The appearance of the strange spiral has been shared online after it was filmed by the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Alaska, USA .
Aurora enthusiasts were surprised when observing the Alaskan sky (USA) in the early morning of April 15 and saw a galaxy-like light blue spiral appearing in the middle of the aurora for a few minutes, the Guardian reported. .
A light blue spiral appeared in the middle of the aurora for several minutes in the Alaskan sky. (Photo: AP).
The cause of the phenomenon is due to excess fuel released from the SpaceX rocket launched from California about 3 hours before the spiral appeared.
Don Hampton, a research associate professor at the University of Alaska’s Institute of Geophysics, said the spiral ” appears to be an exhaust from a rocket engine belonging to SpaceX’s Transporter-7 mission , (aeronautical agency). ) launched a Falcon 9 rocket from the California area about 3 hours ago.
He added that sometimes rockets have fuel that needs to be removed.
“When they do that at high altitude, that fuel turns into ice,” he said. “And if it happens in sunlight, when you’re in the shadow on the ground, you can see it like a big cloud, and sometimes it’s swirling.”
Although not a common sight, Hampton said he has seen such incidents about three times.
The appearance of the spiral was captured in time-lapse on the Geophysical Institute’s panoramic sky camera and shared widely.
“That vortex image took the internet by storm a little bit,” said Mr. Hampton.
Photographers who observe this phenomenon also post their photos on social media.
“The spiral is so perfect. So beautiful. I have to say, it’s a pity to know it is a spaceship discharge,” Todd Salat shared . “I was interested in that mystery, with what I didn’t know, but when I found out what it was, I noticed that the interest had faded a bit.”