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Huge ‘space jellyfish’ to light up California skies tonight - and the free tool to check if you can see it
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- Californians have a chance to witness a "space jellyfish" phenomenon this week, caused by sunlight reflecting off the exhaust plumes of a recently launched rocket during twilight or early morning.
- The effect, resembling a jellyfish shape, occurs when water vapor in the rocket's exhaust freezes into ice crystals, with colors varying based on launch timing—white in the morning and iridescent at twilight.
- Tonight's SpaceX Starlink 17-49 launch at 8:00 PM PDT from California is predicted to produce this visual spectacle, though local light pollution may affect visibility.
- SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, recently reported a 92% revenue surge despite losses, experienced a share price drop due to increased AI spending, and announced plans for Terafab, a massive semiconductor megafactory in Texas.
- The space jellyfish phenomenon adds to a notable week for SpaceX, which also saw a rocket debris impact on the moon and ambitious future projects aimed at space colonization and infrastructure.
