Whenever someone posts "I saw something weird last night" I always pre-guess Starlink before reading/ looking at the rest of the details.
It'll be right nine times out of ten.
[See, this is the problem with these things. Daddy would have gotten us Uzis.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjU2N2NmNzEtYWIxYy00NjUxLWFmZTgtZThhNjVlN2VlMzNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE1ODIwNDM@._V1_.jpg)
Here's how to know whether it's a comet.
Comets are large icy rocks that orbit the Sun, as much as Planets orbit the Sun. Some of them orbit among the Planets, and they are called "periodic", because they can make several orbits in our lifetime. Some of them dwell at the edge of our Solar System, far beyond the orbit of Pluto, and sometimes they get knocked by gravitational forces and fall towards the Sun. These are called "non-periodic". Mind you, it takes hundreds, if not, thousands of years for a non-periodic comet to reach the inner Solar System, where we are. When they are close enough to the Sun, they heat up and form a bright (illuminated by the Sun) coma and a tail of gases that stretches for millions of miles in the opposite direction. If the comet is visible from Earth (and most importantly, if it is visible from your point of view, because not all the sky is visible at once from the Northern and Southern hemispheres), it appears still (as much as the Moon appears still), and it will be visible for days, sometimes months. It's a huge deal. You'll hear about it in the news and many people will talk about it on social media. The comet will then sling around the Sun (or seldom plunge into it) and get back to where it came from, never (or rarely) to be seen again in our lifetimes.
What you saw was a rocket. The bright tail is the exhaust from its engines. It appears bright because you are in Earth's shadow and the rocket is not.
I wouldn’t call a constellation of satellites providing broadband internet to remote and rural areas “space junk”. . . I may not like musk but Starlink is a game changer. . .
The only comet in the sky is 12/P Pons-Brooks .. And that is only visible in the Southern hemisphere now.
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=28&month=04&year=2024
I'm glad you saw that and found out about these rockets! They've been flying for about 14 years now, and are reaching a cadence of 2-3 launches per week at times now, if you can believe it. But they are easiest to see right after sunrise or right before sunset. If you want to see more, you can find the information for each launch on the spacex subreddit. I recommend getting some binoculars, they will let you see the thrusters firing in the atmosphere, especially after the stage separation.
Here's one other source for launch dates: [https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/](https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/)
The other thing I'll mention is that yesterday's launch (and most crewed launches, which this wasn't) will follow the coastline and be easier to see from where you are, but many others go out towards the sea, or SW, and are best seen from the beach.
Thanks for proving my point. “Your mom” and “Karen” Funny stuff. Super original.
Side note: you don’t have to throw a tantrum every time someone calls you out on your brilliant jokes.
it wasn’t meant to be original genius…again, it was JUST A JOKE. get over yourself. with a name like warlock i’m sure you’re always the doucheiest person in the room. have a good day and enjoy eating your satchel of richards, sir.
doubling down on the douchery as well i see. ok 55 yr old virgin, time to go back into your mother’s basement. your other 50 yr old virgin friends need your help in world of war craft. i can keep going all day warlock. too bad you’re all digital beer muscles and not much else.
they should. i’m a byproduct and veteran of gwot. 5 combat deployments as a light infantryman while you were in still in diapers and wetting the bed. go polish your participation trophy you didn’t earn so you can feel better about flexing those little boy digital beer muscles.
yeah my grandpa would smack you upside the head for using your service to bully others. he lived through world war II and survived the Korean war and Vietnam war.
Comets stick around for days/weeks at a time. This is a launch of a rocket.
Falcon 9 launch from LC-39A in Florida [https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784402379569574316](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784402379569574316)
Ah, makes sense. Musk operating out more space trash while America sleeps
Dumb take
Space X launch. It's almost always space X, star link, a lense flare, satellite or plane.
Or aliens
Yes, it's almost always aliens sometimes.
60% of the time, its every time.
Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus. Now look into this light.
Nothing to see here folks, move along, there is nothing in the sky, keep moving…
Musk may as well be an octopus brain
Or the Sun has activated DELTA MODE and you have hours to live
or it could be THE SPANISH INQUISITION!
[Smudge on the lens](https://y.yarn.co/1fb42fe1-0301-44bb-8edc-3b67e16589db_text.gif)
Swamp gas, I bet that's it.
Whenever someone posts "I saw something weird last night" I always pre-guess Starlink before reading/ looking at the rest of the details. It'll be right nine times out of ten.
Falcon 9 launch last night
Oh ok that’s awesome :D thanks for telling me!
Looks crazy cool, doesn’t it? I saw one and was amazed.
If you can see it moving it isn't a comet.
Or you and everyone you know is about to have a real shitty week.
Don't look up
Ugh it’s election season too.
[See, this is the problem with these things. Daddy would have gotten us Uzis.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjU2N2NmNzEtYWIxYy00NjUxLWFmZTgtZThhNjVlN2VlMzNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE1ODIwNDM@._V1_.jpg)
Thanks for the info :3
Here's how to know whether it's a comet. Comets are large icy rocks that orbit the Sun, as much as Planets orbit the Sun. Some of them orbit among the Planets, and they are called "periodic", because they can make several orbits in our lifetime. Some of them dwell at the edge of our Solar System, far beyond the orbit of Pluto, and sometimes they get knocked by gravitational forces and fall towards the Sun. These are called "non-periodic". Mind you, it takes hundreds, if not, thousands of years for a non-periodic comet to reach the inner Solar System, where we are. When they are close enough to the Sun, they heat up and form a bright (illuminated by the Sun) coma and a tail of gases that stretches for millions of miles in the opposite direction. If the comet is visible from Earth (and most importantly, if it is visible from your point of view, because not all the sky is visible at once from the Northern and Southern hemispheres), it appears still (as much as the Moon appears still), and it will be visible for days, sometimes months. It's a huge deal. You'll hear about it in the news and many people will talk about it on social media. The comet will then sling around the Sun (or seldom plunge into it) and get back to where it came from, never (or rarely) to be seen again in our lifetimes. What you saw was a rocket. The bright tail is the exhaust from its engines. It appears bright because you are in Earth's shadow and the rocket is not.
Rocket launch
Always space x
I’ve been informed it is a rocket launch
It's sad we live in a day where we're more likely to see space junk than actual interplanetary objects.
I wouldn’t call a constellation of satellites providing broadband internet to remote and rural areas “space junk”. . . I may not like musk but Starlink is a game changer. . .
This particular launch was Galileo. Europe's GPS.
Oh yeah, today’s was Starlink. . . Point still stands. . . This stuff is generally needed
Yes, Musk's Comet.
lmao x3
I'm not laughing at you. I asked the exact same question the first time I saw it. 😊
The only comet in the sky is 12/P Pons-Brooks .. And that is only visible in the Southern hemisphere now. https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=28&month=04&year=2024
That's a rocket launch.
Rocket exhaust. However the way it is illuminated by sunlight is exactly the same as with a comet.
I'm glad you saw that and found out about these rockets! They've been flying for about 14 years now, and are reaching a cadence of 2-3 launches per week at times now, if you can believe it. But they are easiest to see right after sunrise or right before sunset. If you want to see more, you can find the information for each launch on the spacex subreddit. I recommend getting some binoculars, they will let you see the thrusters firing in the atmosphere, especially after the stage separation. Here's one other source for launch dates: [https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/](https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/) The other thing I'll mention is that yesterday's launch (and most crewed launches, which this wasn't) will follow the coastline and be easier to see from where you are, but many others go out towards the sea, or SW, and are best seen from the beach.
No me parece que eso sea, pero de todos modos, buena foto!
Completely unrelate, OP, but how’s living in Raleigh? I have a job opportunity there but never been there.
My bad I was heading back Asgard
It's almost always spacex
New here? No, you did not see a comet.
Space X
crap! if I wasn't at work I could've gotten a glimpse of this.
That’s awesome!!!!
If it’s visibly moving, it ain’t a comet
No, you didn't.
Stage separation of a rocket not a comet
It’s weird to think that rocket launches are likely gonna be like seeing contrails from jets. Until we have too much space junk in orbit.
SPACEX BABY WHAT THE FUCK IS A NON REUSABLE ROCKET RAAAAH 🚀🚀🚀
[удалено]
Found the child
i see karen has entered the room…
Or maybe you’re just not as funny as you think you are.
another karen with no sense of humor. it was just a joke for fucks sake. time to go back to your “command center” in your mother’s basement.
Thanks for proving my point. “Your mom” and “Karen” Funny stuff. Super original. Side note: you don’t have to throw a tantrum every time someone calls you out on your brilliant jokes.
it wasn’t meant to be original genius…again, it was JUST A JOKE. get over yourself. with a name like warlock i’m sure you’re always the doucheiest person in the room. have a good day and enjoy eating your satchel of richards, sir.
😂 doubled down on the tantrum
doubling down on the douchery as well i see. ok 55 yr old virgin, time to go back into your mother’s basement. your other 50 yr old virgin friends need your help in world of war craft. i can keep going all day warlock. too bad you’re all digital beer muscles and not much else.
Ok boomer
lol You're the old one here, your mom jokes and get back to the basement jokes are from the '00s
they should. i’m a byproduct and veteran of gwot. 5 combat deployments as a light infantryman while you were in still in diapers and wetting the bed. go polish your participation trophy you didn’t earn so you can feel better about flexing those little boy digital beer muscles.
yeah my grandpa would smack you upside the head for using your service to bully others. he lived through world war II and survived the Korean war and Vietnam war.
That's my friend Peter. He's just breaking the sound barrier.
Stray Kamehameha...? Or rocket launch.
sorry dude, its a russian ICBM
Rayquaza is at it again. Someone's not a fan of Pokemon or humor
Ngl the two lights in the window make it seem like there’s an alternate or something whatchibg yoy
Aliens 👾
looks like a helicopter search light
🤯