The Silver Cloud over Los Angeles
After an earthquake knocked out the power in Los Angeles, people stood in the streets and stared at a strange silvery cloud across the sky.
What was reported
Before dawn on 17 January 1994, a powerful earthquake struck the Los Angeles area, and power was cut across much of the city. In the darkness, many residents who had come outside saw something they had never seen above Los Angeles: a long, glowing silver band stretching across the sky.
As the story is told, some people called emergency services and the city's observatory to ask about the strange cloud, and whether it had something to do with the earthquake.
Explanations offered
It was the Milky Way, our own galaxy, which is usually invisible from big cities because of light pollution. The story is told often by astronomers to show how much of the night sky city lights hide. Most people in the world now live where the Milky Way can't be seen.
- When
- 17 January 1994
- Where
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Witnesses
- Residents of Los Angeles
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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