If you saw a weird light in the sky around 5:30 p.m. Friday, you're not alone.
Several residents reported seeing the light near the California-Nevada state line.
Wtf is this pic.twitter.com/PLpDx8dpQv
— Heather D (@itsstillheather) December 23, 2017
That's because SpaceX launched their Falcon 9, which is a two-stage rocket designed to transport satellites and their Dragon spacecraft into orbit.
~60 minutes until Falcon 9 launch of Iridium-4. Launch webcast will go live about 15 minutes before liftoff → https://t.co/gtC39uBC7z pic.twitter.com/rJ7ddLig3v
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2017
According to SpaceX's website, the rocket is the first of its kind that can be reused.
This evening's launch took place at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as part of the Iridium-4 Mission. You can read more about the mission here.