On the morning of October 13, a SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) left an unusual glowing trail in the sky resembling a giant jellyfish. NASA published footage of the phenomenon, according to infohub.kz.
The effect occurred during the launch of the SpaceX CRS-35 mission, which is delivering scientific equipment and other cargo to the station.
"When our SpaceX CRS-35 cargo mission launched on the morning of October 13, the rocket's exhaust plume was brightly illuminated by sunlight, creating a glowing shape resembling a jellyfish. This phenomenon can also be observed when a rocket launches shortly before sunset," NASA explained.
NASA's post sparked lively discussion on social media. Some users admired the unusual spectacle, comparing the glowing trail to a space nebula and the spirit portals from the movie "Avatar." Others joked about the rocket's characteristic arc, while some left conspiracy-minded comments questioning the existence of space.
"Oh my God, how beautiful," one commenter wrote.
Another compared the sight to a space nebula, and some users claimed the rocket had supposedly collided with the "firmament." These comments were accompanied by thousands of likes.
It is noted that the Dragon spacecraft launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Dragon's arrival at the orbital station is scheduled for approximately 11:00 on October 15.