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Mystery Light over U.S. East Coast Sparks UFO Speculation Online
The Vulcan rocket launched an experimental national security satellite from Florida, with sightings of a swirling light across the East Coast, including Pennsylvania, officials said.
- On the night of August 12, 2025, residents across the eastern and midwestern U.S. reported a bright, swirling light visible in states including New York, Vermont, Maine, Illinois, and Missouri.
- The sightings coincided with two rocket launches around 9 p.m., including the Vulcan rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying an experimental national security satellite.
- Officials and experts attributed the unusual jellyfish-like spiral light to the Vulcan rocket’s exhaust plume being lit up by the sun high above the Earth during twilight hours.
- Tory Bruno, CEO of ULA, described the Vulcan rocket as a key driver in advancing the United States' defense efforts within the critical area of space warfare, emphasizing its importance in strengthening U.S. space capabilities.
- The launch marked a successful deployment of a classified payload into geosynchronous orbit and underscored growing public interest in space activities amid coinciding meteor showers.
15 Articles
15 Articles
West Virginians report seeing bright light Tuesday night, and it wasn't a meteor
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Even though the night of Aug. 12 was the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, the light that caught the most attention in West Virginia and across the East Coast wasn't a fireball. A 12 News viewer in Bridgeport, West Virginia reported seeing a strange, spiral-shaped light in the night sky around 10:30 p.m. Others across the East Coast, from central Pennsylvania to New Jersey and Michigan, also reported seeing similar li…
What was the spiral-shaped light seen over Central Pennsylvania?
(WTAJ) -- Many Pennsylvania residents looked up at the sky Tuesday in hopes of catching the Perseid meteor shower, but instead, saw something rather strange -- a spiral-shaped light. Viewers like Robyn Gneiss were stunned to look up and see the light, appearing to try to take over the night sky. The pictures seen below might seem like they came straight from the X-Files. What We Know United Launch Alliance blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Spa…
‘Ball of swirling light’ over NE Ohio: What was it
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WJW) - Several FOX 8 viewers are sharing videos and pictures of what has been described as a "ball of swirling light" in the sky. Credit: Courtney Eveleth at West Branch State Park On Tuesday, the Perseids Meteor Shower was expected to peak, which had many stargazers searching the night sky for shooting stars. However, what they saw — wasn't that. Take a look! The unusual light was spotted around 10:30 p.m. by viewers around no…
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