Fiery streaks seen in Delhi-NCR skies: Meteor or Chinese rocket?
Eyewitnesses describe it as a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event, noting how the fiery trail eventually appeared to break into smaller glowing fragments
Fiery streaks blazing across the early morning sky over Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday (September 20) left residents both mesmerised and baffled.
Many took to social media to share videos of the unusual spectacle, sparking speculation over whether it was a meteor shower or space debris.
So far, neither possibility has been officially confirmed by any space or meteorological authority.
Also Read: How rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is whizzing through our solar system
Meteor spotted in Delhi?
Around 1.20 am, a bright meteor-like object was reportedly seen streaking across the skies of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram, with reports of visibility extending as far as Aligarh.
Similar sightings were reported in Haryana’s Gurugram, Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, and even Jaipur in Rajasthan.
The glowing object lit up the night sky, reportedly outshining city lights during its brief appearance.
Eyewitnesses described it as a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event, noting how the fiery trail eventually appeared to break into smaller glowing fragments, resembling tiny lights scattered across the sky.
Also Read: How astronomers spotted birth of a new solar system around baby star HOPS-315
Grok suggests Chinese space debris
As videos flooded social media, speculation intensified. Grok AI replied to a post on X about the incident, suggesting that the streak could be space debris from a Chinese CZ-3B rocket body re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.
When asked if the phenomenon was a bolide (a very bright meteor that explodes in the atmosphere), the AI said, "It looks like the bright streak over New Delhi was likely space debris from a Chinese CZ-3B rocket body re-entering the atmosphere, based on predictions and video characteristics like slow speed and fragmentation."
"Some experts call it a bolide, but evidence leans toward debris. Official confirmation may come soon," it added.
According to a NDTV report, the American Meteor Society weighed in, noting that the glowing trail bore similarities to a Perseid meteor, typically observed during the annual Perseid shower in mid-August.