New England Saw a Strange Glowing Bowtie in the Sky — Here’s The Explanation [VIDEO]

Everybody's talking about the cosmic phenomenon over Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and across New England, but no one seems to have the answers – until now.

If you spotted a strange, bowtie-shaped swirl in the sky over the SouthCoast, or anywhere in New England, on the evening of November 4, you’re not alone. Across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and beyond, residents looked up to see a glowing, swirling “cloud” that seemed to defy explanation.

The cause? According to ArianeSpace, it derived from a rocket launch from all the way down in French Guiana. Yes, you read that right: a European Ariane 6 rocket, carrying the Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite, lit up our New England evening sky.

Why New England Got a Front-Row Seat

When rockets launch at certain times, especially around twilight or dusk, their upper-stage exhaust plumes can catch sunlight even after the ground is dark. That’s exactly what happened here. As the Ariane 6 headed into orbit, its rocket plume was illuminated high above, making it visible hundreds, even a thousand miles away. The result was a swirling spectacle that looked like a glowing bowtie in the night sky.

Jay Beaulieu of Fairhaven captured this amazing footage of the rocket separation over the area of Lake Street in Rochester, Massachusetts.

In short, New England got a free celestial show thanks to a launch that happened thousands of miles south. If you saw that odd shape in the sky and wondered if it was a UFO – nope, just some rocket science on display.

We’re All Under the Same Sky

These rare sky moments are a reminder of just how small and connected we all are. A rocket launched thousands of miles away in South America, and yet within a couple of hours, the plume was glowing above the SouthCoast like a cosmic bowtie.

READ MORE: New Bedford Residents Witness Stunning Starlink Light Show in the Night Sky

It’s wild to think about, but it’s also pretty beautiful.

The universe has a way of putting on a show, and every once in a while, we get to look up at the right time and witness a piece of it.