News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Stunned skygazers were wowed by a close encounter with a mystery object that appeared to spin through storm clouds in Houston.

Gobsmacked snappers took to Twitter and Facebook to reveal their 'extraterrestrial' experience – with several amateur snappers posting up their pics of the hovering 'alien' craft.

The bright spaceship-like object, which appears to have lights underneath it, has sparked speculation of an alien invasion across the pond but experts have dampened talk of a real-life Independence Day.

Footage above was filmed by YouTube user Andrew Pena who was trying to film a lightning storm.

He said: "The lights that i saw with my own eyes were tracing and streaking left and right and in half circles. It was absolutely crazy stuff."

Dr. Carolyn Sumners, vice president for Astronomy at the Houston Museum of Natural Science told KPRC: "I think the trick in UFOs is figuring out what else they could be."

"It's easy to say that it could be aliens," she added.

"If it's a real object and it looks like it is, the more people who see it in different directions, the more likely we are to figure out where it is, what it is and see if we can explain it.

"All the way back in recorded history there have been things we can't explain. That's what makes it exciting."

poll loading What do you think about the strange lights? 1000+ VOTES SO FAR Definitely aliens Prank with a flying drone Some other logical explanation No idea