That Weird Blue Explosion in New York City Really Freaked Twitter Out
I was flying back to New York City on Thursday night when a blue flash lit up the sky. Huh, I thought. That's weird. Was it lightning? There was no storm. I chalked it up as some kind of random weather phenomenon (I'm not a scientist!) and turned back to my book. But when I landed, Twitter was flooded with curious tweets about the mysterious blue light.
Why is it blue over the east river?? #nyc @NYPDnews pic.twitter.com/GrEBoEssgB
- Peg Samuel ?? (@socialdiva) December 28, 2018
What in the world is happening in Astoria? Crazy blue light coming from Queens. pic.twitter.com/gZGjJ2CuC5
- Tara Buonassissi (@taramay1144) December 28, 2018
Some had outlandish theories about what it was:
These gender reveal parties are getting out of hand! #Astoria #Queens #NYC #Bluelight pic.twitter.com/EQS2afci6L
- JT Chan (@jtchan77) December 28, 2018
Oops. The fish shorted out the percolater...sorry bout that! #peaksperks https://t.co/1sUb3OrsNY
- Kyle MacLachlan (@Kyle_MacLachlan) December 28, 2018
But ultimately the NYPD reported that it came from an explosion in Queens, and that there had been no injuries-or extraterrestrial activity (are you sure?):
ADVISORY: The lights you have seen throughout the city appear to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens. The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available. Follow @fdny, @NYPD114pct and @conedison. pic.twitter.com/fdzQKs1wVV
- NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 28, 2018
Con Edison confirmed the incident had occurred at one of its substations:
There was a brief electrical fire at our substation in Astoria which involved some electrical transformers and caused a transmission dip in the area. We're currently investigating the cause of the incident. AQ
- Con Edison (@ConEdison) December 28, 2018
Some observers were very impressed by the experience, dubbing it the "Astoria Borealis":
I've never seen the Astoria Borealis before in my life. What a shock.... @ConEdison pic.twitter.com/vrMfwkzWOa
- Benjamin Passikoff (@benpassikoff) December 28, 2018
*signing back on for the first time in months*
ASTORIA BOREALIS SEND TWEET https://t.co/dlrE5niNe8- Auld Lang ?? (@TheHipsterRebbe) December 28, 2018
While others just took it in their stride:
Was walking the dog during the #bluelight and passed several of my fellow night walkers in the neighborhood and we all just nodded and no one said shit about the light bc YOU CANNOT IMPRESS REAL NEW YORKERS YOU ALIEN SUCKERS
- Maccabee Montandon (@maccabeem) December 28, 2018
[instagram photo of my bare ass]
caption: Life is so precious. There was a blue light in the sky over NYC last night and we didn't know if it was aliens or not. I was scared. It reminded me of another time I felt fear in my life, the night we almost lost Gramma [...]- JuanPa (@jpbrammer) December 28, 2018
Still, some were calling for Mulder and Scully:
I’m in #Astoria queens and this mother fucker just showed up at my local bodega pic.twitter.com/pTKNK06x86
- Kevin McThanos (@KMchardo) December 28, 2018
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/JzpJaawdvs
- SUGE WHITE (@Tweezainshit) December 28, 2018
Me just moments after seeing the blue light in NYC pic.twitter.com/0ck8YrBwKl
- Justin Randall (@imjustinrandall) December 28, 2018
Or some friends with special powers:
I’m tight cause I KNOW someone just got superpowers from that blue light. #bluelight #nyc. pic.twitter.com/NwGXmuTAoJ
- Malik (@AintNoHeroes) December 28, 2018
Get real people, it's not a space alien. Use Occam's razor & think of the simplest plausible explanation: time-travellers creating a vortex of blue light.
- Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) December 28, 2018
Lorde help us!
I’M WAITING FOR IT, THAT BLUE LIGHT, I WANT IT pic.twitter.com/5SAwuuDYmQ
- andy ;) (@AndyRockCandy) December 28, 2018
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