A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Norfolk-based astronomy photographer.

It was a sight which left many baffled on the evening of Monday, September 27, and as Richard Murray was out on his night-time photoshoot, he definitely got more than he bargained for.

Eastern Daily Press: A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer.A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer. (Image: Murray Photography)

Despite whispers that a UFO had been spotted above Norfolk, it was revealed the bright light seen hurtling towards earth was actually a NASA rocket which had transported a satellite into orbit.

Mr Murray, a student paramedic from Shipdham, said: “I’m new to astrophotography - I only began doing it for a couple of months.

“I was out on a shoot; trying to get photos of the milky-way and I had started packing away.

Eastern Daily Press: A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer.A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer. (Image: Murray Photography)

“But then I saw it. I was torn between staring or quickly getting my camera back out. So, it was a rush job but I was proper chuffed that I caught it.”

The Landsat-9 was transported on an Atlas rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, at around 7.12pm British time on Monday, September 27.

Eastern Daily Press: A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer.A rare glimpse of a NASA rocket was perfectly captured by a Shipdham-based astronomy photographer. (Image: Murray Photography)