Meteors from Fragments of Chang Zheng 2F Rocket Launch
October 24, 2022
Photographer: Ana García Suárez
Summary Author: Ana García Suárez
Near the summit of Mirador Infinito on the island of La Palma, a group of stargazers were startled by a phenomenon they first thought to be a meteor shower. Several aligned fireballs moved slowly crossing the night sky leaving behind distinct trails. They later discover that these meteors occurred as a result of one of the phases of the Chang Zheng 2F rocket, launched on June 5 (2022), breaking up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. White and orange lights formed a row of fireballs from fragments of the rocket that became incandescent as a result of friction with the upper atmosphere. Because at the time these stargazers didn’t know the true explanation, it surely looked like a scene from a dystopian movie. Photo taken on June 20, 2021.
La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain Coordinates: 28.7134, -17.9058
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