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Local TV newscasts in Los Angeles lit up today with reports about fireballs streaking across the Southland sky early this morning.
The fast-moving cluster of lights was visible over most of the region around 1:30 a.m. Video shows a group of glowing objects streaking through the firmament — possibly a cluster of meteorites or some type of object breaking up as it plummeted toward earth.
Speculation quickly arose that the lights might have been connected to a SpaceX rocket launch that occurred Monday night at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Central Coast. Such launches often create brilliant displays across the local sky. But that launch occurred around 7:30 p.m., long before the mystery lights appeared.
By midday Tuesday, experts at the SETI Institute said the objects in the sky were the remains of the Chinese Shenzhou 15 orbital module which launched into space in November 2022 carrying three astronauts who spent six months at the Tiangong space station. The module had been predicted to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere on Tuesday morning.
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
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