Mysterious Light Over North Carolina Night Sky Turns Out to Be SpaceX Launch
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A glowing streak across the North Carolina sky this week had many residents convinced they were witnessing a comet or fireball. Experts say it was something else entirely — a SpaceX rocket launch.
Dozens Report Strange Light
According to the American Meteorological Society, 28 people in the Carolinas and six other states reported seeing the mysterious light early Thursday, Sept. 18. Witnesses described it as a glowing fireball that appeared near the moon and lingered for several minutes.
A North Carolina resident, identifying himself as Thomas A., captured a photo showing a blue trail of light cutting across the night sky.
Witness Accounts
Kelsey K. of Lawndale, Cleveland County, spotted the light while driving.
“It was huge and a little under the moon when I saw it,” she said. “I was driving and didn’t see the end of its path.”
Reports also came in from Florida, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, with residents equally puzzled.
SpaceX Provides the Answer
The AMS later clarified that the sightings matched the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which had blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying 28 Starlink satellites into orbit.
The bright trails seen across the East Coast were the result of sunlight reflecting off the rocket’s exhaust plume high in the atmosphere, a phenomenon often mistaken for meteors or comets.
For many across the Carolinas, the surprise sight offered a breathtaking reminder of how modern spaceflight can transform the night sky.
Did you see the mysterious light over North Carolina Thursday night? Share your photos and experiences with us at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
