30
$\begingroup$

We observed a bright, slow moving (in our view for several minutes) large object that eventually left large bright contrails. This was over Northern New Mexico at around 7:29 PM MST. The object was moving from north west to south east. We do have crappy video.

Wasn't it maybe a Falcon Heavy test flight?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
2
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Ooh can you post the video? $\endgroup$
    – BruceWayne
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 17:57
  • $\begingroup$ Just think, our descendants will be as oblivious to this kind of scene as we are to jets passing overhead. $\endgroup$
    – Criggie
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 19:26

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
41
$\begingroup$

If it looked something like this:

enter image description here

...then what you saw was very likely the 3rd burn of the second stage of the Falcon Heavy test flight, which sent the Roadster into orbit around the sun. The burn lasted several minutes, and was seen from southern California, New Mexico, Mexico, and Arizona.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I've never heard of an engine burn in space causing such a visible plume. Did this happen due to it happening at local dusk? $\endgroup$
    – RonJohn
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 15:45
  • 8
    $\begingroup$ Can I just say congratulations to the photographer for such a good photo? $\endgroup$
    – Baldrickk
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 16:05
  • $\begingroup$ That was it. It was quite spectacular actually. I am glad I got to see it. $\endgroup$
    – MT Hensley
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 17:46
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ @RonJohn The Apollo lunar flights would make trans-lunar injection burns from low earth orbit that were also very bright. Not sure if their plume was this marked, though. $\endgroup$
    – SafeFastExpressive
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 19:36
19
$\begingroup$

Numerous reports of the same observation were made last evening at that time. News outlets are stating that this was indeed the second stage of the Falcon Heavy performing its final burn stage.

Falcon Heavy Final Burn Observations In Arizona at 7:30 PM MST

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
$\begingroup$

These are rare but have been occurring since the dawn of the space age. Here are two recent reports I've done on exactly this visual phenomenon. http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/misc/Space_clouds-Strange_Spinoff_of_the_Space_Age.pdf http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/misc/tomsk_spiral_ufo_2006.pdf

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.