
A pair of intrepid explorers have taken fascinating new images of one of the most closely-guarded US Army Bases of all time: supposed alien prison Area 51.

Located out in the arid Nevada desert, Area 51 - a detachment of California's Edwards Air Force Base - was founded in 1955 to test the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance plane.

Since then, however, it has become the subject of numerous UFO sightings and has become inextricably linked in the public's mind with captive aliens and government conspiracies.

Closed off to those without top-level security clearance, the site has largely remained a mystery - until now.

Amateur alien investigators Tim and Tracey Doyle, who run YouTube channel UFO Seekers, made the 8,000-foot-high hike to the top of Tikaboo Peak - 25 miles east of the site - and used a super-long-distance lens to record these images.

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UFO HQ? This is the famed Area 51 - a detachment of California's Edwards Air Force Base - located in the Nevada desert, seen through a high-powered telescope. The base is famously barred to all without top level security clearance

Take a peak: The base can only be seen from the top of a mountain peak across a wide valley. What look to be a water tower and several complexes are visible. Conspiracy theorists believe UFOs and live aliens are kept in the base

Driven ambition: During the video, vehicles (circled) - which appear to be cars or SUVs - can be seen driving around roads and runways on the base. Thousands come to the remote area of Nevada every year in the hopes of seeing aliens

Moving scenes: At one point a series of indistinct shapes (circled) - likely more cars - are seen moving around. The base has been used to test planes including the F-117 stealth bomber

Twin peaks: To see Area 51, the UFO Seekers YouTube videographers had to climb the 8,000-foot-high Tikaboo Peak, and gaze 25 miles over another ridge with state-of-the-art telescopic lenses

Aces of base: Tim and Tracey Doyle (pictured) call themselves the UFO Seekers, and climbed to the top of Tikaboo Peak to see the Army base. Roughly between the two areas is the town of Rachel, which is often frequented by alien hunters

Go for a hike: The pair made this long hike up Badger Mountain to get to Tikaboo Peak, having driven as far as they could go in their 4x4 SUV

The long view: This is how the base - seen over the ridge behind the cloud's shadow - looked before zooming in. Area 51 was opened in 1955 to test-fly a reconnaissance craft at altitudes of 60,000 feet - 20,000 feet higher than