Residents across California were treated to a spectacular light show in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as mysterious streaks of light illuminated the night sky. From Sacramento to San Diego, eyewitnesses reported seeing fireballs streaking through the atmosphere at around 1:30 a.m.
Experts have now confirmed that the mesmerizing display was caused by Chinese space junk re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The remnants were traced back to the orbital module of China’s Shenzhou 15 spacecraft, which had been in orbit for over a year following its launch in November 2022. The spacecraft had previously transported three astronauts to China’s Tiangong space station.
Videos captured by ABC7 revealed long streaks of light and fireballs as the orbital module made its fiery descent. The Shenzhou orbital craft, weighing approximately 3,300 pounds, provided additional space for astronauts in orbit but was not equipped to safely return to Earth after completing its mission.
Initial speculation had suggested that the lights may have been related to SpaceX’s activities, specifically the launch of Starlink satellites from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara earlier that night. However, further investigation confirmed the origin of the light show as Chinese space debris re-entering the atmosphere.
This event serves as a reminder of the growing presence of space junk in Earth’s orbit and highlights the need for responsible space exploration practices. While the light show may have been a breathtaking sight for many Californians, it also underscores the potential hazards posed by uncontrolled re-entries of spacecraft debris.
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