SAN FRANCISCO — Military officials say a streak of light seen burning across the sky by people in three Western states was debris from a Russian rocket re-entering the atmosphere.

U.S. Strategic Command spokeswoman Julie Ziegenhorn says the fireball seen over Arizona, Nevada and California in Tuesday’s night sky was an SL-4 rocket body booster from Russia that was launched Monday.

LOTS of reports of fireball over SW US. Clearly space debris re-entering; I’m looking for more info. Video: pic.twitter.com/0hnxswRIUs

— Phil Plait (@BadAstronomer) December 23, 2015

Dozens of people took to social media to share videos and photos and marvel at the white fireball flying through the sky that some described as a shooting star. Others wondered if it was a meteor breaking up on re-entry or space debris from a fallen satellite.

Russia’s Federal Space Agency declined to comment.