After an unarmed missile test fire off the coast of California on Saturday evening, mysterious sightings in the sky were reported. A day later, similar sightings were reported in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town residents had captured images of what looked like UFO shaped clouds.
Don't get too excited, however, as these occurrences aren't as unusual as you would think. Daniel Peck, an ABC meteorologist, said that these clouds are technically called lenticular clouds.
"They are pretty common and pretty cool to look at," said Peck.
He also said that these clouds are commonly associated with mountain ranges. The air flows and hits the mountains and rises, and the clouds form once it is past the mountain's peak.
The clouds were also reported near Texas earlier this year, according to ABC News.
The clouds did gain a lot of popularity on social media, with users sharing photographs of the formations and their reactions online.
"Right now above my head! The strangest most amazing UFO shaped clouds," wrote Instagram user Arthur Albert.
Twitter user Monique Jackson added: "Weird UFO clouds over Cape Town.'
Meteorologist "Mr Van Dam' wrote on Facebook: "They form when conditions are just right. Air flows along the surface of the earth and reaches some sort of obstruction like a mountain or valley."
Many others were eager to post pictures after the Nov. 8. Residents rushed to the streets to gaze at the spectacular sight, according to the Daily Mail.
The missile test, conducted by the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs with a Trident II missile from a submarine off the coast of Southern California, surprised the locals when it lit up the dark skies on Saturday, according to News Max.
