Among the most popular suppositions were that this was the work of some kind of extra-terrestrial life, or that it was a meteor.

A NASA spokesperson told ABC News today that the light was actually \"the re-entry of a Chinese rocket body.\"

Social media users were nonetheless awed at the beauty of this flaming piece of space junk as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere.

WOW! Ian T. snapped this long-exposure pic near Page, AZ last night. Did you see the \"space junk\" in the sky? #abc15 pic.twitter.com/6Ydk11Fez5

— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) July 28, 2016

Huge asteroid shooting star thing entering atmosphere over Vegas. July 27th 2016 9:40 p.m. pic.twitter.com/djdR3Xu6En

— Trevor Kerr (@AdmiralTrevMan) July 28, 2016

Full video of meteor-like event @BadAstronomer pic.twitter.com/q37UzRZKpa

— Matt Holt (@mholt6) July 28, 2016

#Meteor over western US almost definitely human space debris like a rocket booster or the like. Slow moving and broke apart.

— Phil Plait (@BadAstronomer) July 28, 2016
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Correction, the object in question was not a meteor but rather a piece of \"space junk.\" https://t.co/iJkQtddAG6

— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) July 28, 2016

Definitely a #UFO!!! pic.twitter.com/eB2mlnyrSh

— JoJo Wright (@JoJoWright) July 28, 2016
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