AFP through Getty Photos
Native TV newscasts in Los Angeles lit up right this moment with stories about fireballs streaking throughout the Southland sky early this morning.
The fast-moving cluster of lights was seen over a lot of the area round 1:30 a.m. Video reveals a gaggle of glowing objects streaking by way of the firmament — presumably a cluster of meteorites or some kind of object breaking apart because it plummeted towards earth.
See extra❗☄️🇺🇸 – Area particles or meteor bathe? Lights streak over Southern California. Streak of fiery mild seems over Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/SfvMogg02S
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) April 2, 2024
Hypothesis rapidly arose that the lights might need been related to a SpaceX rocket launch that occurred Monday night time at Vandenberg Area Power Base on the Central Coast. Such launches usually create sensible shows throughout the native sky. However that launch occurred round 7:30 p.m., lengthy earlier than the thriller lights appeared.
By noon Tuesday, consultants on the SETI Institute mentioned the objects within the sky had been the stays of the Chinese language Shenzhou 15 orbital module which launched into area in November 2022 carrying three astronauts who spent six months on the Tiangong area station. The module had been predicted to re-enter the Earth’s environment on Tuesday morning.