SpaceX Jellyfish Cloud Visible Across Southeast
A Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral created a striking ice-crystal cloud visible from Jacksonville to Ohio on Tuesday morning.
Advertisement
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:33 a.m. ET on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, creating an unusual atmospheric phenomenon visible across multiple states.
The rocket's exhaust dispersed through the upper atmosphere, where ice crystals formed and caught sunlight from below the horizon. The effect resembled a giant jellyfish floating in the pre-dawn sky. Residents in Jacksonville and across Duval County observed the display, as did observers in Georgia and the Dayton, Ohio, area.
SpaceX launches occasionally produce these noctilucent clouds when exhaust reaches altitudes where ice crystals form and reflect sunlight. The phenomenon prompted widespread social media posts from viewers who captured images of the ethereal display.
Related Topics
Article Ratings
How do you feel about this story?
Laura Bennett
Sign in to follow this author from their profile.
Discussion (0)
Join the Conversation
Join the conversation
Sign in to share your thoughts, reply to readers, and like comments.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!