How did the blue spiral appear in the sky over Europe? Meteorologists explain.

Blue spiral in the sky: a rare phenomenon after the launch of the SpaceX rocket

On the evening of March 24, Ukrainians and residents of Europe witnessed a rare phenomenon - a blue spiral. It appeared after the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of a secret mission by the U.S. government. The rocket was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida around 7:30 PM Kyiv time.

Spirals occur due to fuel discharge when the second stage of the rocket is operating. In space, the fuel freezes and creates this effect. Frozen fuel reflects light, making the phenomenon noticeable from Earth.

This time, the Falcon 9 delivered the reconnaissance satellite Nrol-69 into orbit. Similar spirals could be observed by Ukrainians in July 2024 during the launch of the European Ariane 6 rocket.

Moreover, Ukrainians and residents of other European countries could notice this unusual phenomenon in the sky.

Additionally, on March 1, people in the Kharkiv region noticed an unknown celestial phenomenon - a 'Light pillar'. This is an interesting atmospheric phenomenon that occurs under special atmospheric conditions. Almost stationary symmetrical water crystals form at a low altitude, reflecting light from a source on the ground and creating the illusion of such a pillar.