In the evening of March 24, 2025, a remarkable and surreal spectacle unfolded in the night sky over the UK, leaving observers captivated and curious. The phenomenon, described as a large, glowing spiral, was seen shortly after 8pm and was attributed to the aftermath of a SpaceX rocket launch conducted earlier that day from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The Falcon 9 rocket embarked on a mission at approximately 1.50pm local time (5.50pm GMT), transporting a classified satellite for the US government. It is believed that the unusual spiral was created when the rocket's upper stage expelled frozen fuel, which froze rapidly at high altitudes, subsequently reflecting sunlight as it spiralled in the atmosphere. This explanation was confirmed by the Met Office in a statement shared on social media platform X, stating, “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.”
Visual documentation of the event flooded social media, showcasing the striking blue-toned spiral across various locations in the UK, as well as France, Germany, and Ukraine. Many spectators were initially perplexed by the sight, speculating on various explanations ranging from the mundane, such as aircraft lights, to more fantastical theories including extraterrestrial encounters.
Among those intrigued was a local resident, identified only as Dave from Bristol, who shared his experience with the PA news agency. “It looked just like a plane with its headlight on,” he remarked, adding that he initially thought he was observing another aircraft until the spiral's otherworldly nature revealed itself. “I watched this fuzzy light for what felt like about a minute when all of a sudden it started shooting out these spiral arms and spinning. I realised straight away it was SpaceX because I’ve seen it so much on YouTube, but I can totally see how others would have been weirded out by it – it really did look alien.”
The spectacle lasted for about ten minutes, moving gracefully across the sky before gradually fading from view. Certainly, this particular event is not isolated; such spirals have been noted in other parts of the world following rocket launches, though sightings in the UK remain comparatively rare.
Lord Dover, a senior technical officer at the University of Hertfordshire’s Bayfordbury Observatory, elaborated on the occurrence. He explained that the rocket had to dump extra fuel during its ascent to shed weight, forming the expansive, swirling cloud that captivated onlookers. He highlighted that while these types of sights are becoming more prevalent, their visibility from the UK is still unusual.
The excitement surrounding the spiral reflects a growing public fascination with space exploration and the technological advances associated with companies like SpaceX, led by billionaire Elon Musk. As social media buzzed with shared images and theories, the event served to further ignite interest in celestial phenomena and space missions in general, inviting a diverse array of responses from the bewildered public.
SpaceX's successful launch reaffirmed the company's role in the ever-evolving landscape of aerospace technology, while the captivating spiral ensured that many across Europe shared a fleeting moment of wonder on that clear evening.
Source: Noah Wire Services