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Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Mysterious white sky spiral spotted in UK
Listen to article A glowing spiral that appeared in the night sky over Britain on Monday evening was caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch, experts have confirmed. The unusual formation, described by witnesses as a "swirling blue-white glow," was visible for about 30 minutes as it moved slowly from north to south. The phenomenon sparked speculation on social media, with some observers initially suggesting it could be an unidentified flying object (UFO) or a satellite re-entry. Experts later identified the source of the spectacle as the exhaust plume from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which had launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 5:48pm UK time. According to scientists, the frozen rocket exhaust, illuminated by sunlight at high altitude, created the glowing spiral effect. The UK's Met Office confirmed it had received multiple reports of the anomaly. "This is likely to be caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched earlier today," a Met Office spokesperson said. "The rocket's frozen exhaust plume appears to be spinning in the atmosphere and reflecting the sunlight, causing it to appear as a spiral in the sky." Many Britons took to social media to share images and videos of the spiral. Ben Thomson from Hampshire posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "It was too slow for a satellite but appeared to be at a high altitude. It was very bright at its central point and created a swirl effect which was also lit up as it moved." Others reported the sighting to UFO hotlines, prompting further speculation before experts identified the true cause. SpaceX later confirmed that the Falcon 9 rocket was carrying a classified payload for the US government's National Reconnaissance Office. The Falcon 9, a reusable rocket, returned to Earth approximately eight minutes after launch. According to satellite expert Dr. Marco Langbroek of TU Delft, the swirling glow was likely caused by a fuel dump from the rocket. "The Falcon 9 ejects leftover fuel before re-entering the atmosphere," he explained. "At high altitudes, the fuel freezes instantly, forming a spiral pattern as it disperses." Similar incidents have been observed before. In February, another Falcon 9 rocket launch left fireball-like trails in the sky over Europe.
Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Glowing spiral spotted in sky above Britain
A mysterious swirl which appeared in the night sky over Britain was made by a SpaceX rocket, experts have concluded. On Monday night, social media was abuzz with stargazers who spotted the strange spiral moving slowly across the sky from north to south at around 8pm for 30 minutes. Ben Thomson of Hampshire, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was 'too slow for a satellite but appeared to be at a high altitude'. He added: 'It was very bright at its central point and created a swirl effect which was also lit up as it went.' Sue Billcliffe, who took one of the clearest images of the phenomenon, reported seeing 'strange shapes in the sky' above Ryhill in West Yorkshire. The French meteorological office posted an extraordinary video of the swirl speeded up as it made its way across the sky. Experts said the phenomenon was created by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 5.48pm UK time. The frozen exhaust was illuminated by the Sun as they spun across the sky, creating the glowing blue spiral. A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'We've received many reports of an illuminated swirl in the sky this evening. ' This is likely to be caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched earlier today. The rocket's frozen exhaust plume appears to be spinning in the atmosphere and reflecting the sunlight, causing it to appear as a spiral in the sky.' SpaceX said that the launch was carried out on behalf of the US government's National Reconnaissance Office mission and that its orbit was classified. The Falcon 9 is a reusable rocket and came back to Earth around eight minutes after lift off, leaving behind a trail of exhaust in the upper atmosphere. Steven Hall, who spotted the spiral from his home in Suffolk told the BBC it looked like 'a huge Catherine wheel which appeared to have its own atmosphere around it'. He added: 'It did pass my mind: is this an unexplained unidentified flying object?' UFO hotlines received dozens of calls, but Marco Langbroek, a satellite expert and lecturer at TU Delft, said that it was likely to be a fuel dump by the Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 rockets are designed to eject any leftover fuel before they come back to Earth. The fuel freezes instantly due to the altitude, creating a spiral pattern caused by the rocket's movement. 'The strange spiral cloud visible in the sky this Monday evening was a fuel dump from the Falcon 9 rocket that launched an American spy satellite today,' Dr Langbroek said on X. In February, another Falcon 9 rocket launch caused fireballs in the sky over Europe.
