In recent days, more and more photos and videos of a glowing object and a shining cloud near it have appeared online. The object was visible over Poland at around 5:30 p.m. It could also be seen, among other places, from Bolesławiec and Bolesławiec County.
A glowing object in the sky—what was it?
The answer to this question can be found, among other places, on the social media profile of Karol Wójcicki, “Z głową w gwiazdach.”
Karol Wójcicki is a Polish astronomy popularizer and night-sky photographer, known for reports and explanations of cosmic phenomena, as well as broadcasts related to sky observations.
According to the researcher, what was visible over Poland today was a Falcon 9, which launched as part of the Twilight mission on January 11 at 5:44 a.m. Pacific Time (2:44 p.m. in Poland) from Vandenberg Base in California, USA. The rocket carried 40 small satellites into a Sun-synchronous orbit.
What caused the flash and the glow?
The sky effect visible from Poland occurred when the Falcon 9 rocket, flying over Europe, released gases during orbital maneuvers. The gases, illuminated by the Sun already below the horizon, formed a bright, extensive structure.