In some northern areas of the country, a strange light was observed crossing the sky last night in Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora.
What is known about the strange light?
The light was mistaken for a meteorite or even a UFO (unidentified flying object), as it left a visible trail in its wake. Social media users shared photos and videos of the phenomenon captured in Tijuana, Los Cabos, and Sonora.
In Sonora, the object was visible in cities such as Hermosillo and San Carlos. The @metmex account also reported its sighting in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, while other images showed the flash in the sky over Tijuana, Baja California.
What was that strange light?
The light belonged to the Starlink Falcon 9 rocket, launched last night from California, United States. Despite the distance, the phenomenon was visible from several states in northern Mexico. According to SpaceX, 26 satellites were launched on this launch.
When a rocket is launched, it leaves a trail in the sky due to the hot gases and vapors it expels through its nozzles as it burns fuel. This trail can resemble a cloud or a white line for several reasons:
Many rockets use liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel. When combined, they generate a large amount of hot water vapor, which, upon contact with the cooler atmosphere, condenses and forms a visible trail, like a cloud.
In addition to water vapor, the rocket releases carbon dioxide and other particles that also contribute to the formation of the trail.
The rocket’s supersonic speed generates a shock wave that affects the surrounding air, which can intensify the formation of the trail, especially in the upper atmosphere.
Source: unotv
