Residents of Lithuania and Latvia witnessed what appeared to be a UFO in the night sky on May 2, 2024, as a moving luminous object caught the attention of many, sparking a wave of surprise and questions on social media. Many users inquired about the nature of the object, wondering if it was indeed a UFO, military equipment, or something else entirely.
It was later revealed that the unusual sight was one of two launches of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The first launch took place at 02:37 GMT on May 3 from the US Space Force base at Cape Canaveral in Florida, carrying 23 Starlink satellites into orbit.
The second launch occurred at 18:36 GMT on May 2 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with the rocket tasked with delivering two Earth observation satellites into orbit for Maxar.
The glowing object observed over Lithuania and Latvia was likely the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket returning to Earth after separating from the second stage. The bright light and trajectory of this stage could explain why some individuals initially mistook it for a UFO.
It’s worth noting that SpaceX rocket launches are becoming increasingly commonplace, and the likelihood of witnessing such events in the future will continue to grow.
