CONOR BYRNE

Alan Ferguson, the Territory's leading UFOologist spotted a white orb in the Territory sky about 50km southeast of Darwin on New Year's Day.

UFOs are becoming more prevalent in the 'off' season, according to the Territory's leading ufologist.

"It just flashed bright before moving slowly to the south then just disappearing," he said.

The UFO season is normally between April and October, but Mr Ferguson, 47, was unsure what is "normal" - he saw a lot of UFOs last January, too.

"After last year it's not unusual," he said.

"Before then I'd never seen anything in the wet season."

Mr Ferguson, a builder by day, suggests the electrical storms may give the UFOs a charge. The white orbs are typically high up and move quickly - about the length of a hand in a second - and then they stop again.

"They light up like a real big, bright light - that's when they move, it's their propulsion," he said. "It pulses bright and then goes soft. "They flash in one spot and then in another - it's very unique. They come along and stop, then they go off in other angles. "It shows they're still flashing about up there."

Mr Ferguson said he did not have time to grab a video camera. He had footage of similar objects in the USA, where spotters use small lasers to point out the UFO. But he warns against the practice.

"Usually they'll come down, that's when it gets heavy, I won't go into it but your life changes," he said.

"You'll be sorry."

Mr Ferguson said UFO-spotting is all luck, but the harder he looks, the luckier he gets.

"I see them because I look for them," he said.

"UFOs never stop, it never gives you a break. And sometimes you just need a break."

But what are they?

"That's why they're called UFOs," he said.