Take care that just because people have a high title doesn’t make them experts on everything that flies.
Is he a pilot? does he live in SoCal his whole life?
Has he observed sunset effects here before?
Has he seen this before?
All of the above. I have.
I know this unfair but I’m not going to give my qualifications. That puts me in the position of saying “because I say so” more than you. Again, I know it’s weak. As far as the General and the Jane’s editor, I think they are qualified, the Jane’s editor more so.
Look at all the objective facts. Look at the film of the flight (airplane or rocket). Look at the flicker and color change of the glow. Sunlight won’t give that color.