# A light in the sky in northern Norway **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578 "2009-12-09T11:27:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/41 "2009-12-10T01:34:08Z")
[This article from Bad Astronomer](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/12/09/awesomely-bizarre-light-show-freaks-out-norway/) contains a video showing a simulation of a tumbling booster jetting something from two different openings. It looks almost identical to the thing in the sky. It’s almost certainly a Russian rocket that failed, even though they are denying it. Well, that or the arrival of Azathoth, one or the other. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/42 "2009-12-10T01:41:23Z")
Is Falcon’s dad out on parole already? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/43 "2009-12-10T02:36:02Z")
Looks like the tumbling rocket has it. I’m reasonably convinced by that. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/44 "2009-12-10T02:40:24Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > The cellphone image from the OP looks exactly like a wormhole opening up, so I"m going with that. This is very exciting. I wonder how long we’ve had wormhole technology? We’ve had it for the next thirty years now. ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/45 "2009-12-10T02:52:58Z")
A great explanation in this demo: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8i5EfmYU4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8i5EfmYU4) ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/46 "2009-12-10T03:42:08Z")
Looks like Georgia O’Keefe decided to reincarnate in Norway. Show off. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/47 "2009-12-10T07:35:22Z")
In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu lies dreaming no more!‏ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/48 "2009-12-10T08:17:46Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The blue streak would be an artifact of the long exposure, eg the very faint beam turned blue when captured for a long enough period due to a slight blue hue in the light. When its reflecting off the clouds and moving faster it stays white. There are now dozens of pictures of the phenomenon - see my post prior to this - and while the initial assessment you gave may have had some credence as an explanation (though I’ve never seen a beam of light form a spiral before) after the first couple of pictures and videos, it doesn’t stack up either to the distance at which this thing was seen, nor the translucent blue cloud that was visible as the sun came up, nor the exhaust trails at the horizon. And indeed it does seem that the explanation is that it was a rocket failure. Please compare the many pictures of the event now available with the NASA rocket exhaust pictures that **Squink** posted - as well as the video on the **bad astronomer** site. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/49 "2009-12-10T08:37:55Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > There are now dozens of pictures of the phenomenon - see my post prior to this - and while the initial assessment you gave may have had some credence as an explanation (though I’ve never seen a beam of light form a spiral before) after the first couple of pictures and videos, it doesn’t stack up either to the distance at which this thing was seen, nor the translucent blue cloud that was visible as the sun came up, nor the exhaust trails at the horizon. And indeed it does seem that the explanation is that it was a rocket failure. Please compare the many pictures of the event now available with the NASA rocket exhaust pictures that **Squink** posted - as well as the video on the **bad astronomer** site. Just want to point out that the sun won’t rise in those parts of Norway for several weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/50 "2009-12-10T08:46:40Z")
> [@unclelem](#): > > More likely someone has burned down the Gavle Julbock again. Nope, it’s still there: [http://www.merjuligavle.se/Bocken/Bockenkamera1/](http://www.merjuligavle.se/Bocken/Bockenkamera1/) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/51 "2009-12-10T09:51:46Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Just want to point out that the sun won’t rise in those parts of Norway for several weeks. Is there a hint of dawn for a while though, before it goes dark again? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/52 "2009-12-10T10:17:09Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Is there a hint of dawn for a while though, before it goes dark again? Yes, depending on how far north you are, and how close it is to solstice. So it’s actually correct that it’s the rising sun illuminating the clouds, it just wasn’t going to rise above the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/53 "2009-12-10T10:20:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Is there a hint of dawn for a while though, before it goes dark again? Here’s a webcam picture from Tromsø that I saved a couple of minutes ago: [http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater\_photo/tromso.jpg](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater_photo/tromso.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/54 "2009-12-10T12:43:42Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Here’s a webcam picture from Tromsø that I saved a couple of minutes ago: [http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater\_photo/tromso.jpg](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater_photo/tromso.jpg). That’s a hell of a view! ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/55 "2009-12-10T13:10:11Z")
But it’s getting dark now: [http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater\_photo/tromso\_2.jpg](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/Floater_photo/tromso_2.jpg) BTW The camera can be found at [http://weather.cs.uit.no/](http://weather.cs.uit.no/) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/56 "2009-12-10T14:00:42Z")
I was initially curious about the statements saying the blue beam of light shot out of the centre. If it was a beam of light, it would be impossible to determine whether it was shooting out of, or into the centre, because light travels so fast. However, if (as seems likely) the blue streak is the ascending trail, illuminated by the almost-rising sun, the illumination would progress from top to bottom, exactly as described. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/57 "2009-12-10T15:38:58Z")
Russia just admitted it was yet another failed test of their Bulava intercontinental missile. [Click me.](http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/10/world/international-us-russia-missile-failure.html) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/58 "2009-12-10T16:13:16Z")
> [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](#): > > Russia just admitted it was yet another failed test of their Bulava intercontinental missile. > > [Click me.](http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/10/world/international-us-russia-missile-failure.html) I remember back in the 70s when they’d give those away as consolation prizes on game shows. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/59 "2009-12-10T16:49:51Z")
> [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](#): > > Russia just admitted it was yet another failed test of their Bulava intercontinental missile. > > [Click me.](http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/10/world/international-us-russia-missile-failure.html) So, **coremelt** , about that Gobo… ---
**Author:** ![unclelem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ac91a4/32.png) [@unclelem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclelem)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578/60 "2009-12-10T17:51:22Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Nope, it’s still there: [http://www.merjuligavle.se/Bocken/Bockenkamera1/](http://www.merjuligavle.se/Bocken/Bockenkamera1/) And yet, There was an arson attempt at the same time. The fire department had to be called. Sheer coincidence? I think not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-light-in-the-sky-in-northern-norway/520578.md?page=2)