Observers in England and Europe were captivated by a spiral of light in the night sky on Monday, caused by a SpaceX rocket. The sight sparked widespread curiosity and speculation about its origins.
The celestial displays, visible from the UK to Eastern Europe, resembled glowing vortexes in images shared on social media. Users reported watching for a few minutes before they faded.
The UK’s National Weather Service, the Met Office, confirmed on social media: “Tonight we received many reports of illuminated swirls in the sky. This could be caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched earlier in the day.”
Physicist Professor Brian Cox from the University of Manchester also confirmed the source of light on social media, sharing footage of the rocket.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida by Elon Musk’s company on Monday, carried a confidential US government payload.
The spiral effect was caused by frozen fuel released from the rocket’s top stage, exposed to sunlight at high altitudes to produce a bright display.
Skywatcher Christian Medica, who films the sky for YouTube in Croatia, captured the event. Despite his experience, he was stunned by the sight, comparing it to a wormhole in Star Trek.
He said, “This is the first time I’ve seen this.”
The sight intrigued him, although he mentioned it was “shaking a little.”
Similar spirals have appeared in the sky related to SpaceX in the past. In March 2024, another Falcon 9 mission resulted in a comparable European spiral.
Source: www.nytimes.com
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