What Was That Bright Light In The Amarillo Sky? It Wasn’t Aliens.

Last night, there was a bright light up in the sky. My oldest was outside just playing when he noticed it, and he's slightly obsessed with space and things in the sky. I mean he even had a star bought for him after asking for one on his birthday.

He came running inside last night, goes flying into his room and comes back out with his telescope. "There's something in the sky, I have to figure out what it is", he says, then blitzes back outside.

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I remain on my spot on the couch unfazed. My youngest son at this point is intrigued, so he throws his shoes on and heads outside, in his pajamas no less. He comes running back in and says, "there's a comet in the sky! It's a comet!". Ok, now I'll get my lazy butt off the couch.

As I walk outside, I see the bright light in the sky.

I immediately know it's not a comet...unless that thing is barreling directly at us. There's no trail or anything like that, so I explain to them it can't be a comet. We all take turns looking through a telescope trying to figure out what it is.

That confirmed for me it wasn't a comet, so on to the next thing. I start to think maybe it's some kind of satellite. I thought from looking at it outside of the telescope it was possible just based on the size and shape, but a satellite being that visible to the naked eye? Nah, that's not it either.

Maybe the aliens have actually arrived in Amarillo? Stop, don't fall victim to that I tell myself. It's not a UFO, it's not aliens coming to The Big Texan to crush the 72 oz. steak challenge.

Turns out it was a high altitude weather balloon that was deployed into the sky, and it wasn't even launched from here in Amarillo. It departed Fort Sumner, New Mexico courtesy of the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility.

Kind of intriguing and a cool thing to see, but it's not any kind of conspiracy or aliens, so we can all rest easy. You can track the movement and see the path of the balloon here.