SpaceX dazzled Californians far and wide with an alien-like light show shortly after sunset on Friday.
Orb-like clouds permeated with light shot across the sky, inspiring commuters to pull off of freeways and stare.
The clouds were caused by a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:27 p.m. The rocket’s exhaust plume was illuminated by the sun at high altitudes in extremely clear skies, making it visible for hundreds of miles.
“Unknown object flying or something,” tweeted Michael Ramirez. “Looked like a plane at first … and slowly broke of into two separate lights. If aliens taking over tonight I’m mad. I was gonna see bone thugs n harmony.”
The sight, which could be seen as far away as San Diego, was so alarming that police were called across Southern California.
“We got quite a few concerned calls with people saying there’s a light in the sky,” said Torrance police Sgt. Paul Kranke. “We didn’t know what it was but, fortunately, someone at work follows rocket launches and we were able to tell people what it was.”
The Riverside city Fire Department, after receiving several reports of something exploding in the sky above Victoria Avenue and Irving Street, dispatched fire engines and rescue units. But dispatchers quickly recalled the units after learning about the launch. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department also received many reports of an explosion.
The Hawthorne-based rocket maker launched ten Iridium NEXT communications satellites bound for low-Earth orbit.
Staff writer Brian Rokos contributed to this story.
