SpaceX Falcon 9 launch creates ‘space jellyfish’ visual over US

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, created a striking visual phenomenon known as a ‘space jellyfish’ over the southeastern United States and the mid-Atlantic coast. The event occurred during the early morning of Tuesday, October 13, as part of the CRS-35 mission, the 35th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA.

The visual effect was caused by gases and water vapor released by the rocket expanding in the upper atmosphere. Due to low atmospheric pressure, these materials spread out into structures resembling jellyfish tentacles. Because the launch took place at 6:33 a.m. local time, the high-altitude gases were illuminated by sunlight even while the ground remained in darkness, making the glowing formation highly visible to observers below.

The Falcon 9 rocket successfully transported the unmanned Cargo Dragon spacecraft, which carried approximately 2,860 kilograms (6,300 pounds) of supplies, equipment, scientific experiments, and a pair of foldable solar arrays destined for the ISS.