Here’s what those lights over Arizona were on Sunday night

That unusual light in the sky on Sunday night? Sorry, it wasn't aliens.

April 28, 2025

Image: Last night's light in the sky, sadly, wasn't aliens.

Last night's light in the sky, sadly, wasn't aliens. Derpy CG/Pexels

What happens on the ground matters — Your support makes it possible.

We’re aiming to raise $6,000 by August 10, so we can deepen our reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now: grassroots protests, immigration, politics and more.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$7,000

$700

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "21251496",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "21327862",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "16759093",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "17980324",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "21934225",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25          
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "17980324",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17012245",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

Did you catch last night's lights in the sky over Phoenix?

No, it wasn't aliens, even though Arizona is a hotspot for UFO sightings.

Rather, another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched on Sunday evening. According to the SpaceX website, "On Sunday, April 27 at 10:09 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was the 20th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission."

SpaceX launches that originate from California often light up the Phoenix sky with a distinctive oval-shaped glowing cloud with a tail. In the case of Sunday's launch, however, folks in the Valley saw only a bright dot in the sky with a glowing corona.

Still, the sight of the Falcon 9 was a cause for discussion on social media. On Sunday night on the Phoenix subreddit, u/rocbolt posted a heads-up that the rocket would be visible over the Valley that evening, and several other Redditors responded with their photos of the phenomenon.

In addition to the jokes about UFOs, most commenters expressed gratitude that they were able to catch a glimpse of the rocket.

A Falcon 9 rocket launch originating from Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for Monday evening.

Here are a few Reddit submissions of images of last night's launch.

Comment
byu/rocbolt from discussion
inphoenix

Jennifer Goldberg is the Senior Editor of Culture at Phoenix New Times. She joined the New Times staff in February 2016. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene. She also oversees the Best of Phoenix. Jennifer previously worked for Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. During her career, Jennifer has received awards from the Arizona Press Club, the Arizona Newspaper Association and the American Jewish Press Association. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University.

A message from Jennifer Goldberg: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Phoenix's vibrant culture and arts scenes.

Support Today