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IrelandAlaska's "jellyfish" UFO draws balloon and kite explanations
NewsNation's guests offer earthly possibilities for the tentacled object, without calling the mystery solved.
NewsNation
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 294,357 views a day, 22 times a normal first day on this channel (13,222).
Tentacled UFO? Experts have explanation for bizarre Alaskan sight
Next story: Avi Loeb says distance is key to reported ISS near-miss
Things we can learn from the video
Press to jump
- 0:00Osborn's Alaska footage shows a jellyfish-shaped object beside a rainbow.
- 1:33Gamm calls the object unidentified but says a high-altitude balloon is the most likely explanation.
- 1:44Hansen considers CGI and a tethered kite-balloon hybrid, alongside questions about aviation notifications and transponders.
- 3:41Gamm says many unidentified sightings investigated during her UAP work ultimately proved to be balloons.
- 5:04Hansen recommends flight-tracking checks; Gamm adds that weather information is equally important.
Sarah Jane Osborn's footage has a rainbow in it, but the object beside it gets the attention: a jellyfish-shaped form hanging over the Alaskan wilderness, with what look like tentacles trailing below.
On NewsNation's Jesse Weber Live, former UAP Task Force analyst Sarah Gamm offers a distinction that matters: "Officially, I would call it unidentified, but most likely a high-altitude balloon."
Ben Hansen, host of UFO Witness, considers a tethered kite-balloon hybrid. He also raises questions about whether the footage could be computer-generated and discusses checking for the aviation notifications and transponders associated with large balloons. These are possible explanations, not a confirmed identification.
The segment drew about 270,000 views in its first 20 hours, far beyond NewsNation's usual start for a regular video. The comments were even more unusual, already exceeding fifty times the channel's typical first-day total. Much of the discussion centers on whether a balloon explanation fits the object's appearance; viewers also question the program's account of a separate jellyfish-like sighting over Iraq.
UFO coverage is familiar territory for NewsNation: its David Grusch interview and a live roundtable about a congressional UFO hearing are among its most-watched regular uploads.
Here, the discussion ends with practical checks rather than an alien verdict. Hansen recommends consulting flight-tracking information, while Gamm emphasizes weather records as another essential clue.
Published on Trari
Where next?
What viewers say
That is a Zerg Overlord. Get ready.
@Adino1See it on YouTubeI'm not saying it's the Aliens, ....... but it's the Aliens
@Thunderbyrd.See it on YouTube
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- Channel
- NewsNation
- Subscribers
- 2,810,000 ▲ 10,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 10,035,225
- Channel views, pace per day
- 1,408,412 (on a normal day: 1,715,791)
- Video published
- November 12, 2026
- Video views so far
- 269,217 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 294,357
The numbers
The Alaskan footage drew an unusually large early audience, with an even sharper increase in comments.
💡 Test your knowledge
What is Alaska's state capital?
Juneau is Alaska's capital, although Anchorage is its largest city.