On Thursday night, at about a quarter after 9 p.m. Eastern, an especially enterprising night sky opted to treat the residents of New York City to a surprise light show. A series of tremendous bright flashes rendered the whole sky bright blue just above the neighborhood of Astoria (an area on the western end of Queens, where All in the Family takes place and where you can get the best Mediterranean food in the metropolitan area), but reached eyes across the East River into Manhattan and down south in Brooklyn. The consensus: It was freaky as hell. Take a look:
Here’s a shot from the vantage point of Manhattan:
Why is it blue over the east river?? #nyc @NYPDnews pic.twitter.com/GrEBoEssgB
— Peg Samuel 🤩 (@socialdiva) December 28, 2018
And here’s another from right in the thick of it, in Astoria, Queens:
Major incident at the #ConEd plant right by my house just now. Sky is lit up like the 4th of July. #Astoria #Queens #NYC pic.twitter.com/BMJogTFkAH
— Luke Halpert (@iamlukehalpert) December 28, 2018
Now, what we’re being told in the wake of this curiosity is that a transformer exploded at the ConEd plant based nearby. We’re being told there were no injuries and only temporary power outages in the neighborhood and at LaGuardia Airport. We’re being told that this is a run-of-the-mill ordeal and nothing whatsoever to worry about. But citizens of New York have experienced far too many superhero battles, zombie outbreaks, giant monster attacks, and alien invasions to just take all that at face value. After all…
One of the kids pointed out: “transformer explosion†is *exactly* the cover story they’d give after the climactic battle against aliens in a superhero movie.
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) December 28, 2018
Yeah, if you want the real story, I suggest ignoring the “official reports” and going straight to the horse’s mouth: the good people of New York who, when faced with a possible apocalyptic crisis, headed straight to Twitter to spread the word, and make some terrific jokes. Here are our favorites.
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
Actual footage of what happened in New York #bluelight pic.twitter.com/FZc1QjLNkU
— Markese Freeman (@KESE_86) December 28, 2018
Imagine all the mystery stains this will show. #nyc #Bluelight pic.twitter.com/qLxush2qeB
— Dan (@manicimpressed) December 28, 2018
It's a BOY!!! #Bluelight #nycbluelight pic.twitter.com/8Wi7efGLhl
— Nick (@NiickySix) December 28, 2018
“Just a routine turbine trip.†#astoria pic.twitter.com/RyQ2wbLmMM
— Just Dave or David (@nothumbscritic) December 28, 2018
They're back baby pic.twitter.com/d6ICKJLdDj
— leigh m: a coin (@roaringblood) December 28, 2018
Fixed it…
#2001 #astoria #phishmaseve #ck5 #shinethatthinginmyface #phish @phish pic.twitter.com/uLnZcVjJFt
— jUSTIN bOLOGNINO (@jbolognino) December 28, 2018
is everybody else seeing this too pic.twitter.com/PbfTCb6Izf
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) 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
“Oh for fuck’s sake†– the aliens who landed in Astoria looking at the subway map
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) December 28, 2018
I lost my virginity in Astoria. I’m totally spitballing here but could it have something to do with that? https://t.co/HJ4XSKuL2O
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) December 28, 2018
congrats to astoria on electing a new pope
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) December 28, 2018
There’s a huge ConEd station at the northern tip of Astoria, so I’m gonna guess things are not ok there.
That, or this, one or the other. pic.twitter.com/N7xQv0TZbX
— Barry Petchesky (@barry) December 28, 2018
There is only Zul. #astoria pic.twitter.com/yHMILd6kZ7
— NÅ«Å‚Å‚ // VØłD (@Grendel_theboy) December 28, 2018
— HAIL PAIMON (@BL00DYSUSHI) December 28, 2018
And ringing true for anyone who lives in Queens…
Friend in Astoria: I keep telling you, there’s a bunch of cool stuff here. The sky’s literally glowing with blue magic
Me: Ahh yeah maybe I’ll make it up there sometime— Dan Hopper (@DanHopp) December 28, 2018
