/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58094227/Screen_Shot_2017_12_23_at_8.39.02_AM.0.png)
People used to pay attention when Elon Musk sent one of his rockets into space. Now it’s totally routine — up until Friday night, his SpaceX had flown 17 missions in 2017, and chances are you weren’t aware of any of them.
SpaceX’s 18th launch of the year was different.
Last night, some combination of the Falcon 9 rocket’s flight path and the Southern California sky created a fantastic light show that people captured on their phones and cameras.
And then they shared them on social.
What did I just witness?? pic.twitter.com/JsHfqTsxm0
— Danny United (@dannyunited) December 23, 2017
Here's my video of tonight's @SpaceX launch as it shot over SoCal, compressed to 20 seconds. Such a great sight to see. #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/VHbNeMDT8N
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) December 23, 2017
Here’s the video. #spacex #IridiumNEXT pic.twitter.com/mnVKrPjCcB
— Amanda (@alias_amanda) December 23, 2017
Holy shit!!
— ☄Dark Lady Of The Sith Rachelle☾ (@WitchOfTheSith) December 23, 2017
The #Falcon9 launch from San Diego!! pic.twitter.com/Y4o6xbytC2
Here’s Musk’s contribution. Two demerits for the monochromatic video; three bonus points for a caption that references multiple anxiety-producing news memes.
Nuclear alien UFO from North Korea pic.twitter.com/GUIHpKkkp5
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2017
And here’s one from Liz Phair, because I wanted a 100 percent legit reason to reference Liz Phair in a Recode story this year. Just made it in at the buzzer:
Holla @SpaceX ! Looking good https://t.co/RxNdf12TTE
— Liz Phair (@PhizLair) December 23, 2017
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.