Spectacular Blue Spiral Light Brightens Up Night Sky, Likely From SpaceX Rocket

A mesmerizing spiraling blue light stole the show in Europe's night sky on Monday, leaving sky-gazers stunned and a bit baffled. But fear not, this wasn't a scene from a sci-fi movie—experts are pointing their fingers at SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket booster.

Captured in jaw-dropping time-lapse video from Croatia at 9 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EST), the light spun across the sky like a celestial spiral galaxy. The full video, if watched at normal speed, reveals the phenomenon lasted about six minutes. Social media was, unsurprisingly, buzzing with comparisons to a galactic painting.

The UK's Met Office stepped in to clarify the mystery, stating that the swirl was "likely caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket" launched earlier that day from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as part of the U.S. government's classified NROL-69 mission. The rocket, launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX, carried a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the nation's intelligence and surveillance agency. Fancy stuff, right?

According to the Met Office, the dazzling effect was produced by the rocket's frozen exhaust plume spinning in the atmosphere and reflecting sunlight, creating the spiral. This phenomenon has even earned a nickname: "SpaceX spirals." Who knew rocket science could also be an art form?

SpaceX spirals are a result of the Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage separating from its first-stage booster. As the upper stage continues its journey into space, the lower stage spirals back toward Earth, dumping any leftover fuel. At such high altitudes, the fuel freezes instantly, and sunlight reflecting off it creates the eerie yet beautiful glow in the sky.

This cosmic show came just days after SpaceX teamed up with NASA to rescue two astronauts stranded in space—a reminder that Musk's team isn't just about creating spirals; they're also saving lives out there.

Fox News Digital reached out to SpaceX for comment, but as of this writing, no response has been received. Maybe they're too busy painting the skies.