Strange 'burning' object spotted in sky over western US

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Fragments from a Chinese rocket streak across the night sky

Remnants will burn in the atmosphere before hitting the ground

A strange, apparently burning object was spotted in the sky over parts of the western U.S. Wednesday night.

Fox 5 in Las Vegas reports that hundreds of viewers contacted the station about the streaking lights, which appeared in the sky around 9:35 p.m. PDT. The lights were said to be visible in Reno, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Idaho and Northern California.

The object generated plenty of buzz on social media.

“Amazing fireballs in the sky!! Did anyone else see them?,” tweeted the Death Valley National Park Service.

“It was seen here in Las Vegas. Looks like space debris burning up. Not confirmed,” tweeted the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, in response.

Citing the National Weather Service, Fox 5 reported that the object could be a Chinese rocket burning up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. However, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada said that the object was likely a meteorite burning up, according to Fox 5.

Another theory suggested that the lights could be related to the Delta Aquarid meteor shower, which peaks Thursday and Friday.