It’s Elon, Not Alien: Falcon 9 Launch Captivates Californians Who Mistake It For UFO; Watch Video Here

Bystanders who watched the recent SpaceX Falcon 9 launch mistook it for an alien visit before realising that was a rocket launch. Videos and images of the launch caught on California’s sky have been the subject of a social media obsession.

The Falcon 9 rocket was carrying Argentine satellite SAOCOM 1A into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base which is located on the Los Angeles coast.

Several videos of the launch shot from different angles were posted on Twitter and Youtube. One of the time lapse videos shot by a Twitter user is below.

The Vandenberg Air Force station had put out a statement warning citizens about the possibility of a sonic boom during the launch.

The statement said, “Local residents may see the first stage of the Falcon 9 returning to Vandenberg AFB, including multiple engine burns associated with the landing. During the landing attempt residents from Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties may hear one or more sonic booms. A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves from an aircraft or vehicle travelling faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms generate a sound similar to an explosion or a clap of thunder. The sonic boom experienced will depend on weather conditions and other factors.”

Argentina's satellite that was launched by Falcon 9 will track natural disasters, crop yields and soil-moisture levels from a height of 620 kilometres above the earth.