On June 1, 2018, John Flanagan decided to use his smartphone to capture the stormy night sky above Huntsville, Alabama. In addition to recording lightning flashes, Flanagan’s 25-second clip includes a mysterious circular object, which inspired the videographer to title his video “UFO Sighting.” The unidentified object, which appears intermittently, can be seen at 0:11 and 0:15. But don’t blink.

Commenters on YouTube give conflicting interpretations of the UFO video. A few suggest the image was a reflection; others argue that it is a trick. When one viewer proposes that the image was the car’s Pontiac logo, Flanagan responds that his car is not a Pontiac. Another view advises that it would have been better if Flanagan had shot outside the car and not through the windshield. Flanagan cordially replies: “Next time I won’t Thanks.”

The interactions between Flanagan and his audience illustrate a unique element of mobile journalism. This sort of give-and-take didn’t happen when television was the only outlet for news video. Now, thanks to YouTube and other social media, the videographer and the viewers form an authentic community.