Did everyone see the video on KMGH, pretty neat. Jeffco tower thought it was a crash.
DENVER -- What appeared to be a bright meteor breaking up in the predawn sky over Colorado may actually be an SL-4 rocket body reentering the atmosphere, North American Aerospace Defense Command said Thursday.
"NORAD and U.S. Northern Command are aware that an SL-4 rocket body re-entered the atmosphere over Colorado and Wyoming earlier this morning. It is possible that pieces of the object broke off during reentry over states neighboring Colorado. We are also aware of an initial report that a piece landed in Riverton, Wyo., near Highway 28, around 6:13 a.m.," NORAD said Thursday in a press release.
The SL-4 is a rocket booster from a Russian satellite launch.
No damage has been reported in the area and the debris is not believed to be hazardous, NORAD said.
NORAD-USNORTHCOM continues to monitor the situation and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
The spectacular sight was caught on tape by Airtracker 7 early Thursday morning.
The event began at about 6:15 a.m. and was seen by thousands of people across the area.
Airtracker 7 pilot Rich Westra said the brightly lit object broke up into a number of pieces as it streaked across the sky, from north to south.
7News received reports from citizens across the area who also saw the objects.
"I was at the Union Station light rail station and saw a very bright light (initially it looked like a spotlight from a helicopter). The object then broke apart into smaller, brightly lit pieces," said Karen Miller.
"At first it looked like a plane with its landing lights on," wrote Charlie Pellegrino. "It looked just like the meteors you see in the movies, big round, on fire, and blazing across the sky. It lit the western sky in a blaze of rainbow colors and showed no signs of fading away as it disappeared over the Flatirons and into the southern sky. It was absolutely the most spectacular fireworks display I've ever seen."
Sara Samuels said she saw the pre-dawn display in Glenwood Springs, Colo. There were also reports that people in Wyo., Neb., and Kansas saw the objects as they streaked across the sky.
DENVER -- What appeared to be a bright meteor breaking up in the predawn sky over Colorado may actually be an SL-4 rocket body reentering the atmosphere, North American Aerospace Defense Command said Thursday.
"NORAD and U.S. Northern Command are aware that an SL-4 rocket body re-entered the atmosphere over Colorado and Wyoming earlier this morning. It is possible that pieces of the object broke off during reentry over states neighboring Colorado. We are also aware of an initial report that a piece landed in Riverton, Wyo., near Highway 28, around 6:13 a.m.," NORAD said Thursday in a press release.
The SL-4 is a rocket booster from a Russian satellite launch.
No damage has been reported in the area and the debris is not believed to be hazardous, NORAD said.
NORAD-USNORTHCOM continues to monitor the situation and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
The spectacular sight was caught on tape by Airtracker 7 early Thursday morning.
The event began at about 6:15 a.m. and was seen by thousands of people across the area.
Airtracker 7 pilot Rich Westra said the brightly lit object broke up into a number of pieces as it streaked across the sky, from north to south.
7News received reports from citizens across the area who also saw the objects.
"I was at the Union Station light rail station and saw a very bright light (initially it looked like a spotlight from a helicopter). The object then broke apart into smaller, brightly lit pieces," said Karen Miller.
"At first it looked like a plane with its landing lights on," wrote Charlie Pellegrino. "It looked just like the meteors you see in the movies, big round, on fire, and blazing across the sky. It lit the western sky in a blaze of rainbow colors and showed no signs of fading away as it disappeared over the Flatirons and into the southern sky. It was absolutely the most spectacular fireworks display I've ever seen."
Sara Samuels said she saw the pre-dawn display in Glenwood Springs, Colo. There were also reports that people in Wyo., Neb., and Kansas saw the objects as they streaked across the sky.
