Fireball lights up sky, social media
Russian space debris sparked speculation
PHOENIX — The body of a Russian rocket that burned up as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere set off a wave of excitement on social media and fueled speculation over what caused the flash of light to shoot across the sky in the American West.
The fireball, seen over Arizona, Nevada and California on Tuesday night, was caused by an SL-4 rocket body booster from Russia that launched Monday, U.S. Strategic Command spokeswoman Julie Ziegenhorn said.
U.S. and Russian officials declined to discuss the rocket’s use, but experts outside the government said it was launched as part of a project to take materials to the International Space Station. They said the rocket’s body detached from the craft and burned up as it dropped from space.
“It’s not something people need to worry about,” said David Wright, a space-debris expert who is co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
An unmanned Russian cargo ship lifted off Monday from that nation’s space launch complex in Kazakhstan on a journey to the International Space Station. The craft, which carried fuel, water, food and other supplies, has since docked at the station.
People who witnessed the fireball posted photos and video on social media, with some speculating that it was a meteor.
Others resorted to humor, punctuating their comments with a rocket emoji and saying the light across the sky looked like Santa’s sleigh. Some expressed distrust about the U.S. government’s comments on the rocket.
“I was kind of freaked out to see something like that blowing up in the air, and you don’t know what it is,” said Gunnar Lindstrom, who saw the streak of light as he got out of a car at his Las Vegas apartment complex.