NEW YORK — A striking and surreal light display in the skies over New York late Tuesday night puzzled many locals, evoking notions of unidentified flying objects and otherworldly encounters.
What appeared to be a dazzling, illuminated shape traversing the night sky was actually the aftermath of a notable government operation involving the Vulcan USSF-106 rocket, launched by United Launch Alliance.
Liftoff occurred at 8:56 PM from Cape Canaveral, Florida, marking a significant milestone as it served as the inaugural national security-related mission for the Vulcan rocket on behalf of the U.S. Space Force.
While the exact details of the rocket’s payload remain classified, it has been confirmed that the mission included an experimental military navigation satellite along with various other items intended for orbit.
Sightings of the unusual light phenomena were reported across the eastern and midwestern United States soon after the launch.
Deducting the source of the light, one Long Island resident, Don Manchester, remarked on the unexpected sight: “During my search for meteor showers on the Island’s North Shore, this appeared, and it crossed the Long Island Sound. It lasted several minutes. When I noticed it, I believed it was a rocket that was launched from Florida, but I did not know for sure. I found out later that it was a rocket.”
Intriguingly, the timing of the rocket deployment coincided with this year’s Perseid meteor showers, which added a layer of brilliance to the already captivating spectacle.
Social media captured the bewilderment of onlookers, with posts showcasing images of the peculiar spiral in the sky. One shared image from OrbitalToday.com stated, “The surreal spiral in the night sky from Quebec to Wisconsin? No, it’s not a #UFO or #perseids – it’s likely the plume or upper stage from a Vulcan or Ariane 6 rocket caught during the #perseidmeteorshower.”
Additionally, local residents took to Twitter to express their astonishment with posts like, “Does a rocket ever look anything like this? Just watched this for 10 minutes cross our sky in central PA,” from an observer in Pennsylvania.
In an official statement following the launch, Tory Bruno, the President and CEO of United Launch Alliance, remarked, “Vulcan is a catalyst to supporting national defense in the strategic warfighting domain of space.”
He further stated, “Vulcan is the world’s most capable, high energy orbit rocket meeting the demand for expanding space competencies. Vulcan provides flexibility to our nation’s decision makers as we combat our adversaries’ attempts to disrupt the U.S. in space operations. This launch begins a new era in national space security.”
The Vulcan rocket’s mission concluded after a journey of seven hours, successfully traversing approximately 22,000 miles to complete its objectives.
As the lights faded from view, New Yorkers and residents across the region were left in awe of the unexpected celestial spectacle that combined both science and the allure of the unknown.
image source from：patch
