Mysterious bright light in Mars photo not caused by aliens, says NASA

NASA has revealed that the bright light that features in a photo from the surface of Mars taken by its Curiosity rover is not some kind of luminous alien, but it is "likely a glinting rock or cosmic-ray hit".

The image has been widely shared since the rover tweeted it, with people trading various optimistic theories as to what could be causing the light on Mars' horizon, the Independent reported.

Justin Maki of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the leader of the team that built and operates the rover's Navigation Camera, said that these can be caused by cosmic-ray hits or sunlight glinting from rock surfaces, as the most likely explanations.

NASA did admit that this particular bright spot is a little unusual however.