Spiral Anomaly Sparks UFO Speculation Across UK Night Sky
Residents throughout the UK were perplexed on Monday evening, March 24, when a ‘spinning’ orb illuminated the night sky. The spiral-shaped anomaly triggered conjecture of a potential unidentified flying object (UFO) sighting, with some individuals reporting their children were alarmed after witnessing it overhead.
SpaceX Rocket Launch Likely Cause of Celestial Phenomenon
However, any apprehensions of extraterrestrial involvement were quickly allayed as the unusual occurrence is widely believed to be attributed to a SpaceX rocket launch.
Images and videos circulated online depicting the radiant light ‘spinning’ across the night sky, prompting numerous individuals to utilize social media platforms to inquire about its origins.
Widespread Observations Across the UK
The peculiar circular illumination was not solely observed in Greater Manchester but also in Derbyshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and various other regions of the UK, including the southern parts, generating considerable discussion on social media.
Public Reacts to Mysterious Night Sky Spectacle
In response to the spectacle, one individual exclaimed, “Pretty certain I just saw a UFO. Did anyone else see it?” Another questioned, “Has anyone else just seen this over Radcliffe in the sky because me and the kids are freaked out.”
One intrigued observer posted, “Anyone seen the strange moving objects in the sky? 8 pm. One bright thing with white misty rings round it. Moving slow for ages then completely disappeared.”
Adding a humorous perspective, one observer joked, “It’s Batman’s new call sign,” while another speculated, “It’s a worm hole to Alpha Centauri. Opens to allow aliens safe passage to earth.”
The enigmatic spectacle in the sky surged social media activity as one person asked, “Did anyone else just see this swirling thing in the sky? It was spinning round and then went off into the distance.”
SpaceX Mission and Fuel Venting: The Probable Explanation
Their bewilderment was echoed in another post stating, “What have we just seen??? It was moving and then faded away after about 2 mins and there were other small what looked like stars moving around it too.”
The perplexing orb sighting coincided with the launch of SpaceX’s US spy satellite on Monday, March 24, making it the most plausible explanation for the event. The NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after 1:45 PM.
Similar Spiral Anomaly Observed in 2023
This is not the first instance of such a spiral generating public interest. In 2023, a strikingly similar sight was witnessed in regions of the USA following the release of excess fuel by a SpaceX rocket after its California launch. During the rocket’s venting process of surplus fuel, it created a frozen plume that reflected sunlight, resulting in the visual phenomenon known as the spiral anomaly.