A large glowing spiral was spotted in the skies over Sussex. Last night (March 24) people across the country watched the strange phenomenon which was believed to have been caused by a SpaceX rocket launch in the US. The growing swirl was visible for several minutes and was initially confused with aviation and even extra-terrestrial activity by some.
Experts have now attributed the glow to a launch at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Billionaire Elon Musk’s company SpaceX held a launch for the US government shortly before 1.50pm local time (5.
50pm GMT) and it is understood the Falcon 9 rocket’s frozen exhaust plume caused the display. The Met Office said on social media site X: “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.” The twisting celestial display was visible across much of Europe, with hundreds taking to social media to share footage and imagery.
Did you spot the glowing swirl? We'd love to see some of your pictures. Get in touch via our Facebook page @TheArgus or email news@theargus.co.
uk.
