Large glowing spiral that captivated millions likely caused by SpaceX rocket launch
A large glowing spiral visible in the night sky on Monday is believed to have been caused by a SpaceX rocket launch in the US.
A blue spiral seen in the night sky across Europe was likely caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched on March 24.
Some people who witnessed the mesmerizing and mysterious glowing spiral over the United Kingdom Monday night thought it might be an alien encounter, but the large swirl has been identified as the result of a SpaceX rocket launch.
The blue spiral, visible for several minutes across Britain, sparked widespread curiosity and theories ranging from aircraft activity to extraterrestrial phenomena. However, experts say the spectacle is the result of a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and the stunning image is likely fuel from the rocket.
The Falcon 9 is a reusable rocket. After it launches, the first part takes the payload, such as a satellite, into space and then returns to Earth. The rocket's second stage picks up the mission by placing the satellite in the right orbit. The second stage then releases any remaining fuel, which freezes instantly and expands into a swirling cloud that develops into a spiral shape as it descends back to Earth.
The Met Office explained on social media platform X: “The rocket’s frozen exhaust plume appears to be spinning in the atmosphere and reflecting the sunlight, causing it to appear as a spiral in the sky.” This phenomenon occurs when the rocket ejects leftover fuel in the upper atmosphere, which then freezes instantly due to the high altitude.
The celestial cloud was visible for several minutes above the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe before fading into the night sky.
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