Glowing spiral in UK sky believed to be caused by SpaceX launch
A large glowing spiral that appeared in the night sky above parts of the UK on Monday is believed to have been caused by a SpaceX rocket launch in the US.
The cloud-like shape, which was visible for several minutes before fading, is believed to have been caused by leftover fuel released by the rocket in space.
The Falcon 9 rocket from Elon Musk’s space company lifted off around 13:50 local time in Florida (17:50 GMT) on a classified US government mission.
The Falcon 9 is a reusable rocket. After launching into space, it releases what is called its payload – whatever it is carrying, such as a satellite, to complete its mission – which continues its journey into space.
The rocket then turns back around towards Earth. As it does, it ejects any leftover fuel, which freezes instantly due to the altitude in a spiral pattern caused by the rocket’s movement.
Courtesy: BBC