video taken by NASA's STEREO spacecraft (watch it below) shows a giant, glowing object mysteriously appearing alongside Mercury before vanishing completely. Some viewers are convinced that what NASA cameras captured is actually a gigantic alien spaceship. "It definitely looks like a ship to me, and very obviously, it's cloaked," says YouTube user siniXster in a viral video.

The reaction: "Is that a giant alien death star ship parked over by Mercury? asks Hamilton Nolan at Gawker. No, it's not. "Professional scientists" explain that it's "actually an image of Mercury itself, which appears due to the way the telescope imagery is double-processed to enhance its clarity." Yes, sorry to be a killjoy, says Ian O'Neill at Discovery News. But "sadly for siniXster, conspiracy theorists, ufologists, and Star Trek buffs, there's no Klingons off Mercury's starboard bow." I blame those "pesky scientists." Why must "they have an answer for everything? So annoying." See for yourself:

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