A glowing object that went viral on social media streaked across the sky over Lampung on April 4, 2026, identified by Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) as space debris fragments. BRIN Astronomy Professor Thomas Djamaluddin explained it was remnants of a Chinese CZ-3B rocket entering the atmosphere.
A video of an elongated glowing object fragmenting into pieces spread widely on social media, stirring excitement among residents of Lampung and Banten on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
BRIN Astronomy Professor Thomas Djamaluddin confirmed on Sunday, April 5, 2026, that the bright object was fragments of space debris. "Residents around Lampung and Banten were excited by a bright object streaking across the sky and appearing to break into several parts. That was fragments of space debris," he said.
Thomas explained that the debris was from a Chinese CZ-3B rocket remnant traveling from the direction of India toward the Indian Ocean off western Sumatra, according to the latest info from Space-Track and orbital analysis. Around 19:56 WIB, its altitude dropped below 120 km, entering the dense atmosphere, burning up, and breaking apart—what locals witnessed.
"The object entered the dense atmosphere, continued streaking while burning and breaking. That's what residents around Lampung and Banten saw," Thomas Djamaluddin concluded.