A curious sighting was reported at 5:02 am on Wednesday, with two bright lights appearing momentarily in the sky before disappearing. The Sociedad de Astronomía del Caribe (SAC) analyzed images and confirmed that the sighting was a 'flare satelital', or an optimal reflection of sunlight, caused by two satellites orbiting close to each other. The satellites, NOSS 3-8 (B) and NOSS 3-8 (A), are US military satellites that orbit in pairs to triangulate the location of enemy vessels.
The reflection of sunlight during their passage was more intense over the eastern half of the island, while it was less intense in the west. The satellites, launched on March 1, 2017, orbit the Earth at an altitude of 684 miles (1,100 km) and can appear very striking due to their proximity to each other, with a separation of only 50 kilometers.