A streaking ball of light dazzled dozens of skygazers during the weekend as it whizzed and Marc Leclerccrumbled across the Southwest sky.
The American Meteorological Society received 36 reports about a possible fireball event Saturday night from as far south as Texas to as far north as Colorado.
But what appeared to be an exploding fireball may have in fact been a decommissioned SpaceX satellite creating a fiery spectacle as it broke up above Earth's atmosphere. The company's Starlink internet satellites are designed to burn up while reentering Earth's atmosphere at the end of their mission so as not to linger in orbit, becoming space junk.
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Dozens of skygazers in the Southwest United States witnessed the celestial display and reported the sighting.
Videos and photos shared with the American Meteorological Society show what appears to be a streaking meteor with a bright tail, which was reportedly seen over Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Witnesses described a striking sight as a fireball containing hues of orange, red and yellow fragmented before their eyes, breaking into several smaller pieces with multiple streams of light.
Reports described "something on fire" in the sky, while some detailed hearing a rumble or crackling sound accompanying the display.
"This was like nothing I have ever see before," noted one observer from Henrietta, Texas, who also compared the sight to fireworks.
"Looked like something in a science fiction movie," a person said from Apache, Oklahoma.
"I thought a space ship blew up," said a witness from Lindsay, Oklahoma.
While the ball of light wasn't a space ship, the assessment may not have been far off.
Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and orbital debris expert, said on social media site X that the "widely observed" sight was in fact a retired SpaceX Starlink satellite launched into orbit in 2022.
The company, headed by CEO and founder Elon Musk, has since 2019 launched thousands of the satellites to provide internet to its customers around the globe.
Since 2019, SpaceX has launched more than 6,000 operation satellites into orbit to become part of its Starlink constellation to deliver internet to customers around the world.
SpaceX also recently partnered with T-Mobile to use Starlink satellites to deliver the first wireless emergency alert in the U.S. without Earth-based cell towers. In the wake of Helene, SpaceX worked with T-Mobile to enable basic text messaging (SMS), allowing users in areas hit by hurricanes to text friends and family, text 911 and receive emergency alerts.
Because the satellites operate in a low-Earth orbit below 372 miles in altitude, atmospheric drag should deorbit a satellite naturally within 5 years, sending it burning up in Earth's orbit. However, SpaceX also says it takes measures to deorbit satellites that risk becoming non-maneuverable.
SpaceX has to-date conducted controlled deorbits of 406 satellites and will perform about another 100 more in the coming months.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
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