What was the large flash across the sky in the Pacific Northwest?

A streak of white lights, believed to be a rocket having a deorbit burn after a failed launch, streak across a black sky. The moon is in the upper right corner of the photo.

A streak of white lights, believed to be a rocket having a deorbit burn after a failed launch, streaked across the sky, capturing the attention of people in the Pacific Northwest.Joe Freeman

UPDATE: Dazzling light show in Portland skies likely the remnants of a failed rocket, experts say

If you looked up at the night sky on Thursday, you might have been one of many people across the Pacific Northwest who wondered: What’s that streak of light falling across the sky?

People in the Portland area, Cannon Beach, Corvallis, Klamath Falls and Seattle reported seeing the thick streak of light moving slowly across the sky about 9 p.m.

The National Weather Service’s Portland office tweeted Thursday night that its meteorologists did not yet know an official reason for the streak of light.

Some have theorized that the display was caused by a failed SpaceX rocket.

Many people took to social media to express their amazement — and confusion — about the display.

—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

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