No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsEnvironment and WildlifeMysterious Lights Over Costa Rica Attributed to Chinese Rocket Debris

Mysterious Lights Over Costa Rica Attributed to Chinese Rocket Debris

Early Monday morning, peculiar lights illuminated the skies across various regions of the country, leaving onlookers in awe and prompting the capture of numerous videos.

Experts swiftly identified these celestial displays as space debris, particularly pinpointing lights attributed to object 53358, as per its NORAD designation.

Erick Sanchez, an astronomer and instructor at the University of Costa Rica’s planetarium, elucidated that the phenomenon likely stemmed from the re-entry into the atmosphere of remnants from the Chinese rocket Cháng Zhēng.

Sanchez clarified that the observed flashes were likely the result of human-made objects burning upon re-entry into Earth’s upper atmosphere.

“What could be seen in the videos and images was the disintegration of an object into numerous parts, just as it is seen when a satellite or space debris disintegrates and burns in the upper atmosphere,” the astronomer pointed out.

While speculation circulated regarding the possibility of the debris originating from the final stage of the Chinese rocket launched in 2022, Sanchez emphasized that such material posed no direct threat as it typically burns up completely before reaching the Earth’s surface.

“This is the famous space debris that has been talked about so much in recent years, which is a problem that at some point in the future will have to be managed to avoid the danger of collisions, especially with satellites in orbit or space stations,” Sanchez added.

Addressing inquiries about the potential for a meteorite, Sanchez dismissed the notion, citing the observed slow speed of the object captured in videos. “Given the very slow speed with which it was seen in the videos, the object does not fit with it being a meteorite. If it was a meteor, the phenomenon would have lasted only a second, entering at high speed and flashing very bright in the atmosphere,” he added

Trending Now

Costa Rica Residency Backlog Hits 38,000 in October

Immigrants in Costa Rica continue to deal with long waits for their residence cards, known as DIMEX, as the immigration system struggles with backlogs....

Venezuela Arrests Suspects in Alleged CIA Cell Plotting Attack

Venezuela claimed Monday to have dismantled a CIA-financed cell plotting a false-flag attack on a US warship deployed to the southern Caribbean, as Washington...

U.S. Strikes Drug Boat in Pacific Near Colombia, Killing Two

The United States military carried out its first strike in the Pacific Ocean against a boat suspected of drug trafficking, killing two people near...

Uncertainty Dominates Costa Rican Voters Ahead of 2026 Elections

A new poll from the University of Costa Rica's Center for Political Research and Studies (CIEP-UCR) paints a picture of widespread indecision among Costa...

Costa Rica Presidential Candidate Eli Feinzaig Recovering

Presidential candidate and Congressman Eli Feinzaig of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) underwent surgery Saturday night to repair a fractured sternum sustained in a...

Costa Rica U-17 Women’s Team Earns Historic Draw vs Brazil

Costa Rica's under-17 women's national soccer team marked a milestone in their history with a 1-1 draw against Brazil during the FIFA U-17 Women's...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica