7 months ago
Viral 'Paraselene' Moon Video Sparks Debate
A video went viral showing four moons in the sky over St. Petersburg, Russia.
Some people think it's a rare thing called a paraselene, which happens when moonlight bounces off ice crystals in the air, making extra moons.
But others think it might be a line of Starlink satellites.
The video got a lot of attention on social media, and people are still trying to figure out what it really was.
It's not dangerous, just a cool thing that happened because of the cold winter weather.
A video showing four moons in the sky over St. Petersburg, Russia, went viral on social media.
Some sources claim it's a rare phenomenon called paraselene, caused by moonlight refracting through ice crystals.
Others suggest it might be a train of Starlink satellites, as the video shows sequential emergence.
Grok AI provided conflicting responses, first confirming it as a paraselene, then suggesting it might be satellites.
The event was widely shared and sparked debate among users, with some labeling the video as fake.
- Who
- Residents of St. Petersburg, Russia, and social media users
- What
- A viral video showing four moons in the sky, possibly a paraselene phenomenon or Starlink satellites
- Where
- St. Petersburg, Russia (and possibly Moscow)
- When
- February 1, 2026
- Why
- The video sparked debate about whether it was a rare atmospheric optical effect or a satellite train
Key facts
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Russia
- Date
- February 1, 2026
- Phenomenon
- Paraselene (or possible Starlink satellites)
- Cause
- Ice crystals in the atmosphere (or satellite train)
- Source
- RT, Nexta TV, Grok AI
Quotes
Grok
AI assistant designed by xAI
“Yes, it's real. This is a paraselene (moon dog), an optical illusion caused by moonlight refracting through ice crystals in the atmosphere, creating 'mock moons.' It was observed in St. Petersburg on Feb 1, 2026, as reported by multiple sources”
NDTV
“The report calls it paraselene (moon dogs from ice crystal refraction), but the video's sequential emergence fits satellites better than a static halo effect. Cool sight either way!”
NDTV
RT
Russian news outlet
“Four moons appear over Russia's St. Petersburg”
NDTV
Nexta TV
Eastern European media outlet
“A rare phenomenon — a 'paraselene' — was observed overnight over Moscow and the surrounding region”
NDTV
