Norway Spiral
2009 luminous blue spiral over northern Norway later attributed to a failed Russian missile
| Norway Spiral | |
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| Date | December 9, 2009 |
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| Location | Tromsø, Norway |
| Type | Sighting (explained) |
| Status | Officially explained |
Thousands of residents of northern Norway witnessed and filmed a bright blue-white spiral of light that formed, expanded, and stabilized into a stationary glow over several minutes before fading, generating immediate worldwide media coverage and speculation.
Assessment
Russian officials confirmed the following day that a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile had been launched from a submarine in the White Sea at the same time and had failed and spun out of control shortly after launch; Western missile-defense analysts concurred that the failed missile’s out-of-control corkscrew exhaust plume matched the observed spiral precisely. The case is now widely accepted as fully explained.
[1]See also
References
- ^ Norwegian Meteorological Institute and Russian Ministry of Defence statements, December 2009.