Google Maps image shows disc-shaped object under Antarctic cliff; users call it a 'UFO'

Google Maps users have drawn attention to a disc-shaped object visible in satellite imagery beneath a cliff in East Antarctica, prompting speculation online and a video posted by a prominent ufologist.

The feature appears as a round, dark object lodged under a rock overhang roughly 90 miles from the Antarctic coast. The location can be reached on Google Maps by entering the coordinates 66°16'24.5"S 100°59'03.5"E. Scott C. Waring, who runs the UFO Sightings Daily website, posted a clip of the image on YouTube and wrote, "The UFO is still there! Too hard to recover or still being used?" Some social media users likened the formation to a giant frying pan or an Oreo cookie.

The image has circulated on forums and social platforms where unusual satellite imagery commonly draws attention. Observers noted the object's rounded profile and its partial concealment beneath an overhang, but independent verification of the feature on the ground is not available.

Google Maps and other mapping platforms assemble holdings from multiple satellite and aerial imagery providers and periodically update tiles for remote regions. Experts who study remote sensing and satellite imagery have previously cautioned that images can include visual anomalies created by factors such as image stitching, sensor angle, shadows, snow and ice cover, or debris on the surface of the ice. Such anomalies are frequently reported in remote or poorly photographed areas because of the limited resolution and infrequent revisits by imaging satellites.

There is no documented evidence that the object is of nonhuman origin. Claims that it constitutes an "alien base" or an active craft rest on interpretation of a single overhead image and on online commentary rather than on physical inspection, peer-reviewed analysis or corroborating data from scientific teams working in Antarctica.

Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, which designates the continent for peaceful scientific research and limits unauthorized activity. Scientific and logistical operations on the continent are typically carried out by national programs operating research stations and field camps; any unusual installations would ordinarily be documented by those programs or visible in official records.

The Google Maps tile in question does not carry a date stamp on the user-facing interface, and Google has not issued a public statement about the image. In prior instances when satellite or aerial images of remote regions have prompted speculation, subsequent analysis by imagery experts or on-the-ground verification has often identified natural formations, shadow effects, or photographic artifacts as the cause.

Until further imagery, on-site inspection or confirmation from authoritative sources is available, the feature remains an unverified object visible in publicly accessible satellite imagery. Remote-sensing specialists and Antarctic program officials contacted for comment may be able to help clarify whether the formation is a geological feature, imaging artifact or something else, but no such confirmation has been published alongside the online claims.