Watch: SpaceX rocket creates rainbow ‘jellyfish’ effect in pre-dawn sky over Florida
As the Falcon 9 climbed higher and sunlight hit the rocket’s exhaust plume in the pre-dawn sky, the illuminated gases spread outward, resembling a glowing jellyfish drifting through the sky.
A SpaceX rocket creates a glowing jellyfish across the Florida skyline on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Image credit: @troyM2002/X)
An early-morning SpaceX launch combined with rare, glowing clouds to create an almost unreal “jellyfish effect” for skywatchers across the Southeast.
SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday at 5:52 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying 29 Starlink satellites into orbit. According to Spaceflight Now, the mission marked the 600th Starlink satellite launched this year.
The timing — about 30 minutes before sunrise — created ideal conditions for what’s known as the “jellyfish effect.” As the Falcon 9 climbed higher and sunlight hit the rocket’s exhaust plume in the pre-dawn sky, the illuminated gases spread outward, resembling a glowing jellyfish drifting through the sky. Meanwhile, the first-stage booster separated and returned to land in the Atlantic Ocean.
A SpaceX rocket creates a glowing jellyfish across the Tampa, Florida skyline with noctilucent clouds on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Image credit: NWS Tampa Bay)
Early-morning skywatchers were treated to a spectacular display, which also included noctilucent clouds observed by the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay.
Noctilucent clouds are thin, wispy clouds made of ice crystals that form high in the atmosphere. They can appear electric blue or even rainbow-colored as they reflect sunlight in the twilight or pre-dawn sky.
A SpaceX rocket creates a glowing jellyfish across the Tampa, Florida skyline on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Image credit: NWS Tampa Bay)
Photos shared from across Florida show the jellyfish effect taking on vibrant rainbow hues, creating a stunning start to the day for residents across the region.
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