Overview

• A surprise geomagnetic storm on May 17 brought rare auroras to the U.S., visible as far south as New Mexico.
• At 11:30 p.m. MT, observers spotted a bright white streak in the sky, initially thought to be the natural STEVE phenomenon.
• Astronomer Jonathan McDowell traced the streak to a methalox fuel dump from LandSpace Technology’s Zhuque-2E rocket, launched earlier that day from China.
• The rocket’s upper stage released fuel at an altitude of 155 miles, producing chemiluminescence as it reacted with the ionosphere.
• This event highlights the growing visibility of human-made atmospheric effects from modern rocket technology, like those previously seen with SpaceX launches.