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On Monday, March 24, 2025, many noticed a glowing blue spiral in the UK sky, which was later linked to the launch of a SpaceX rocket in the US. The Hindustan Herald reported that the light formation lingered for several minutes in the sky before dissipating, catching the attention of several netizens.
Per the media outlet, the rare blue spiral sighting was visible in some parts of Wales, England, and mainland Europe. The experts state that such an atmospheric display is caused when certain specific conditions are met during a space launch.
Once the rocket releases its payload, it journeys back to Earth. In the process, it ejects leftover fuel which, because of the high altitude, freezes immediately, forming intricate spiral patterns, thanks to the rocket's spinning motion. When this frozen pattern catches and reflects sunlight, it appears as a blue spiral from the ground.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is believed to have caused the blue spiral
After the blue spiral light faded from the UK sky, the phenomenon was believed to be caused by a SpaceX rocket launch, which took place on Monday. Elon Musk's space company lifted off its Falcon 9 rocket from Florida at around 1:50 pm local time.
Per BBC, the objective behind the rocket launch is currently described as a classified US government mission. The media outlet also reports that Falcon 9 is a re-usable rocket.
Astronomer Allan Trow talked to BBC about the blue spiral light, which he witnessed from Wales's Bannau Brycheiniog National Park at around 8 pm GMT. Trow last saw this phenomenon nearly four years ago and told the media outlet it was pretty rare.
A SpaceX rocket exploded in the sky earlier this month
The blue spiral phenomenon created after the Falcon 9 rocket launch comes weeks after a SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after its launch, leading to debris raining from the sky.
BBC reported that the rocket, which was on its eighth testing mission, was launched from Texas on March 7, 2025. Per SpaceX, the unmanned ship suffered "a rapid unscheduled disassembly" as it ascended into space, losing contact with the ground before its explosion.
While no damages have been reported in the wake of the explosion, images of fiery debris raining from the sky were captured and circulated on social media by residents of the Caribbean Sea island.
The SpaceX Starship, dubbed by the company as the largest rocket ever created, measured 123 meters (403 ft) at the time of its takeoff and was meant to return to Earth's orbit after a one-hour flight. While the ship exploded, its Super Heavy booster returned to the launchpad successfully.
Shortly after the debris rain was spotted, SpaceX released a statement, claiming they were reviewing the data "to better understand [the] root cause" of the misfire. They added:
"As always, success comes from what we learn, and today's flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship's reliability."
SpaceX also claims that the debris fell within a pre-planned area and didn't contain any toxic materials.
