Space Debris Sparks Speculation as Californians Witness Spectacular Light Show

Social media users in southern California were sharing impressive videos early on April 2, as flaming debris lit up the night sky.

Some users wondered if the sight was related to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch the evening before. Others suggested another space craft could have been the cause.

Multiple sightings were reported to the American Meteor Society website from California.

UPDATE: The American Meteor Society has said the cause was “re-entry of a rocket or satellite and not a fireball.”

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said it was the reentry of China’s Shenzhou 15 orbital module. Credit: @Dhananj13300390 via Storyful