SpaceX Starlink Produces Noctilucent Clouds in Florida After Launching 56 Satellites

SpaceX's Starlinks left glowing and colorful skies in Florida in its latest launch.

SpaceX's Starlink Produces Glowing Clouds

Elon Musk's SpaceX launched its latest mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida Thursday (Jan. 26) at 4: 32 a.m. EST. It carried 56 Starlink satellites. The predawn launch resulted in noctilucent clouds that were visible after the launch, Space.com reported.

Meteorologist Wright Dobbs noticed the clouds from Tallahassee, a four-hour drive from the launch site near Orlando. According to him, the sight never gets old, and it is new with every launch.

On May 6, 2022, Starlink spawned eerie glowing clouds in the predawn sky, according to Space.com in a previous report. The residents from Florida were treated with a glowing rocket as it made it's way high into the atmosphere. The effect was called "space jellyfish."

According to Met Office, Noctilucent clouds are extremely rare, very high clouds. They can be seen in the night sky on clear summer nights. They become visible about the same time as the brightest stars and appear in bluish or silvery colors.

Blue Spiral in Hawaii Due to SpaceX's Falcon 9

SpaceX sent a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) on Jan. 18 at 7:24 a.m. ET. Shortly afterward, the Subaru Telescope spotted a spiral shape floating on the Hawaiian skies.

Citizen scientist and satellite tracker Scott Tilley commented on the thread that the position of the spiral was close to the second stage Falcon 9 rocket was expected to be just minutes after its launch, Space.com reported.

A similar glowing circular feature was also spotted after a SpaceX launch. The residents in New Zealand also observed a similar spiral overhead after Falcon 9's launch.

The spiral appears as the upper stage of Falcon 9 vents unneeded fuel during its long descent into the ocean. According to Spaceweather.com, the upper stage was probably spinning on its longest axis to stabilize flight orientation, resulting in a spiral shape. The outlet noted that similar spirals had been observed after previous Falcon 9 launches.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 is known to leave behind interesting patterns after its launch, including a "space jellyfish," which was observed in the predawn sky over Florida's Space Coast.

The shapes were reportedly formed when gas in the rocket's engine's nozzles is at a higher pressure than the atmosphere. The sunlight illuminates the gas, according to Chris Combs' tweet. Combs is a professor of aerodynamics and mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

According to Spacecom, SpaceX sent five missions to space in the first 19 days of 2023. If the space company keeps up the same pace, it can send 96 rockets before the year ends. In 2022, SpaceX had a record-setting 61 launches, doubling its 31 records in 2021.

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