When we saw the pictures of the spiral in the Norwegian sky this morning, we immediately wrote it off as an impressively elaborate, funny-looking but well-executed hoax. You probably did too, even after reading Google Translated reports in Norwegian newspapers.

Now, SpaceWeather.com, a trusted source run by NASA science writer Tony Phillips, says the "evidence is mounting" that the sky show was real. And not just real, but the product of a Russian missile launch.

"A rocket motor spinning out of control could explain the spiral pattern, so this explanation seems plausible, although it has not yet been confirmed," Phillips wrote

A space animator even took the time to use a 3-D modeling program to show how the rocket motor could have made what seems a bizarrely regular shape. Although, the YouTube poster, unmannedspaceflight, made sure to note the rendering is "not an official answer."

Still, it seems just a little too perfect, right? Crazy looking lights, Russian missiles.... Let us know if you think it is real or not below.

UPDATE 12/10: The Russian military has acknowledged that a Bulava ballistic missile test failure caused the light over Norway, the BBC reports.

See Also:

WiSci 2.0: Alexis Madrigal's Twitter, Google Reader feed, and green tech history research site; Wired Science on Twitter and Facebook.**