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PIN IT: SpaceX launch makes ‘space jellyfish’ effect in sky. Here’s the science behind it
WKMG • • general
Key Points:
- A SpaceX rocket launch early Tuesday morning in Central Florida created a glowing "space jellyfish" effect in the sky, visible due to the timing of the launch just before sunrise.
- The phenomenon occurs when rocket exhaust expands in the thin upper atmosphere and is illuminated by sunlight while the ground remains dark.
- This visual effect, resembling a jellyfish with a bulb-shaped cloud and wispy trails, is caused by sunlight shining on high-altitude gases during pre-dawn or post-sunset launches.
- The "space jellyfish" was also visible over Roanoke, Virginia, demonstrating how far the illuminated exhaust plume can be seen.
