Residents spot mysterious rocket flying over Newcastle

What could it be? (Image: Shaun Carlson)

A mysterious light was spotted hovering over Newcastle earlier this week.

On Monday night locals rushed to their front doorsteps and windows to snap photos of what looked to be an unidentified flying object hovering over Newcastle and surrounding areas.

Its mysterious arrow-like shape caused speculation online, with some even wondering if it could be a visit from another planet.

However, the mysterious light does indeed have a logical explanation and locals will need to wait a little longer before welcoming a new life force to the North-East.

The light was in fact part of the Atlas V rocket that was launched at about 8 pm on Monday, September 27.

The rocket carried Nasa's Landsat-9 satellite and shortly after launching, at around 10 pm, it then made a reversing manoeuvre.

The move released two glowing clouds of vapour into the night sky which created the shape spotted by residents in Newcastle.

The light above Wallsend (Image: Shaun Carlson)

Shaun Carlson shot the above photo on East Benton Rose in Wallsend.

The light was the rocket's de-orbit burn, reported education charity UK Astronomy, which is created as engines fire up to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.

The sight wasn't exclusive to Newcastle either, with Brits much further afield also able to see the mysterious light.

Residents as far-flung as Nottingham, Essex, Glasgow and Yorkshire also saw the rocket.

The Landsat-9 close up (Image: Getty Images)

The Landsat-9 satellite was created and sent into space to photograph the Earth’s surface.

The first ever Landsat mission was sent into orbit in 1972.

As well as taking photographs, the satellite is used to monitor environmental changes in forests and glaciers.