Recently, a strange glowing phenomenon was spotted in the sky in parts of northeastern India, causing a great deal of curiosity and puzzlement among people in the region. According to reports, the people of Sikkim and surrounding regions spotted a bright, glowing, jellyfish-shaped phenomenon moving gradually in the sky during twilight hours. Although this phenomenon was spotted in the sky for just a few minutes, it soon went viral on social media.Videos and pictures of this phenomenon were shared on social media, depicting a glowing cloud with long strands of clouds trailing behind it, resembling a jellyfish floating in the air. Because of its strange appearance, it was initially assumed that it could be a UFO sighting or some other phenomenon not yet understood by science.However, experts have opined that this strange phenomenon was probably due to a rocket launch occurring thousands of kilometres away.
The unusual light spotted over Sikkim and Darjeeling
The phenomenon was said to have been seen for about five to seven minutes in different parts of Sikkim and Darjeeling. The people who saw it said it was a white or bluish colour and was spreading in the sky with a glowing trail.It was said to have had the shape of a jellyfish floating in the sky. It was spreading out in the sky, and at the same time, there was a trail going down, thus forming a shape resembling a jellyfish.Since such a phenomenon is not very common in India, people were naturally curious about it. There were a number of videos that were shared on social media platforms, and people were discussing what this strange phenomenon could be.Some people were wondering whether it could be a meteor or even an unidentified flying object.
How a rocket launch can create a jellyfish-like light
Scientific analysis and space observation experts believe that this phenomenon is most probably due to a rocket plume from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch. It is known that rockets produce a lot of exhaust gases during their flight through space. These gases expand at high altitudes. Expanding gases produce glowing clouds.At certain times of the day, such as during sunrise or sunset, sunlight is still able to penetrate through the high-altitude rocket plumes even if the ground is already dark. When sunlight hits the exhaust gases, they get illuminated and take on peculiar shapes.As the rocket plumes expand in space, they sometimes take the form of a “jellyfish or space umbrella.”This phenomenon is called “rocket jellyfish” or “space jellyfish.”
The Falcon 9 launch behind the phenomenon
As per reports, SpaceX, on March 16, launched its Falcon 9 rocket that was carrying Starlink V2 Mini satellites into orbit, increasing the number of satellites for its satellite internet service.Although the rocket was launched at an extremely remote location in the United States, the plume of the rocket rose to extremely high altitudes, even above the Earth’s atmosphere. At this point, the plume was still illuminated by the Sun’s rays.As the rocket travelled through space, the gases expanded, and the Sun’s rays reflected off the expanded gases, forming a bright, glowing cloud that was visible over long distances.Due to the Earth’s curvature, the plume of the rocket was visible even at distances of thousands of kilometres away, especially at twilight time.
Why are such events visible across huge distances
These rocket plumes extend hundreds of kilometres into space. Once they get this high, they will still receive sunlight even after the sun sets for people on the ground.This means that they will look like a bright glowing cloud in the night sky. The thin atmosphere will also allow the gases to disperse in interesting ways.In fact, if conditions are just right, these illuminated rocket plumes will be visible across entire regions or even multiple countries. Similar incidents have been reported in places such as Alaska, California, and various countries in Europe following a major rocket launch.However, such incidents rarely occur in India, and this is why this incident in Sikkim has caused such a stir.
Why the mysterious sky event captured so much attention
The peculiar phenomenon of “jellyfish light” soon turned into a trending topic on social media. Most people referred to this glowing phenomenon as magical or something straight out of a science fiction movie.This phenomenon is a good reminder for people about how advanced space technology sometimes produces peculiar effects in the sky. Though this phenomenon of a glowing “jellyfish” might look peculiar, it is in fact a very interesting phenomenon related to rocket launches and their interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.For many people who experienced this phenomenon, the appearance of this glowing phenomenon in the sky is a reminder of how space technology produces such interesting sights in the sky.
