Army missile launch in New Mexico likely visible in Arizona

PHOENIX — What’s that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s certainly no reason to panic: An Army missile launch in New Mexico will likely be visible in Arizona on Thursday.

The missile’s contrail should be able to be spotted as far west as Palm Springs, California.

“When the contrail emits, oftentimes it crystallizes when the sun comes up and so it creates these various colors,” Cammy Montoya with the White Sands Missile Range said. “I think it looks a bit like the northern lights.”

Officials at the range said the Juno missile will be launched between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. MST to the range in southern New Mexico from Fort Wingate near Gallup, New Mexico.

White Sands is about 140 miles from the eastern Arizona border.

A similar launch earlier this year from the same base raised quite a stir in Arizona. The NASA research rocket left a contrail that turned pink and attracted a lot of attention online.

OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED! NO ALIENS..at least in this instance 🙂 Blob IS from a rocket launch. Don't worry, harmless!!! pic.twitter.com/FQzlZYswz8

— Liz Kotalik FOX 10 (@LizKotalikFOX10) February 25, 2015

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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