A meteor-like glow actually the debris of the Long March 2F Rocket shocked residents in China.

Video filmed in Beijing on June 13 shows a seemingly slow-moving meteor streaking across the sky.

With its radiant glow and trailing "long tail", the unknown object was clearly visible against the city's night sky, eliciting awe and surprise from observers who exclaimed, "It's a meteor, make a wish!".

However, the truth was not quite as straightforward. Zhu Jin, former director of the Beijing Planetarium and a prominent astronomer, clarified in an interview with Red Star News that the velocity and duration of the unidentified flying object indicated that it was not a meteorite entering Earth's atmosphere.

Adding to the official clarification, the Public Security Bureau of Beijing confirmed on the morning of June 13 that the object observed by many was, in fact, debris from the second stage of the Long March 2F Y16 carrier rocket, creating a "fire meteor" effect as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere.

According to previous announcements from China Manned Space, the Long March 2F Y16 rocket was used to launch the Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft. The rocket, carrying Shenzhou-16, was ignited at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9:31 a.m. on May 30. Approximately 10 minutes later, the spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket and entered the predetermined orbit.

As of 10 a.m. on June 9, the debris of the rocket's second stage was in an orbit with a perigee of 180.8 km and apogee of 256.0 km, inclined at 41.4°.

Zhu explained, "The meteors that we usually observe are in fact meteoroids that generally follow the sun's trajectory. Man-made objects, however, orbit the Earth and enter the atmosphere at the right time." Due to their different modes of operation, when man-made objects enter the sky, their flight speed is noticeably slower than that of meteors.

"If it were really a meteoroid, the actual speed would be much faster than what is seen in the videos shared by netizens. The duration would be very brief, with some not even lasting for more than one second."

As for concerns over the potential dangers of man-made objects falling to Earth, Zhu reassured the public that these objects usually fall into the ocean, and most fragments are burned up in the atmosphere. Even those that are difficult to melt are unlikely to land in populated areas.

June 13, 2023 - The city of Beijing experienced an awe-inspiring astronomical event today. As captured in a video, a shimmering streak of light cut across the sky, leaving onlookers in a local square stunned and filled with wonder.

The footage shows people on the ground, their faces turned upwards, visibly astonished as they identify the celestial phenomenon.

The ancient Chinese tradition suggests that making a silent wish upon a shooting star could make it come true. Whether or not their wishes will be fulfilled, the event undoubtedly marked an unforgettable experience for those present.