What’s Behind The Mysterious White Streak During Aurora Storm in The U.S.
On the night of May 17, skywatchers across parts of the United States got more than they expected. A surprise geomagnetic storm lit up the sky with shimmering auroras, and then, unexpectedly, a brilliant, mysterious white streak cut across the stars, sparking curiosity and confusion.
What appeared to be a natural phenomenon turned out to have a high-tech explanation.
Not STEVE—Something Else Entirely
At first, skywatchers speculated the streak might be STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), a rare phenomenon that sometimes appears near auroras. But this stripe looked different, longer, brighter, and oddly structured. Photographer Mike Lewinski captured the event in Crestone, Colorado, describing it as resembling a rocket re-entry trail more than any known atmospheric event.
It didn’t take long for experts to uncover the real cause.
Chinese Rocket Behind the Mystery
Astronomers confirmed that the unusual streak was not natural at all. It resulted from the Zhuque-2E rocket launch by the Chinese aerospace company Landscape. The rocket, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China just under an hour earlier, was on a mission to deliver six satellites into orbit.
According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, the brilliant light trail came from the upper stage of the Zhuque-2E rocket as it passed over the Four Corners region of the US. At approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles), the rocket performed a fuel dump or circularization burn, a routine part of satellite deployment that can cause visible light phenomena in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
A Familiar but Surprising Sight
While this may seem rare, similar events have happened before. For example, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches have created spiral clouds and glowing streaks in the night sky that left unsuspecting viewers amazed and puzzled. These effects are caused by unburned fuel or stage separation processes, and they tend to be more visible during or shortly after sunset or sunrise when the sky is dark but the rocket is still high enough to catch the sunlight. In this example, the rocket's pass matched the auroras, creating a unique view.
