ST. GEORGE — The scheduled launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California on Wednesday evening is not only likely to be visible from Southern Utah but also has the potential to create a phenomenon known as a “space jellyfish” because of the timing of the liftoff.
A photo from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch in Florida shows what is known as the “space jellyfish” effect, Cape Canaveral, Florida, June 29, 2018 | Photo courtesy of SpaceX, St. George News
The rocket carrying a group of Starlink internet satellites is currently scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 8:48 p.m. MDT. SpaceX said in a media statement on the launch that for viewers in Utah, Nevada and Arizona, there is the potential for what is known as a “space jellyfish” effect.
In what is a visual phenomenon, rather than anything caused by the rocket, the sun’s illumination of the rocket plume creates a bright glow that looks like a bulbous, jellyfish-like shape against the darker sky. The color can range from bright white to orange or even pink depending on the sunlight and atmospheric conditions.
The launch will have a 53-degree, southeastern trajectory that will allow people throughout Southern Utah to see it.
The National Weather Service forecast said there is the potential for a few clouds in the sky at launch time.
People in Southern Utah should expect to see the streak of the first, then the second stage of the rocket in the southwest around a minute and 30 seconds after launch.
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