Seen during Dive 07 of the Seascape Alaska 5 expedition.
Independent Editorial Explainer
NOAA Golden Orb Identification
The deep-sea “golden orb” that NOAA found near Alaska in 2023 was later identified as material from the base of the giant deep-sea anemone Relicanthus daphneae.
Not an official NOAA website. This page summarizes NOAA Ocean Exploration reporting and links to the
original NOAA source pages.
Observed on a rocky outcrop during a remotely operated vehicle dive.
About 2 miles below the ocean surface.
NOAA linked the orb to the basal tissue of Relicanthus daphneae.
Case Timeline
From a strange deep-sea find to a specific biological identification.
The search intent behind this keyword is simple: users want the final answer, but they also want to see how the answer was reached. This timeline keeps both.
The orb is seen on the seafloor
NOAA Ocean Exploration documents a smooth golden dome attached to rock during Dive 07 in the Gulf of Alaska.
View NOAA imageThe specimen is sampled and brought aboard
ROV Deep Discoverer collects the object with a suction sampler so it can be examined in the wet lab.
View NOAA sampling imageNOAA tells the public it is still unidentified
NOAA publishes the public update that turned the “golden orb” into a viral mystery and makes clear the team only knew it was biological.
Read NOAA newsNOAA releases the identification
After further analysis, NOAA states the orb matched material from the base of the giant deep-sea anemone Relicanthus daphneae.
Read the identification updateFinal Answer
What did NOAA say the golden orb actually was?
Short answer
NOAA’s 2026 update linked the specimen to the basal tissue of the giant deep-sea anemone Relicanthus daphneae.
NOAA Ocean Exploration said the collected orb was sent to NOAA Fisheries’ National Systematics Laboratory at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, where scientists were able to resolve the mystery.
Source Evidence
The quickest way to verify the story is to inspect NOAA’s own images and updates.
Each card below uses NOAA Ocean Exploration imagery and links directly to the relevant NOAA source page.
In situ
Orb on the seafloor
The original field image shows the specimen attached to rock at roughly 3,300 meters depth.
NOAA source
Collection
Suction sampling by ROV
The NOAA gallery documents how the orb was collected for later lab examination.
NOAA source
Wet lab
Collected specimen aboard ship
The shipboard view made clear that the find was biological, but not yet specifically identified.
NOAA source
Identification
NOAA’s April 22, 2026 update
The official identification page closes the story and points to the broader NOAA writeup.
NOAA sourceFAQ
Questions people usually ask after seeing the keyword.
Why did the golden orb become such a big story?
NOAA’s 2023 post made it clear that the team had recovered something biologically derived but could not yet name it. That uncertainty, combined with the unusual look of the object, drove public curiosity.
Did NOAA say it was an egg?
No final NOAA update described it that way. Early public guesses included egg casing ideas, but the 2026 identification tied the material to Relicanthus daphneae.
Is this page official NOAA guidance?
No. This site is an editorial explainer built around NOAA Ocean Exploration reporting and imagery. Always use the linked NOAA pages as the primary record.