What is the unusual light seen over US skies? Here’s all the details

People across several US states saw a white, aurora-like streak in the sky. The light came from a Chinese rocket that released fuel before reentering Earth's atmosphere. Experts confirmed it was a controlled release related to a satellite launch.

Unusual Light

On Saturday, May 17, at 1:24 a.m. ET, a bright streak appeared in the night sky. The light lasted for around 10 minutes before fading. It was seen across several states including Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and New Mexico, a Spaceweather.com report said. Photos of the event spread across social media and science platforms.

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What Was it?

The light came from the Zhuque-2E rocket. This rocket launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 12:12 a.m. ET, as per Space News. It carried six satellites with scientific tools into low-Earth orbit. After release, the rocket reentered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up.

Fuel Dump Created Frozen Crystal Trail

Jonathan McDowell, an expert who tracks space activity, explained the light. He said the rocket dumped fuel at about 155 miles above Earth. The fuel froze into tiny crystals in space. These crystals reflected sunlight back to Earth, creating a visible streak in the night sky.

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Zhuque-2E Rocket

The Zhuque-2E is a single-use rocket made by the Chinese company LandSpace. It is 160 feet tall and can carry 13,200 pounds into low-Earth orbit. Most rockets use hydrogen or kerosene-based fuel. But this rocket used a mix of liquid oxygen and liquid methane, also called methalox. This type of fuel burns cleaner than others.

FAQs

What caused the white streak in the sky?
The streak came from frozen fuel dumped by a Chinese rocket. The fuel crystals reflected sunlight, making the streak visible over parts of the US.

What is special about the Zhuque-2E rocket?
It uses a mix of liquid oxygen and methane fuel. This combination is different from traditional rocket fuels like hydrogen or kerosene.