Preston stargazers were puzzled and a little bit awed by unusual spiral-shaped lights spotted in the sky.

The lights, distinctive in their spiral-like design, were spotted by around 8pm on Monday night (24 March).

But rather than a UFO, imminent black hole – it is considered likely that the light was related to the launch of SpaceX rocket Falcon 9, which saw lift-off in Florida at around 5.50pm UK time.

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The spiral is thought to form when Falcon 9 rockets, after launching satellites, vent fuel during their descent. That fuel then freezes at high altitude.

Similar patterns have been seen in the sky at various points in the last several years, even appearing at the same time as the Northern Lights in Alaska.

However, the cause of the lights ultimately tends to be SpaceX rockets.

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