Mysterious Light Over Upstate New York Sends Social Media Into Frenzy Believing it was a UFO

Photo credit Lily Holt

Clear summer nights in New York are often ideal for skywatching whether it’s stargazing, meteor showers, or, for some, hunting for UFOs. With rural landscapes and little light pollution, unusual sights in the sky tend to draw attention quickly.

That’s exactly what happened last this past week across Upstate New York when residents reported seeing a glowing orb hovering high above the trees. For many, it sparked a rush of speculation that extraterrestrials might be visiting.

The object became the subject of hundreds of social media posts, photos, and videos within hours.

One of the most widely shared came from David McElwee, who posted his own images to a Schroon Lake Facebook group. The pictures quickly went viral as others chimed in to confirm they had seen it too.

Let's face it, people want to believe that UFOs are real. First-hand accounts tend to send folks down a rabbit hole. So as the glowing shape slowly shifted and shimmered across the sky, speculation soared.

But the explanation, it turns out, was far more down-to-earth (or rather, just above it).

The light show came from a Vulcan Centaur rocket launch out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a military navigation satellite.

According to reports, the 198-foot-tall rocket lifted off at 8:56pm creating what one source described as “a spectacular sky-lighting show” visible across a vast distance. Its exhaust plume, illuminated in the upper atmosphere, produced the stunning “space jellyfish” effect that could be seen for hundreds of miles, including much of New York State.

Some even believe that the explanation is more evidence that there was indeed a UFO sighting and the government is attempting to cover it up.

There was no alien encounter, but for those who witnessed it, it was still an unforgettable sight.

Mysterious Light Over Upstate New York Sends Social Media Into Frenzy Believing it was a UFO