Conspiracy theory websites have gone into overload following comments made by seasoned astronomer Paul Cox during a live broadcast of Mercury transiting the sun. Mr Cox, a presenter for the respected online Slooh Telescope channel, which broadcasts live shows to coincide with significant astronomical events, made the comments as Mercury was filmed as a tiny dot passing over the surface of our sun. Nibiru, or Planet X, is an alleged huge planet with a vast orbit, that conspiracy theorists claim will one day pass so close to Earth that its gravitational pull could break havoc on our planet, triggering earthquakes and other catastrophic events. Believers of the conspiracy claimed they were right earlier this year after NASA announced there was a new planet, nine times the size of Earth, lurking at the edge of our solar system. Now, Mr Cox’s remarks have added to the belief it is real.

YouTube•SLOOH Strange: Paul Cox questioning the existence of Nibiru on the Slooh channel.

GETTY CGI image of the fabled planet Nibiru, destroying Earth.

Speaking about the view from the telescope, which showed the Sun and Mercury to the left, and part of another large glowing shape to the right, which some viewers thought was just the sun being reflected, he said: “You can see there, the sun is on the left. “You can see the small black dot…that is Mercury. “Now you may be asking yourself what is that large round thing to the right of our sun. “That’s our second sun. I don’t know if you knew that we had a second sun but there it is. “It’s normally hidden from view. NASA and other organisations, they usually hide that stuff away from us, but there it is. It is true. A subtitle also appeared saying “second sun?” Another added “NASA cover up?” Later, speaking about another frame which showed just a glow to the right of the sun, he added: “Oh wow, can you see that mysterious glow on the right hand side?

YouTube•SLOOH Fact or fiction? Was Paul Cox just messing with us?

That’s our second sun. I don’t know if you knew that we had a second sun but there it is. It’s normally hidden from view. NASA and other organisations, they usually hide that stuff away from us. Astronomer Paul Cox

“Do you think it is the mysterious planet Nibiru, maybe appearing in these live shots. “We don’t cover up stuff like NASA does.” Some viewers suggested Mr Cox and the channel were just joking with them, but others saw him as having a “David Icke moment”, like when the former BBC1 Grandstand presenter came out as “The son of Godhead” on chatshow Wogan in 1991. Regardless of how he made the remarks, it has prompted a flurry of conspiracy theory YouTube videos suggesting Nibiru is about to make its pass. One video was made by blogger Jacob Israel, who claims not to be a conspiracy theorist, but is investigating the existence of Nibiru after “having dreams about it” Mr Israel said: “Was he slipping that in, when he says NASA covers stuff up is that whats going on? “Coming from somebody who is credible in the field and professional when you say stuff like that, it is meant to be taken seriously, it’s not a joke.”

JACOBISRAEL•YouTube Non conspiracist: Jacob Israel

Top 10 Conspiracy Theories Wed, March 8, 2017 From mind control, to the missing Malaysian airways flight MH370 Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 10 In 2011, Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals and buried at sea, but now conspiracy theorists claim that it was all a lie and he is still alive