If you see a flash in the night sky in Los Angeles, it’s likely a blown transformer or fireworks (especially this time of year). A bright bulb just kind of hovering there? Likely a helicopter or the LAX flight path. And a bright fiery streak across the sky? Rarely a shooting star, but otherwise pretty much always a rocket launch.
Indeed, that was the explanation for Tuesday night’s otherworldly light streak above Southern California: SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a bit up the coast from Santa Barbara. The 8:40pm launch on June 18 delivered 20 satellites into low-Earth orbit, the latest Starlink mission from the Hawthorne-based company and its reusable rockets.
Vandenberg—formerly an Air Force base and now a Space Force one—has hosted launches for decades, whether it’s satellites sent to space, missiles being tested or some other classified payload being launched into orbit. Chances are, though, that you don’t notice most of these launches: During the day they’re barely visible and well after dark they look like a little flare floating upwards across the sky.
But when the timing is just right—usually 30 to 60 minutes after sunset or before sunrise—these rocket launches leave behind an out-of-this-world display in the sky. Dubbed the twilight phenomenon, high-altitude light from the setting sun catches the rocket’s vapor trail, which turns its exhaust plume into a jellyfish-like kaleidoscope of colors against the otherwise dark sky. They’re not limited to just the sky above L.A. either: These Vandeberg launches are sometimes visible well into Arizona.
Tuesday’s rocket lifted off just over 30 minutes after sunset, so the darkening sky provided a pretty spectacular backdrop for the rocket’s bright plume. If you’ve gotten hooked on these ethereal displays, then you’ll want to keep up with SpaceX’s launch schedule. They’re not the only company blasting off from Vandenberg, but they’re certainly the most popular launchpad patron; you can scope out website Space Launch Schedule for a full rundown of the base’s, well, space launch schedule. Just keep in mind that launches are often delayed or rescheduled, sometimes seconds before the countdown runs out. Otherwise, look to the west or northwest (or, from wherever you are in L.A., whatever direction Santa Barbara is in) and watch as the rocket moves south across the sky.