Sightings2022

Spiral over New Zealand linked to a Falcon 9 upper stage

When: 19 Jun 2022
Where: South Island, New Zealand
Sources: 3 public sources

A SpaceX Falcon 9; an upper stage fuel dump made the June 2022 spiral over New Zealand NASA Headquarters / NASA/Aubrey Gemignani, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

People across the South Island photographed a glowing spiral in the evening sky. The New Plymouth Astronomical Society said it was most likely a fuel dump from the Falcon 9 upper stage that had launched a Globalstar satellite that day.

Sources

PressMysterious bright swirl spotted in night sky over NZ (opens in a new tab)1News (TVNZ) / 2022-06-20
PressSpectacular spiral seen in South Island skies (opens in a new tab)Otago Daily Times / 2022-06-20
PressWild blue spiral in New Zealand sky likely made by SpaceX rocket (photo) (opens in a new tab)Space.com / 2022-06-20

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Where it fits

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