JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Wednesday morning, just after a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Station at 5:13 a.m., skywatchers in Northeast Florida witnessed a stunning spectacle in the twilight sky.
Glowing, wispy clouds that seemed to shimmer in the pre-dawn light were not ordinary weather phenomena; they were the result of rocket vapor trails, creating a phenomenon known as noctilucent clouds.
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Noctilucent clouds, often referred to as polar mesospheric clouds, are high-altitude clouds that form in the mesosphere, around 30 to 50 miles above the Earth’s surface.
Celena Garcia
Another day in paradise
They can typically be seen after sunset or before sunrise because the ice crystal clouds remain illuminated by the angled sun’s rays below the horizon.
When a rocket ascends into the mesosphere, it releases water vapor and other exhaust products. Under the right conditions, these vapors can freeze into tiny ice crystals, which form trails of luminous clouds.
SpaceX’s frequent launches from Florida have provided many opportunities for the public to witness this phenomenon.
This morning’s sighting in Jacksonville was a perfect example of how rocket vapor trails can create spectacular noctilucent clouds. As viewers gazed upward, they observed the ethereal glowing vapor trails against the backdrop of the early morning sky, with hues of orange and pink.
Carianne Luter
SpaceX launch rocket trails Wednesday spotted going over the Buckman Bridge.