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SpaceX Rocket Creates Spectacular Light Show in the Arctic Sky
A mesmerizing swirl of bright white light suddenly emerged in the night sky above the Arctic region last week, overshadowing a sprawling aurora display that stretched across thousands of miles. This ethereal, galaxy-shaped light exhibit resulted from an illuminated cloud of frozen fuel released into space by a SpaceX rocket, as it dispatched numerous satellites into low-Earth orbit. Referred to as a “SpaceX spiral” by astronomers, such captivating phenomena are poised to become more frequent in the times ahead.
Launch Details and Phenomenon Explanation
On March 4, SpaceX initiated the Transport-10 mission by launching a Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 5:05 p.m. EST. Carrying 53 satellites from various commercial space enterprises, the rocket successfully deployed these payloads into orbit around Earth roughly two hours post-launch. Subsequent to the satellite release, the rocket’s second stage, having separated from the reusable first-stage booster, commenced de-orbiting, disintegrating above the Barents Sea in the Arctic. During this process, the spinning rocket jettisoned its remaining fuel into space, which crystallized into minute particles forming a spiral structure, reflecting sunlight back to Earth.
Witness Accounts and Captivating Visuals
Photographer Shang Yang captured a breathtaking photo of the luminous whirl near Akureyri, Iceland, around 1 a.m. local time on March 5. Describing the sight as otherworldly against the Northern Lights, Shang noted its brief duration of approximately 10 minutes before vanishing. This radiant display was also documented during an aurora livestream in Iceland and photographed in Finland and Norway, where it exhibited a striking blue hue.
Rarity of SpaceX Spirals
Though SpaceX spirals are infrequent occurrences, their prevalence is expected to rise alongside the escalating number of SpaceX missions. Notable instances of these spirals include a vivid blue manifestation above Alaska in April 2023, as well as sightings recorded by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii’s Mauna Kea in April 2022 and January of the following year. The unpredictability of these spirals stems from factors such as the booster’s spin rate, timing, and alignment with respect to Earth and the sun.
Astrophotographer Olivier Staiger accurately forecasted the appearance of a spiral during the Transport-10 mission above the Arctic, attributing this prediction to the rocket’s unique payload necessitating increased spin during deployment. Staiger further anticipates another prominent SpaceX spiral over Iceland and neighboring Arctic regions upon the launch of the Transporter-12 mission in October later this year.
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