On May 17, stargazers in the US observed a mysterious beam of light, initially thought to be a rare space weather phenomenon called STEVE. However, astronomers revealed it was a result of the Zhuque-2E Y2 rocket from a Chinese startup, which dumped fuel into space. This event coincided with a geomagnetic storm that had affected Earth's ionosphere, creating a whitish glow when the rocket's fuel reacted with plasma. The incident highlights the impact of space activity on our atmosphere and how misinterpretations can arise among observers.
However, astronomers have now revealed the true explanation for this bizarre phenomenon.
Just an hour or so before the light became visible, Chinese startup LandSpace Technology launched a methane and oxygen-fuelled Zhuque-2E Y2 rocket.
Once released into space, the chemicals in the fuel react with plasma in the Earth's ionosphere to create an eerie whitish glow, just like the one seen above the US.
It soon became apparent that this was no natural phenomenon.
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