Brief
SpaceX launch creates luminous “space jellyfish” cloud over eastern US
The sunrise‑lit plume from a Falcon 9 launch was mistaken for a jellyfish, with photos shared on X and explanations from SpaceX.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Photographs taken before dawn on Tuesday, Oct. 15, showed a large, luminescent cloud resembling a jellyfish hovering above the night sky across multiple eastern US states. The phenomenon was later identified as the exhaust plume from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
What happened
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 48 minutes before sunrise. As the rocket ascended on a north‑eastern trajectory toward the International Space Station, its fuel exhaust crystallised at high altitude, reflecting sunlight and creating a multi‑coloured, translucent shape that appeared like a jellyfish. Observers from Georgia to New York reported seeing the glow.
What the reports add
The Daily Mail noted that the images were uploaded to X, the platform owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, with a caption explaining the “space jellyfish” effect. The post also mentioned that the mission is SpaceX’s 35th commercial resupply services flight for NASA, carrying more than 6,300 scientific investigations and cargo to the ISS.
What was said
The X caption read: “Many of you are talking about the ‘space jellyfish’ following this morning’s launch… A jellyfish happens near sunrise or sunset when the exhaust plume from the rocket becomes brightly illuminated, creating a glowing shape resembling a jellyfish.”
How it came about
The launch follows a series of recent space‑related events covered by Felo News, including astronaut Anil Menon’s aurora photos from the ISS on Oct. 10 and the upcoming launch scheduled for next Monday from the same pad, which could produce a similar sight.
Key facts
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched from Cape Canaveral at 48 minutes before sunrise on Oct. 15, 2026. (dailymail.co.uk)
- The exhaust plume crystallised and reflected sunlight, creating a glowing cloud that looked like a jellyfish. (dailymail.co.uk)
- The launch is part of SpaceX’s 35th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, carrying over 6,300 scientific investigations and cargo to the ISS. (dailymail.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-10-10 — Astronaut Anil Menon captured aurora photos from the ISS.
- 2026-10-12 — NASA astronaut Anil Menon posted an exercise video from the ISS.
- 2026-10-15 — SpaceX Falcon 9 launch creates luminous cloud visible across eastern US.
What happens next
Another launch from the same pad is scheduled for next Monday, which could produce a similar visual effect.
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “Photos capture 'space jellyfish'. . . can you guess what it really is?”
