CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A fireball that blazed over the Rockies earlier this month wasn't a meteor or other celestial body. Experts say it likely was part of a Russian spy satellite that fell from orbit and burned up over Colorado and Wyoming.

More than three dozen witnesses filed reports about the unusual sighting, which happened around 10:30 p.m. MDT on Sept. 2.

Experts say the object probably was a piece of Russia's Cosmos 2495 reconnaissance satellite, launched in May. Globalsecurity.com analyst Charles Vick says Cosmos 2495 was designed to shoot reconnaissance photos and send the film back to Earth in capsules.

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