NewsNation

Meteor? Martians? Bright light streaks across Pennsylvania sky

Photo from Patrick Bannister

Early risers in parts of Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning might’ve seen a massive, bright light streaking across the sky.

We are here to reassure you that it’s not a meteor or aliens; it’s a SpaceX capsule launch part of the Polaris Dawn mission.


According to SpaceX, on Tuesday, September 10, at 5:23 a.m., Falcon 9 launched Polaris Dawn to low-earth orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SpaceX said the mission will last multiple days and attempt to reach the highest Earth orbit since the Apollo program. The crew will also participate in the first-ever commercial space walk.

The crew will also conduct various studies and experiments. The spacewalk will be conducted on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 2:33 a.m. and broadcast on SpaceX’s account on X.

A NewsNation affiliate WHTM producer shared photos and video of the rocket as it lit up the sky from his backyard on Tuesday morning.

https://www.abc27.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2024/09/459138245_8097264840380260_8525597604608004419_n.mp4

Viewers also shared videos of their view of this morning’s spectacle.

https://www.abc27.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2024/09/20240910_053245.mp4
Video from Todd Smith

This video is from a resident of North Lebanon Township near the intersection of Mount Zion and Kimberlings.

https://www.abc27.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2024/09/Video-2.mov
Video from Rob O’Donnell

Michael Brulo captured two 28x speed timelapse videos of the rocket launch in Hummelstown, Pa.

https://www.abc27.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2024/09/barn-rocket.mp4
https://www.abc27.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2024/09/rocket-doorbell.mp4
Videos from Michael Brulo