Key facts
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch created a "jellyfish cloud" phenomenon.
- The event was visible along the US East Coast from Georgia to New York.
- The cloud was formed by expanding fuel exhaust crystals reflecting sunlight.
- Nasa shared photographs of the spectacle on X.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch on Tuesday morning created a spectacular "jellyfish cloud" phenomenon visible along the US East Coast. The event occurred shortly after the 6:33 a.m. ET liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with the rocket's exhaust plume expanding and crystallizing in the pre-dawn sky. Sunlight reflecting off these frozen particles created the luminescent display, which was visible from Georgia to New York. Nasa shared photographs of the spectacle on the social media platform X, and sky watchers also posted their own images. Another SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is scheduled for Monday, October 19, offering another opportunity to witness a similar atmospheric event.