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Rare Visual Event Was Recorded in Several European Countries on the Night of March 24. Experts Explain That the Blue Spiral Was Caused by the Release of Fuel from the Falcon 9 Rocket, from SpaceX, During Orbital Maneuver.
On the night of March 24, 2025, a strange and fascinating bright blue spiral appeared in the skies over various countries in Europe, sparking curiosity, theories, and even some alarm on social media. The phenomenon, visible for minutes in places like the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Ukraine, Denmark, Poland, and Portugal, was quickly photographed and filmed by observers and amateur astronomers.
According to the UK’s Met Office and the scientific website Euronews Next, the phenomenon is directly linked to a launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, which took place earlier that day from Cape Canaveral, in the United States.
What Caused the Blue Spiral?
The Falcon 9 was performing the classified NROL-69 mission, under the responsibility of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). After completing stage separation, the rocket executed a residual fuel release maneuver in orbit, which created the blue spiral.
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The technical explanation, according to the Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory in Spain, is that the second stage of the Falcon 9 spun rapidly during the fuel release, creating a spiraling visual effect with ice crystals formed by the instantaneous freezing of residues. The sunlight reflecting on these crystals at high altitude provided the luminous effect visible over large areas of the continent.
Records and Repercussions
Images and videos of the blue spiral quickly went viral on social media, generating speculation about its origin. The portal SIC Notícias from Portugal also confirmed the sighting of the phenomenon in several regions of the country, including the north and the coast. Some people believed it to be satellites, stratospheric balloons, or even UFO manifestations.
The Met Office stated that this type of occurrence is rare but known among space specialists. The resulting spiral is a common feature when rockets release fuel at high altitudes and has been recorded in other SpaceX launches in 2022 and 2023, in New Zealand and Alaska, respectively.
When Do Such Phenomena Occur?
Atmospheric phenomena caused by space launches generally occur at altitudes where there is low air density, which allows frozen fuel to remain visible for longer. The formation of the blue spiral only occurs when the rocket’s final stage enters rapid rotation during the fuel ejection.
Although it may seem mysterious, this type of maneuver is standard in the aerospace industry and aims to clear the system before the rocket reenters or before burning up in the atmosphere. SpaceX, for its part, has not officially commented on the event to date.
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