Latest news with #MikeLewinski
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mysterious white streak outshines aurora, and it didn't come from space
The northern lights appeared in the sky over the United States on May 17, and onlookers were stunned when a bright white light outshone the purple and pink glow of the aurora. The mysterious light was reported by people across the western U.S. from New Mexico to Idaho. Turns out, it had Earthly origins. About an hour before the mysterious white streak appeared, China launched a rocket to deliver six satellites into space. The light is believed to have been from a rocket on the engine, or the spent rocket releasing leftover fuel before burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The rocket-created light show reminded some stargazers of STEVE, an aurora-like light in the sky which shines as a narrow ribbon of color, as opposed to the aurora borealis which is usually a colorful glow over a broad area of the sky. Mike Lewinski captured a time-lapse of the eerie light when it appeared over Crestone, Colorado, and was stunned by the sight. "The aurora was rippling low on the northern horizon when suddenly a bright streak of light, reminiscent of a rocket re-entry, appeared high in the sky and flowed down to the horizon," Lewinski told The time-lapse also captured several airplanes and dozens of satellites flying overhead.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Did the Chinese Government ruin your astrophotography?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. China recently launched the Zhuque-2E rocket, deploying 6 satellites into low-Earth orbit and dumping experimental fuel into space, creating a massive luminous streak visible across at least 7 US states. If you were one of the astrophotographers who ventured out last Saturday, May 17, you might have witnessed this unexpected light show in the sky around 01:24 EST. It may have ruined your long-awaited astrophotography shots of the beautiful night sky, as the bright streak overshadowed the stars. Saying this, you might instead have found yourself captivated by this unexpected happening – like photographer Mike Lewinski, who captured the scene and also created a time-lapse video of the light streak from Crestone, Colorado. You can discover this footage on his Flickr account or website. The bright streak lasted for about ten minutes and, according to it was visible in Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and New Mexico. This giant luminous streak was caused by the Zhuque-2E single-use orbital launch rocket, created by Chinese company LandSpace, which released a series of satellites into orbit and dumped a new type of fuel into space. Speculation surrounds the reason for this massive light streak. Representatives from suggested it might have been a de-orbit burn or a circularization burn for the deploying satellites. An astronomer at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said on X, 'Yes, that's it. Fuel dump from the upper stage, at about 250 km altitude'. This isn't the first time unnatural luminous objects have appeared in the night sky. If you're an astrophotographer, you may already be aware of this; if not, here's some context: the number of satellites is on the rise. According to the European Space Agency, in 2022 some 6,800 satellites were active. In May 2025 that number nearly doubled, with over 11,500 satellites orbiting our planet. In 2019, SpaceX deployed 60 Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Shortly after, observers witnessed a linear string of light across the sky. It's not just American astrophotographers who have seen these unnatural light appearances; just this May, a luminous vortex was spotted in the UK night sky. I spoke with award-winning astrophotographer Josh Dury to gain further insights and discuss concerns around satellites and fuel dumps in space. "Above the United Kingdom on March 25 2025, a somewhat alien-esque object was sighted in the night sky. If anything, the definition of what is 'alien' goes far and few between. ABOVE: See the light pollution from Starlink satellites "This was the presence of a Starlink satellite launch; ejecting a new type of fuel, used to power these missions to launch contributing satellites into a 'mega constellation' in low Earth orbit. "Methalox, liquid oxygen and methane, is the fuel used to launch these satellites up into orbit, freezing as ice crystals high up in the Earth's atmosphere, which reflect sunlight and are visible at night. "The situation now is, these missions are powered to launch tens of thousands of satellites to provide a solution to global internet. The double-edged sword is… they are now outnumbering the amount of visible stars in each hemisphere. "An alarming statistic that not only affects professional astronomical observations, but also astrophotography and our connection with the natural world. "The new concept is how these fuel dumps are effectively degrading our atmosphere and contributing to pollution in our upper atmosphere and thus climate change. Already very worrying especially with evidence for future government decisions to dim sunlight." You can learn more about astrophotography and discover Josh's work on his website and in his new book: 52 Assignments: Night Photography, published by Ammonite Press. Capturing stunning images of the night sky and space starts with having the right gear. Check out our guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography. You might also enjoy our feature on Josh Dury, a pro landscape and astrophotographer, who shared why he considers the Sony A7S III a true "powerhouse" for astrophotography and more insider night sky tips.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Giant 'white streak' appears over multiple US states as Chinese rocket dumps experimental fuel in space
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A massive streak of white, aurora-like light recently appeared in the night sky above several U.S. states after a Chinese rocket released half a dozen satellites into orbit. The light show was triggered when the rocket dumped a new type of fuel into space before reentering the atmosphere, experts say. The luminous streak appeared at around 1:24 a.m. ET on Saturday (May 17), hanging in the air for around 10 minutes before eventually fading away. It was photographed in at least seven states — Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and New Mexico — but may have been visible even further afield, according to Photographer Mike Lewinski snapped stunning shots of the streak from Crestone, Colorado (see above) and also managed to capture timelapse footage of the entire event. Meanwhile, photographer Jay Shaffer took a striking long-exposure photo of the streak in Taos County, New Mexico (see below). In some places, the streak appeared alongside auroras that emerged during a G2-class geomagnetic storm, which was triggered earlier in the night when a cloud of charged particles ejected by the sun, known as a coronal mass ejection, slammed into Earth's magnetic field. As a result, many people who witnessed the streak assumed it was the aurora-like phenomenon known as STEVE, which creates long colored ribbons of light in the night sky. However, what people actually saw was the aftermath of one of China's Zhuque-2E rockets, which launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at around 12:12 a.m. ET, according to Space News. The rocket released six satellites, each carrying various scientific instruments, before it burned up in Earth's upper atmosphere upon reentry. Related: 10 bizarre phenomena that lit up the sky (and their scientific explanations) There was initially some confusion about exactly how the rocket created the stunning light show. "The white streak may have been a de-orbit burn, or perhaps a circularization burn for the deploying satellites," representatives wrote. Others thought it may have been light from the rocket's second stage burning up in our skies, while some people suggested that it may have been an "ionospheric hole," created when rocket fuel reacts with chemicals in the upper atmosphere, triggering streaking aurora-like lights. However, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who tracks satellite launches and reentries, later revealed on the social platform X that it was caused by a "fuel dump" at an altitude of around 155 miles (250 kilometers) before the rocket de-orbited. The ejected fuel, which trailed behind the rocket, froze into a ribbon of tiny frozen crystals that then reflected sunlight toward Earth's surface, making it shine in the night sky. Similar light shows often occur when SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets dump their fuel before re-entering the atmosphere. In these cases, the spacecraft is normally spinning as it dumps the fuel, creating luminous whirlpools of light. Recent examples of these structures, nicknamed SpaceX spirals, include a luminous vortex spotted above the U.K. in March, a "horned" spiral that appeared over mainland Europe in May 2024 and a distant swirl visible from Hawaii in January 2023, among others. The Zhuque-2E rocket is a single-use orbital launch vehicle created by Chinese company LandSpace. It stands at around 160 feet (50 meters) tall and can launch up to 13,200 pounds (6,000 kilograms) of payloads into low-Earth orbit (LEO) — the region of space up to 1,200 miles (2,000 km) above Earth's surface, where the majority of Earth-orbiting satellites operate. Unlike most rockets, which use hydrogen or kerosene-based fuels, Zhuque-2E uses a special hybrid of liquid oxygen and liquid methane, known as "methalox." RELATED STORIES —Chinese scientists reveal plans for near-invisible stealth missiles that could 'redefine modern warfare' —China's secretive new 'Thousands Sails' satellites are an astronomer's nightmare, 1st observations reveal —Chinese astronauts make rocket fuel and oxygen in space using 1st-of-its-kind 'artificial photosynthesis' In July 2023, the rocket's predecessor, Zhuque-2, became the first methane-fueled rocket to reach LEO, beating the likes of SpaceX, which also uses methalox fuels in its gigantic Starship rocket but is yet to successfully get the spacecraft into a full orbital flight. China has now successfully launched four methane-powered rockets into space. Methane is a desirable fuel source for rockets because it is easier to store and burns cleaner than hydrogen or kerosene. It can also potentially be produced on other planets, such as Mars, which makes it ideal for solar system exploration.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious white streak spotted over US skies during surprise aurora storm. What was it? (photos)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The night sky offered lucky skywatchers an unexpected double feature on May 17 — a surprise geomagnetic storm and a mysterious white plume slicing through the auroras. The moderate (G2 class) geomagnetic storm came as quite a surprise, kicking off early Friday (May 16) after Earth caught the glancing blow of a coronal mass ejection (CME). The CME was launched during a colossal filament eruption on May 12 from the sun's northern hemisphere. Initially expected to miss Earth, the "bird-wing" ejecta was wider than predicted, with some of the material striking Earth 4 days after it left the sun. But the real head-turner came when a streak of bright white light lit up the sky over Colorado and other parts of the U.S. At first glance, you could be mistaken for thinking it was a strange version of STEVE — a rare atmospheric phenomenon that can accompany the northern lights. But skywatchers quickly realized it was something entirely different. "The aurora was rippling low on the northern horizon when suddenly a bright streak of light, reminiscent of a rocket re-entry, appeared high in the sky and flowed down to the horizon," photographer Mike Lewinski told Lewinski captured the entire event unfolding in the skies above Crestone, Colorado. The culprit? A recent rocket launch. Roughly an hour earlier, Chinese company Landscape had launched its Zhuque-2E methane-fueled rocket from Site 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), in China. It carried six satellites into orbit, including a radar spacecraft and space science payload. The streak was likely from a de-orbit or circularization burn, possibly related to satellite deployment, according to Astronomer Jonathan McDowell took to X to confirm that the white streak of light was the result of the Zhuque-2 upper stage passing over the U.S. Four Corners area. McDowell further explained that the white streak was caused by the fuel dump from the upper stage at about 155 miles (250 kilometers) altitude. Aurora photographer Derick Wilson also captured the bright white streak above Farmington, New Mexico. "The #aurora was visual but colorless... then the brightest sight I've ever seen in the night sky appeared overhead!" Wilson wrote in a post on X. Photographer Tyler Schlitt captured the white plume from southern Kansas, U.S. Schlitt, like many, had originally thought STEVE had appeared. But soon learned it was something entirely different. "Learning that it's a rocket launch yet again from China is wild! One year ago and a few day I saw the same thing and was unsure but that one seem more of a rocket dump this one fell extremely close," Schlitt wrote in an X post comment. It's not the first time a rocket launch has left skywatchers scratching their heads. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, for instance, have created dazzling spiral patterns that swirl across the sky — strange sights that often spark confusion and awe, especially for first-time viewers who might mistake them for something truly otherworldly.
Gizmodo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Strange, Dazzling White Streak Photobombs Rare Auroras Over the U.S.
A surprise solar storm also came with a baffling phenomenon that left people in the inland U.S. scratching their heads. On the night of Saturday, May 17, skywatchers in parts of the U.S. were treated to a dazzling display of auroras from a surprise geomagnetic storm. But then observers spotted something very weird. A mysterious white streak cut clean across the night sky, leaving many wondering: what the heck was that? On Sunday evening, the skies over Colorado and states farther south lit up with bands of green, blue, and red auroras. The storm was a result of solar flares and a coronal mass ejection (CME)—a massive bubble of coronal plasma and magnetic field ejected from the Sun—that occurred about four days earlier. The CME was initially expected to miss Earth, but a portion of it dealt a glancing blow to our planet's magnetic field, triggering a geomagnetic storm. But the real weirdness started at around 11:30 p.m. MT on May 17, when a bright white streak lit up the sky. Naturally, people took to social media for answers. Many observers initially thought it might be a strange form of STEVE, a unique band of purple and green light that often appears near auroras. STEVE is also caused by space weather events. Photographer Mike Lewinski captured long-exposure shots of the whole thing unfolding over the skies of Crestone, Colorado. 'The aurora was rippling low on the northern horizon when suddenly a bright streak of light, reminiscent of a rocket re-entry, appeared high in the sky and flowed down to the horizon,' Lewinski told The strange event was not STEVE after all, but a recent rocket launch. reported that roughly an hour before the mysterious white streak appeared across the southwestern U.S., the Chinese company Landscape launched its Zhuque-2E methane-fueled rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. The rocket was shuttling six satellites into orbit, and the white streak may have occurred as the rocket prepared for reentry. On X, astronomer Jonathan McDowell wrote that the odd event was likely the result of the rocket's upper stage passing over the U.S. He elaborated that the white streak may have been caused by a fuel dump at an altitude of 155 miles (250 kilometers) as the rocket passed over the Four Corners region. It's not the first time rocket launches have left skywatchers puzzled. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets have created dizzying spiral patterns across the night sky. So we're likely in for more mysterious sky phenomena.
