A bright blue light shined across the city sky on Thursday night, causing many Queens and other New York City residents to take to Twitter to react.
At 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 27, a transformer at a Con Edison plant in Astoria exploded, causing lights to flicker throughout the borough. The blast also released a bright blue light in the sky that left many city residents baffled.
The FDNY reported that there were no injuries as a result of the blast. Con Edison said that the blast was caused by an electrical fault.
There was a brief electrical fire at our substation on 20th Avenue & 32nd Street in Astoria this evening, which caused a transmission dip in the area. All power lines serving the area are in service and the system is stable. Photo: Michael Friedl, New York Times pic.twitter.com/vq2Ao46rhk
— Con Edison (@ConEdison) December 28, 2018
The explosion, which one Twitter user dubbed the “Astoria Borealis,” quickly became a popular topic on Twitter, with many residents tweeting out photos and videos of the blue light from their neighborhoods.
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
The transformer explosion in Astoria was… right outside my window. So bright I couldn’t look directly at it. pic.twitter.com/lsv5uHrENb
— Nick Riccardo (@nickriccardo) December 28, 2018
Apparently this is a fire at the Astoria Power plant – as seen from Jersey City. Hope everyone is ok! #nyc #queens #newyork #bluelight #bluelights #aliens #astoria #powerplant #fire #blackout #newyorkcity #besafe #electrical pic.twitter.com/D7XZZDZyEA
— Simone Bachmann (@viking_gal) December 28, 2018
27th Street between Ditmars and 21st Ave pic.twitter.com/GxvoMMIEMH
— Alex V Mitchell (@AlexVMitchell) December 28, 2018
Many people took to Twitter to say that the blue light looked like something out of the films “Independence Day” or “Men In Black,” implying that perhaps aliens had found their way to Queens.
The Men in Black used those little “flashy” memory-erasers and are telling the public its a blown transformer ? #bluelight pic.twitter.com/XXtNbYKqkt
— Vikki ❤️DS+EG❤️ (@QueenofDEsteros) December 28, 2018
Aliens mad a wrong turn in a bad part of the galaxy and then dipped #coned #bluelight pic.twitter.com/ftMewq0NTT
— Troy (@Lifeismysensei) December 28, 2018
16 seconds in which I thought I was about to be abducted by aliens #BlueLight #NYC #Astoria pic.twitter.com/CgEeO85MAW
— Liz Elkind (@liz_elkind) December 28, 2018
Well, apparently NYC is under an alien atack #NY #Bluelight pic.twitter.com/gL4YlV4Dv5
— Señoritingo MezquiNeofascista (@PolloVenenoso) December 28, 2018
There were a few people on Twitter that joked that the blast had to have given someone superpowers.
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
Pretty certain a new superhero was created from this strange #bluelight spotted over Brooklyn tonight so I’m good with it whatever it is ? pic.twitter.com/pRfs3oLLJ7
— Andrew H. Scott (@CommissionerKY) December 28, 2018
You can’t tell me no one got superpowers from this #bluelight pic.twitter.com/4NmNDiUMKe
— Jesse Lord (@JLord_12) December 28, 2018
Others joked saying that the explosion was a gender reveal that “got out of hand.”
It’s a BOY!!! #Bluelight #nycbluelight pic.twitter.com/8Wi7efGLhl
— Nick (@NiickySix) December 28, 2018
Spat out my entire coffee from laughing when @DonYasco said this: #Astoria #NYC #Queens #Bluelight pic.twitter.com/cXCMCJpJkc
— Aleef R. (@aleef_rahman) December 28, 2018
