UFO seen in Canada? Bright luminous object spins across night sky

A mysterious light streaked across the night sky over southern Quebec on Tuesday(August 12), leaving stargazers and casual skywatchers alike scratching their heads.

Observers described a luminous spiral of light, seemingly floating and spinning in the darkness, sparking speculation on social media about UFOs or extraterrestrial visitors. Photos and videos quickly went viral, capturing a glowing trail with a fuzzy halo that lit up the night.

But astronomers say there’s no need to call the X-Files just yet. According to the Facebook post of Astrolab du parc national du Mont-Mégantic, the spectacle was “in all likelihood the second stage of an Ariane 6 rocket igniting its engine to de-orbit after releasing a European weather satellite.”

The European Space Agency confirmed the satellite on their website, Metop-SGA1, was launched from Kourou, French Guiana, at 9:37 pm local time, marking the beginning of a new era in polar-orbit weather monitoring.

Astrophysicist Robert Lamontagne explained why the rocket was visible from Canada to CBC News. “Most launches are equatorial and barely visible this far north. But a polar orbit means the rocket circles the Earth over the poles, making it visible from Montreal and southern Quebec.”

Timing played a key role. The rocket, soaring high above the Earth, remained illuminated by the sun even as the ground below was in twilight. “As the second stage re-entered the atmosphere, it was spinning and releasing exhaust gases, that’s the swirling light people saw,” Lamontagne said.

The Canadian Space Agency confirmed the event, noting that numerous witnesses captured videos and images. The moment left many skywatchers awestruck.