MYSA: Mysterious lights over Malaysia were NASA space debris, meteor shower

On Wednesday night, stargazers across Malaysia witnessed a series of mysterious, fiery lights streaking across the night sky. These unusual sightings prompted widespread speculation and concern online, with many wondering whether the glowing objects were meteors or pieces of space debris. However, the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) has since confirmed that the phenomenon was linked to two separate space-related events occurring around the same time.

According to MYSA director-general Datuk Azlikamil Napiah, the first event involved the re-entry of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space telescope. NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, had been monitoring the sky for nearly two decades before re-entering Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday evening. The telescope weighed 1,450kg and was expected to burn up during its descent, although some denser components could potentially have survived.

The re-entry of the NASA telescope was carefully monitored by the space agency to minimize any risk of incidents or casualties. It is believed that the debris from the telescope had fallen into the ocean, specifically within the African continent, and was not related to Malaysian territory.

Adding to the celestial show, Malaysia also experienced the peak of the Southern Taurids meteor shower around the same period. MYSA listed this meteor shower as active from September 20 to November 20, with its peak occurring between Wednesday night and early Thursday. During this time, observers could expect to see about five meteors per hour lighting up the night sky.

The overlapping nature of these two space-related events has fueled speculation and curiosity among the public. Videos and social media posts circulated, showing the bright lights, with many members of the public sharing recordings and debating whether the glowing objects were meteors or pieces of falling space debris.