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Tucsonans captivated by missile test in the sky

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Posted 5:07 PM 9/13/2012 : Tucsonans captivated by missile test in the sky

TUCSON - Tucsonans woke up this morning to an unfamiliar sight in the eastern sky, which turned out to be a missile test in New Mexico.

The early morning light show was caused by three unarmed missiles. A Juno missile was launched as a target at 6:30am from Fort Wingate near Gallup, N.M., to the White Sands Missile Range.

Two Patriot missiles were fired to intercept the Juno missile. This was the 14th time a large ballistic target missile has been fired from Fort Wingate in the last 14 years.

The missile test created a colorful contrail against the rising sun that could be seen from as far away as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.

The skyward show especially caught the attention of many Tucsonans.

"All of a suddent it just kind of curled off and vaporized and it was the weirdest thing," said Jim Duran, who witnessed the missile launch from Oro Valley.

"I didn't know what it was...being from California I though maybe it was a missile test or something like that but it was the weirdest thing I had ever seen," Duran said.

If you happen to see something in the western sky later today or tonight, News 4 Tucson has heard of a "spy" satellite that is set to be launched from Califonia.

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