Giant Jellyfish in the Dawn Sky

Early risers on the US East Coast on Tuesday (13/10/2026) were treated to a rare sight: a giant glowing cloud resembling a jellyfish drifting across the dawn sky. The phenomenon, dubbed the "space jellyfish", quickly went viral after photos spread widely on social media.

The mysterious light source turned out to be a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched at 06:33 local time from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The rocket carried a Dragon capsule on the CRS-35 mission, SpaceX's 35th commercial cargo resupply mission for NASA.

Cargo Mission to the Space Station

The Dragon capsule carried about 6,300 pounds or 2,860 kilograms of equipment, supplies, and science experiments to the International Space Station (ISS). Part of the cargo is hardware for building an artificial retina.

The glowing cloud was visible across many regions, from Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Mississippi, to Pennsylvania. Getty Images photographer Gary Hershorn even captured it from Hoboken, New Jersey, as it passed over Manhattan and One World Trade Center.

The rocket's first-stage booster successfully landed back at Landing Zone 40 shortly after launch. The Dragon capsule was scheduled to dock with the ISS on 15 October.

NASA Explains the Phenomenon

NASA explains the space jellyfish occurs at just the right time: near sunrise or sunset. As the rocket climbs into the thin atmosphere, its exhaust expands far wider than the rocket body.

Observers on the ground are still in darkness, but the exhaust at altitude is already struck by direct sunlight. The expanding exhaust gases then glow brightly against the dark sky, forming a luminous blob resembling a jellyfish complete with thin "tentacles".

Similar phenomena are actually nothing new and have triggered panic after being mistaken for UFOs or missile attacks. NASA calls such moments a reminder that spaceflight is not only about exploration and science, but also inspires awe in anyone who looks up at the sky.