A mysterious blue spiral appeared in the night sky over Europe on Monday evening, sparking curiosity and speculations across social media. Witnesses from multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Germany, Ukraine, Denmark, and Poland, reported seeing the unusual swirling formation.
The ethereal spiral lingered for several minutes before gradually fading from view. While some observers speculated about extraterrestrial activity or an astronomical phenomenon, experts quickly provided a scientific explanation.
According to the UK’s national meteorological agency, the Met Office, the dazzling display of light was likely caused by the aftermath of a SpaceX rocket launch in the United States. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the agency explained that the rocket’s frozen exhaust plume appeared to spin in the upper atmosphere, reflecting sunlight and creating the striking spiral effect.
The aerospace company, owned by Elon Musk, confirmed that one of its Falcon 9 rockets had launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at approximately 1:50 PM local time on Monday. The mission was classified and conducted on behalf of the US National Reconnaissance Office.
Why Did The Spiral Form?
The Falcon 9 is a reusable two-stage rocket designed to carry payloads, such as satellites, into orbit before returning to Earth. As the first stage descends, it releases excess fuel, which, due to the rocket’s motion and the extreme altitude, forms a spiral pattern. This frozen fuel then catches sunlight, creating the luminous spectacle seen from the ground.
While such celestial swirls are not uncommon following rocket launches, they never fail to captivate those lucky enough to witness them. The latest sighting once again highlights the fascinating interplay between human space exploration and our planet’s ever-changing skies.
SpaceX Dragon Brought Back Stranded Astronauts
Last week, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft brought back astronauts Sunita Williams, Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov from the International space station. Williams and Wilmore had been stranded in space for nine months.
