Skywatchers in Nebraska Report An Unusual Light In The Sky

Photo: Photo by permission of Mikaela Richmond, an art teacher at Park and Northeast Elementary schools in Kearney, Nebraska.

(Omaha, NE) -- People in Nebraska and Iowa took photos and reported an unusual spiral light in the sky late last night.

It turns out there were at least four rocket launches the night of August 12. Three launches in the U.S. went east, missing our region.

There was also a rocket launch from French Guiana that was likely the one spotted over the northern U.S. last night.

In the second stage of launch, the rockets dump their remaining fuel, while spinning. The fuel freezes in the atmosphere and reflects sunlight creating a large, glowing spiral shape in the night sky.

The bright spiral in the sky was reported at about 9:30 Tuesday night.


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