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In 1962, a failed NASA rocket launch accidentally created the largest man-made light show visible from 1,000 miles away
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Science Gone WrongMar 26, 2026

In 1962, a failed NASA rocket launch accidentally created the largest man-made light show visible from 1,000 miles away

A rocket explosion created auroras across the entire Pacific. NASA's Starfish Prime detonated a nuclear warhead in space. Artificial auroras lit up the sky for minutes. The light was visible from New Zealand. It also knocked out streetlights in Hawaii.

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