Earth:Space jellyfish

From HandWiki
Short description: Rocket launch phenomenon

A space jellyfish (also jellyfish UFO or rocket jellyfish) is a rocket launch-related phenomenon caused by sunlight reflecting off the high-altitude rocket plume gases emitted by a launching rocket during morning or evening twilight. The observer is in darkness, while the exhaust plumes at high altitudes are still in direct sunlight. This luminous apparition is reminiscent of a jellyfish.[1][2][3] Sightings of the phenomenon have led to panic, fear of nuclear missile strike, and reports of unidentified flying objects.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

List of rocket launches causing space jellyfish

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Rocket launch Payload Date Location Summary Notes References
Falcon 9 flight 232 SpaceX - Transporter 8 - plume over Eastern Europe.jpg Transporter 8 12 June 2023 Vandenberg Space Force Base Afternoon launch – plume observed over Eastern Europe, approximately 75 minutes after launch
Test flight of an unidentified Indian missile None 15 December 2022 India, Myanmar, Bangladesh An early evening test launch. Assumed to be of an Agni-V ICBM [10]
Falcon 9 flight 152 SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 4-17, May 6, 2022 (52054161014).jpg Starlink Group 4–17 2022-05-06 6 May 2022


Florida An early-morning launch causing UFO reports [11]
Falcon 9 flight 126 Inspiration4 space jellyfish.jpg Inspiration4 2021-09-15 15 September 2021


Florida The first fully civilian crewed orbital spaceflight, launched from Cape Canaveral after sunset [12]
Soyuz-2.1.a launch Progress MS-17 2021-06-29 29 June 2021


European Russia A Soyuz-2.1a launched the Progress MS-17 to the International Space Station from Baikonur Site 31 on 29 June 2021. As the rocket reached the upper atmosphere the expanded rocket plume was illuminated by the sun creating a "jellyfish". [13][14]
Falcon 9 flight 114 Crew-2 space jellyfish.png SpaceX Crew-2 2018-10-08 23 April 2021


Florida A crewed Cape Canaveral launch in the pre-dawn. The "jellyfish" lasted over 10 minutes after liftoff. In addition to the "jellyfish" created by the second stage, the returning first stage also made visible plumes. [15][16][17]
Falcon 9 flight 62 SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch from Vandenberg, CA - October 7 2018 - 45131925812.jpg SAOCOM 1A 2018-10-08 8 October 2018


California A West Coast launch off California, in the post-dusk; causing UFO reports [18][19][20]
Falcon 9 flight 57 CRS-15 Mission (41281636860).jpg SpaceX CRS-15 2018-06-29 29 June 2018


Florida An East Coast launch off Florida, in the pre-dawn [1]
Soyuz-2.1.b launch Glonass-M satellite 2018-06-17 17 June 2018


European Russia A launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome heading over the cities of Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, Russia [8][9][21]
Falcon 9 flight 46 SpaceX as it flew over L.A..webp SpaceX Iridium 4[NB 1] 2017-12-22 22 December 2017


California A West Coast launch off California, in the post-dusk [22]
Atlas V 551 AV-056 flight MUOS-4[NB 2] 2015-09-02 2 September 2015


Florida A Cape Canaveral launch in the pre-dawn [23][24]
Meteor-M2 weather satellite 2014-07-08 8 July 2014


European Russia A launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan [25]
RS-12M Topol-M nuclear missile test launch ISS-37 RT-2PM Topol missile launch (2).jpg N/A 2013-10-10 10 October 2013


Eurasia Launched from Kapustin Yar, Russia; to crash into Shary Shagan, Kazakhstan [26]
Kosmos 1188 1980-06-14 14 June 1980


European Russia A launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome resulted in a giant U-shaped jellyfish appearing over Moscow and Kalinin, Russia [27]
Kosmos 955 1977-09-20 20 September 1977


Northern Europe A launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome resulted in a jellyfish vapour trail seen over northern Europe, causing the UFO incident known as the "Petrozavodsk phenomenon" [28]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Iridium-NEXT launch SpaceX-4
  2. ↑ U.S. Navy Mobile User Objective System satellite

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weitering, Hanneke (29 June 2018). "See the 'Space Jellyfish' and Other Jaw-Dropping Views from SpaceX's Dragon Launch". Space.com. https://www.space.com/41040-jaw-dropping-spacex-dragon-launch-photos.html. 
  2. ↑ "РОСКОСМОС. ИНВЕРСИОННЫЙ СЛЕД РАКЕТЫ-НОСИТЕЛЯ "СОЮЗ-2.1Б" НАБЛЮДАЛИ В РЯДЕ РЕГИОНОВ РОССИИ". Roscosmos. 17 June 2018. https://www.roscosmos.ru/25196/. 
  3. ↑ Subat, Marta (4 July 2018). "Science: See the 'Space Jellyfish' and Other Jaw-Dropping Views from SpaceX's Dragon Launch". Infosurhoy. http://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/science/science-see-the-space-jellyfish-and-other-jaw-dropping-views-from-spacexs-dragon-launch/. 
  4. ↑ Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (23 December 2017). "A 'UFO sighting' briefly freaked out the West Coast. There was an earthly explanation.". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/12/23/a-ufo-sighting-briefly-freaked-out-the-west-coast-there-was-an-earthly-explanation. 
  5. ↑ Segarra, Lisa Marie (23 December 2017). "People in L.A. Definitely Thought This SpaceX Rocket Launch Was Aliens". Time. http://time.com/5078397/spacex-los-angeles-aliens/. 
  6. ↑ Wright, Mike (23 December 2017). "'Did we just see a UFO?' SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch causes consternation as it lights up the Californian skies". The Telegraph (UK). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/23/did-just-see-ufo-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launch-causes-consternation/. 
  7. ↑ "A giant, glowing jellyfish or an alien invasion? No, this is a reused SpaceX rocket". Hindustan Times. Associated Press. 23 December 2017. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/a-giant-glowing-jellyfish-or-an-alien-invasion-no-this-is-a-reused-spacex-rocket/story-Hs9nUN4wjC2JnHyXjCi2II.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Baynes, Chris (18 June 2018). "'Alien invasion' over World Cup stadium was actually Russian rocket launch". The Independent (UK). https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/alien-invasion-world-cup-2018-russia-rocket-launch-nizhny-novgorod-a8405266.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Russian Rocket Launch Sparks UFO Conspiracy". The Moscow Times. 18 June 2018. https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-rocket-launches-ufo-conspiracy-61880. 
  10. ↑ "Is that a UFO? Or a meteor? Or India's nuclear missile Agni-V?" (in en). https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/is-that-a-ufo-or-a-meteor-no-its-indias-nuclear-missile-agni-v-2309834-2022-12-16. 
  11. ↑ News4JAX (6 May 2022). "SpaceX launch lights up the sky in an unbelievable way on YouTube". Jacksonville, Florida, USA: WJXT4. 
  12. ↑ Lada, Brian (15 September 2021). "SpaceX launch creates mesmerizing clouds over East Coast". https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/spacex-inspiration4-launch-florida-clouds/1018645. 
  13. ↑ "Russian cargo ship sets off after the International Space Station in dramatic sky show" (in en-US). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-cargo-ship-launch-international-space-station-2021-06-29/. 
  14. ↑ (in en) Progress MS-17 launch, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je_6mdR06P0, retrieved 2021-06-30 
  15. ↑ Thompson, Amy (23 April 2021). "SpaceX launches 4 astronauts to space station, nails rocket landing" (in en). https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-2-astronaut-launch-rocket-landing-success. 
  16. ↑ Sangalang, Jennifer; Kelly, Emre (2021-04-23). "NASA and SpaceX launch Crew-2 astronauts: Best tweets, photos from Twitter, Instagram" (in en-US). https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2021/04/23/photos-nasa-spacex-launch-crew-2-kennedy-space-center/7348203002. 
  17. ↑ Volz, Brianna (2021-04-23). "What were those white flashes in the sky after SpaceX's Crew-2 launch? We explain" (in en). https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/2021/04/23/after-successful-spacex-launch-rocket-booster-returns-to-light-up-floridas-sky/. 
  18. ↑ Lozovschi, Alexandra (10 October 2018). "Stunning Photos From The Latest SpaceX Rocket Launch Reveal A Dazzling Plume In The California Sky". The Inquisitor. https://www.inquisitr.com/5109706/stunning-photos-from-the-latest-spacex-rocket-launch-reveal-a-dazzling-plume-in-the-california-sky/. 
  19. ↑ Graham, William (7 October 2018). "SpaceX Falcon 9 launches with SAOCOM 1A and nails first West Coast landing". NASASpaceflight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/spacex-falcon-9-saocom-1a-launch-west-coast-landing/. 
  20. ↑ Atkinson, Ian (2 October 2018). "SpaceX conducts static fire test ahead of SAOCOM-1A mission, first west coast RTLS". NASASpaceflight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/spacex-falcon-9-for-static-fire-saocom-1a-first-west-rtls/. 
  21. ↑ Davis, Charlotte (22 June 2018). "Residents startled as BIZZARE [sic] 'UFO' object lights up night sky near Russia World Cup city". The Express (UK). https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/975894/UFO-news-UFO-sightings-Russia-World-Cup-rocket-launch-satellite-programme-Kazan. 
  22. ↑ Grush, Loren (23 December 2018). "All the best reactions to SpaceX's Friday night rocket launch in California". https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/23/16814036/spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launch-los-angeles-celebrities-ufo. 
  23. ↑ O'Callaghan, Jonathan (4 September 2015). "No, That Incredible Atlas V Launch Was Not A UFO". IFL Science. http://www.iflscience.com/space/no-incredible-atlas-v-launch-was-not-ufo-please-stop-asking/. 
  24. ↑ Lambert, Maxime (21 July 2016). "La vidéo d'un étrange halo bleu relance le débat sur Internet". Maxi Sciences. https://www.maxisciences.com/ovni/la-video-d-un-etrange-halo-bleu-relance-le-debat-sur-internet_art38407.html. 
  25. ↑ Hitchings, Lauren (10 July 2014). "Jellyfish in the sky was a high-flying rocket plume". New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25877-jellyfish-in-the-sky-was-a-high-flying-rocket-plume/. 
  26. ↑ Boyle, Alan (14 October 2013). "UFO? Astro ghost? Find out what that spooky space cloud really was". NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/ufo-astro-ghost-find-out-what-spooky-space-cloud-really-8C11390533. 
  27. ↑ Rutkowski, Chris A. (2008). A World of UFOs. Dundurn. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-77070-343-8. 
  28. ↑ Oberg, James (31 December 1981). "Close encounters of a fabricated kind". New Scientist 92 (1285): 896–898. 

Further reading

External links



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Earth:Space_jellyfish&oldid=3296458"