IMG SOURCE: Foxnews.com
A startling spectacle unfolded in the darkness over California as a series of glowing streaks puzzled observers.
In the early hours of Tuesday, stargazers in California were riveted by an unusual sight. They observed a chain of bright, fiery objects streaking through the night sky.
The enigmatic golden streaks were seen in Moreno Valley, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, at approximately 1:30 a.m. One of the spectators managed to record the occurrence, where his astonished reaction can be heard, “What the hell! It’s a meteor shower, yeah, look at that, what the hell.”
The uncommon celestial display sparked a flurry of speculation on social media. A number of observers suggested that the flaming trails could be the remnants of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch that had taken place the previous evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch had successfully deployed 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Another theory made the rounds, linking the spectacle to the Chinese Shenzhou 15 Orbital Module rocket. The rocket, which was projected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere near Los Angeles at 1:45 a.m. local time, was another possible source of the mysterious lights.
Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and satellite tracker, offered his expert opinion on the matter. McDowell believes that the flaming streaks were likely the remnants of the Chinese orbital module that had launched three astronauts to China’s Tiangong space station back in November 2022.
Fox News Digital reached out to SpaceX and NASA for comments but did not receive a response by the time of publication. The Federal Aviation Administration stated they had no reports of unusual aircraft activity in the area.
Many people hypothesized that the celestial shower was debris from the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. This rocket had carried a payload of 22 Starlink internet satellites into space on April 1.
However, the popular space website, Space.com, dismissed the theory. It noted that the SpaceX Falcon 9’s hardware lands safely after launch and is reused. The rocket’s upper stage, though disposable, is designed not to pose a hazard upon reentry.
The possibility of the fireballs being debris from the Chinese Shenzhou 15 Orbital Module garnered support. This module, unlike many others, is not designed to return to Earth safely after completing its mission. Astronauts use the Shenzhou reentry module to come back to Earth.
