SpaceX Starlink Satellite's Fiery Reentry Stuns Southwestern Skywatchers
The dramatic breakup of a decommissioned satellite lit up the night sky, sparking excitement and environmental concerns.
- Witnesses across Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma reported seeing a bright fireball, initially mistaken for a meteor, on November 9.
- The American Meteorological Society received 36 reports of the event, which was identified as the reentry of SpaceX's Starlink-4682 satellite.
- Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer, confirmed the satellite's reentry path over Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
- The spectacle raised environmental concerns about the release of aluminum oxide during satellite reentry, which could impact the ozone layer.
- SpaceX has launched over 7,000 Starlink satellites, with plans for controlled deorbits to prevent space debris.
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