Weird object seen streaking over California sets social media buzzing

Thousands of California residents reported seeing a strange light streaking through the sky Saturday night, prompting speculation on Facebook and Twitter ranging from rockets to UFOs.

Nathan Owen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, offered a more benign explanation: The annual South Taurid meteor shower. That meteor shower has caused strange sightings, including “fireballs,” as recently as 2005.

However, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said in a tweet that the light was confirmed through the John Wayne Airport tower to be a Naval test fire off the California coast.

Phillip Reese: 916-321-1137, @PhillipHReese

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Weird object seen streaking over California sets social media buzzing."