Bright Light
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch as seen over Knott’s Berry Farm on Friday night. (Photo by Paul Mittmann)
Did you see that extremely bright white cloud sprint and flare over Southern California just after sunset on Friday night?
It was a Falcon Space rocket launched at Vandenberg, an air force base in Lompoc, about 150 miles north of Los Angeles, around 5:27 p.m.
“The Falcon 9’s exhaust plume of liquid oxygen and kerosene was “illuminated at high altitude by the sun,” according to Vandenberg Air Force Base officials.”
Confused and scared, onlookers turned to social media to share images and fears of aliens, “weird objects,” and gaseous clouds. Some even thought they were nuclear missiles launched by North Korea.
The sight, which could be seen from as far away as San Diego, was so alarming and scary that police were called across Southern California.
“We got quite a few concerned calls with people saying there’s a light in the sky,” said Torrance police Sgt. Paul Kranke. “We didn’t know what it was but, fortunately, someone at work follows rocket launches and we were able to tell people what it was.”
vc12 • Feb 1, 2018 at 8:34 am
I like this kind of topics because it would be nice to see weird things in the sky. I get exited when I see this kind of things because its happen once. some people get afraid for those things because they think the world is about to end.
Irv • Jan 19, 2018 at 12:16 pm
I do find this very interesting and weird, but it would be nice to see things like that at least once because it is cool for someone to look at, but why was everyone that surprised or frightened about this? if it was a nuke or missile we would know ahead of time because we have missile interceptors in the area that will tell us if there is a missile or not.
Donkey Kong • Jan 17, 2018 at 10:54 am
I think this is very very interesting because i personally like things involving “aliens” and science. Even tho the government has said this was a experiment and a test.. MAYBE they are just trying to hide something?! The government has kept secrets from the citizens for awhile and we may never know if they are telling the truth or not. the spaceX might have been a cover up but who knows.
Sea Dragon • Jan 16, 2018 at 8:07 am
A very interesting story! I’ve read a little about this on previous news websites. A sight like this could be seen as very frightening, so I understand why some people felt the need to call the police.
SpaceX’s website states that:
“Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. Falcon 9 is the first orbital class rocket capable of reflight. SpaceX believes rocket reusability is the key breakthrough needed to reduce the cost of access to space and enable people to live on other planets.”