Debris from space illuminates the night sky over Northern Mississippi

A Chinese satellite reentering the Earth’s atmosphere caused a light show in the sky over North Mississippi on Saturday night. The satellite, launched in 2016, was moving at about 17,000 miles per hour, slower than a typical meteor. While people were concerned about debris making it to the ground, experts predicted that it was unlikely. NASA described low Earth orbit as a space junkyard with millions of pieces, including dead satellites. Chief meteorologist Matt Laubhan from WTVA 9 News explained that as space continues to see more activity, events like this will become more common. The satellite’s reentry had people reaching out to news outlets, sharing pictures and videos of the bright streaks they saw in the sky. Although astronomers predicted the satellite’s path, they were unsure where exactly it would reenter. As more objects are sent into space, occurrences like this can be expected in the future. Those who witnessed the event were amazed by the unusual light show but were reassured that the chances of debris hitting the ground were minimal. The incident highlighted the growing congestion of space and the need for monitoring and managing space debris.

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Photo credit www.wtva.com