Witnesses reported a stunning spiral in the night sky, likely a result of a SpaceX rocket’s fuel, reminiscent of a similar event in Norway in 2009.
On Monday, a giant glowing spiral appeared in the night sky over parts of the UK, leaving onlookers starstruck.
The mesmerizing yet mysterious swirl, visible for several minutes before fading, is believed to have been caused by leftover fuel from Elon Musk‘s SpaceX rocket launched thousands of miles away in the US.
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The Falcon 9 rocket, operated by Musk’s space company, lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center around 13:50 local time (17:50 GMT) as part of a classified US government mission.
How did the mysterious spiral form?
Falcon 9 is a reusable rocket, meaning that after deploying its payload—such as a satellite—it begins its return journey to Earth. During this process, any remaining fuel is jettisoned into space. Due to the extreme altitude, the fuel instantly freezes and takes on a spiral shape as the rocket spins. The resulting ice crystals reflect light, making the spiral visible from the ground.
The glowing swirl was photographed in England and Wales, and sightings were reported across Europe.
Astronomer Allan Trow, who witnessed the phenomenon in Wales’s Bannau Brycheiniog National Park around 20:00, confirmed its rarity. “But these are pretty rare,” he told the BBC while agreeing that the SpaceX launch was the likely cause.
This isn’t the first time, a similar phenomenon happened in Norway in December 2009 when a blue spiral appeared in the early morning sky. It was later revealed to have been caused by a failed Russian missile test. The Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile, launched from a submarine in the White Sea, malfunctioned on its third stage, creating a spectacular visual display.
Stunned Norwegians described it as “like a big fireball that went around, with a great light around it” and “a shooting star that spun around and around.”
