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ScienceResurging · day 6

SpaceX cargo launch produces coast-to-coast 'space jellyfish' glow over US East Coast

A predawn Falcon 9 launch to the ISS created a glowing plume effect visible from Florida to Maryland and beyond.

newest coverage 4h agosummary written 10h ago24 pieces9 likes & upvotes2 comments Google NewsMastodonNewswiresYouTubeBluesky

What to know

  • A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo capsule launched from Cape Canaveral at 6:33 a.m. ET Tuesday, delivering over 6,300 pounds of ISS supplies.
  • Pre-dawn timing let the expanding exhaust plume catch sunlight in the thin upper atmosphere, creating the glowing 'jellyfish cloud' effect visible across Florida, Georgia, Maryland and much of the US East Coast.
  • The phenomenon has been observed after previous Florida launches, including a late-August Starlink mission, and drew wide photo/video coverage from local TV stations, national outlets, and international broadcasters (CNN, BBC).

“It's a bird! It's a plane! It's actually a “jellyfish cloud” from a SpaceX rocket launch in Florida, and it shone across Maryland skies Tuesday morning.”

Darreonna Davis, Baltimore Banner reporter · Baltimore Banner ↗ · Oct 11

SpaceX Launch operatorNASA ISS program partnerElon MuskElon Musk SpaceX founder and CEO

SpaceX cargo launch produces coast-to-coast 'space jellyfish' glow over US East Coast
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideosposts

Peak 7 pieces in two hours at Yesterday, 6 AM; 24 pieces over 6 days (17 articles · 1 video · 6 posts) Oct 7, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 7, 6 PM — quietOct 7, 8 PM — quietOct 7, 10 PM — quietOct 8, 12 AM — quietOct 8, 2 AM — quietOct 8, 4 AM — quietOct 8, 6 AM — quietOct 8, 8 AM — quietOct 8, 10 AM — quietOct 8, 12 PM — quietOct 8, 2 PM — quietOct 8, 4 PM — quietOct 8, 6 PM — quietOct 8, 8 PM — quietOct 8, 10 PM — quietOct 9, 12 AM — quietOct 9, 2 AM — quietOct 9, 4 AM — quietOct 9, 6 AM — quietOct 9, 8 AM — quietOct 9, 10 AM — quietOct 9, 12 PM — quietOct 9, 2 PM — quietOct 9, 4 PM — quietOct 9, 6 PM — quietOct 9, 8 PM — quietOct 9, 10 PM — quietOct 10, 12 AM — quietOct 10, 2 AM — quietOct 10, 4 AM — quietOct 10, 6 AM — quietOct 10, 8 AM — quietOct 10, 10 AM — quietOct 10, 12 PM — quietOct 10, 2 PM — quietOct 10, 4 PM — quietOct 10, 6 PM — quietOct 10, 8 PM — quietOct 10, 10 PM — quietOct 11, 12 AM — quietOct 11, 2 AM — quietOct 11, 4 AM — quietOct 11, 6 AM — quietOct 11, 8 AM — quietOct 11, 10 AM — quietOct 11, 12 PM — quietOct 11, 2 PM — quietOct 11, 4 PM — quietOct 11, 6 PM — quietOct 11, 8 PM — quietOct 11, 10 PM — quietOct 12, 12 AM — quietOct 12, 2 AM — quietOct 12, 4 AM — quietOct 12, 6 AM — quietOct 12, 8 AM — quietOct 12, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 12, 12 PM — quietOct 12, 2 PM — quietOct 12, 4 PM — quietOct 12, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 12, 8 PM — quietOct 12, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 2, Newswires 1Yesterday, 6 AM — 7 pieces · 7 articles — Google News 7Yesterday, 8 AM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1, Google News 1Yesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — 4 pieces · 2 articles · 1 video · 1 post — Newswires 2, YouTube 1, Mastodon 1Yesterday, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Yesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Yesterday, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Yesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quiet 123–45
Oct 8Oct 9Oct 10Oct 11Oct 12yesterdaynow · 1:49 AM ET
  1. 5

    CNN and BBC broadcast the 'jellyfish' effect nationally and abroad

    Television coverage from CNN and the BBC carried footage of the glowing plume, describing the eerie streaks of light over Florida's predawn sky as the 'jellyfish' effect and explaining its cause to wider audiences.

    “a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch created eerie streaks of light, known as the “jellyfish” effect, in the predawn skies over Florida…”
    — CNN
    1. 2 outlets 'Jellyfish' effect lights up US sky after SpaceX launch

      first by BBC Science, 11h ago · also ABC News

      1 more headline
    2. 2 outlets Photos: Glowing 'space jellyfish' effect lights up Central Florida sky after rocket launch

      first by WESH, 19h ago · also FOX 5 Atlanta

      1 more headline
    • craigtimes.bsky.social

      Latest rocket launch makes #Florida sky light up with "space jellyfish" effect.

      craigtimes.bsky.socialBluesky9h ago7▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch

    • SpaceX launch spawns "jellyfish" cloud in sky before sunrise https:// abcnews.com/video/137241355/?u tm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into News @ news-abc

      abc@flipboard.comMastodon6h ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗

    • SpaceX launch spawns "jellyfish" cloud in sky before sunrise https:// abcnews.com/video/137244371/?u tm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into News @ news-abc

      abc@flipboard.comMastodon4h agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 4

    Glowing jellyfish cloud observed across Florida, Georgia, Maryland

    The rocket's exhaust plume expanded in the upper atmosphere and caught pre-dawn sunlight, producing a luminous jellyfish-shaped cloud reported and photographed by residents and outlets from Florida up through Georgia and Maryland.

    1. 1 outlet SpaceX rocket launch creates incredible 'space jellyfish' visible throughout US East Coast (photos)

      first by Space.com, 12h ago

    2. 1 outlet GALLERY: Jellyfish cloud from SpaceX rocket seen across Georgia

      first by FOX 5 Atlanta, 18h ago

    1 more claim →
  3. 3

    SpaceX launches Dragon cargo capsule to the ISS

    A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying a Dragon spacecraft loaded with more than 6,300 pounds of supplies for the space station crew, docking planned at the Harmony module; the launch also produced sonic booms over Central Florida.

    1. 5 outlets SpaceX launch creates 'space jellyfish' in the Florida sky

      first by FOX 35 Orlando, 18h ago · also WBMA, KOMO, WPBF, WKMG

      3 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet SpaceX rocket launch brings sonic booms and cosmic jellyfish to Florida skies

      first by Chicago Tribune, 16h ago

  4. 2

    Outlets preview expected jellyfish cloud over Maryland

    Local media reported that the Tuesday morning Cape Canaveral launch could produce a 'jellyfish cloud' visible across Maryland before sunrise, citing a similar sighting after an August Starlink launch.

    1. 1 outlet first by Baltimore Banner, 1d ago · read ↗

  5. 1

    Observers flag possible 'coast-to-coast' jellyfish displays

    A sky-watching account noted two upcoming Falcon 9 launches — one from Vandenberg with Starlink satellites, one from Cape Canaveral — with windows extending into twilight that favored the glowing 'jellyfish' plume effect.

    “Heads up. We have prospects for (two?) coast-to-coast launch jellyfishes tonight.”
    — AstroDave
    • AstroDave@scicomm.xyz

      Heads up. We have prospects for (two?) coast-to-coast launch jellyfishes tonight. First up, SpaceX will launch a Falcon-9 rocket tonight from Vandenberg Space Force Base with Starlink Group 15-25. And although the launch is currently set for 00:11 UT tonight before local sunset, the mission window runs until 3:00 UT, past sunset into prime…

      AstroDave@scicomm.xyzMastodon1d agoview on Mastodon ↗

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets Did you see it? SpaceX Falcon 9 launch leaves jellyfish cloud over Florida

    first by NBC 6 South Florida, 18h ago · also The Washington Post

    1 more headline

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