In an unprecedented celestial spectacle, a bizarre, “horned” spiral of light graced the skies above Europe, photobombing a vibrant aurora display on May 2nd. The misshapen luminous swirl, painted across the heavens, was the handiwork of a dying SpaceX rocket, but unlike any light show we have witnessed before.
The stunning galaxy-like spiral emerged above parts of Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic at approximately 9:00 p.m. GMT (4:00 p.m. EDT). Approximately 90 minutes prior, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a pair of Earth-observation satellites, had launched from California.
The swirling light show is a manifestation of what researchers refer to as “SpaceX spirals,” created by fuel dumped in space by Falcon 9 rockets just before their descent back to Earth. This fuel freezes into tiny crystals that reflect sunlight and assume a spiral shape due to the rocket’s spinning motion during disposal.
Typically, these spirals exhibit a perfect vortex shape. However, photographs of the recent spiral above Europe revealed two faint, horn-like pillars of light, a feature not observed in previous spirals. The exact cause of these horns remains unknown, but it is likely related to the manner in which the rocket released its fuel, as reported by Spaceweather.com.
The celestial display lasted for approximately 10 minutes before vanishing completely as the frozen fuel dispersed. This spiral coincided with a strong G3 geomagnetic storm that erupted on May 2nd after a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun impacted Earth’s magnetic field, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a result, the aurora borealis could also be seen in some of the images. One photographer even managed to capture an image of the spiral as the aurora danced in the background.
SpaceX spirals have become increasingly common in the night sky as the company’s launch frequency has increased. In March, a massive white SpaceX spiral captivated observers. Similarly, stunning swirls were also witnessed in April 2023 and April 2022. However, SpaceX spirals are not the only phenomena caused by the company’s Falcon 9 rockets.
As dying spacecraft reenter Earth’s atmosphere, they release chemicals that can react with ionized oxygen in the upper atmosphere, causing the molecules to recombine into normal atoms and emit light. Scientists refer to this as an “atmospheric hole,” and such holes are becoming more prevalent as the rate of SpaceX launches rises. In March, a photographer captured a timelapse photo of a Falcon 9 rocket’s reentry burn, showcasing the formation of an atmospheric hole.
