Nowadays it’s most likely space junk burning up on re-entry......................
I’ve got this really cool app on my iPhone, SkyView.
Basically, it displays all the objects in the sky wherever you point the screen.
You should see all the “rocket bodies” floating around the south pole. Reminds me of all the sticks & debris that gathers around a storm drain.
Space junk is more apt to be going west to east.