Did you see it? Here's why this morning's SpaceX launch created giant cloud over S. Fla.
Did you catch it this morning? If you looked toward the eastern sky shortly after sunrise, you may have spotted a bright, expanding cloud trailing behind a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The spectacular display was visible across much of South Florida and quickly grabbed the attention of sky watchers from Palm Beach County to the Treasure Coast. The unusual cloud wasn't a thunderstorm or a weather phenomenon—it was created by the rocket itself. It's Not a Storm Cloud As the Falcon 9 accelerates into space, its engines produce large amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide. At high altitudes, where the air is extremely cold and thin, that water vapor rapidly freezes into tiny ice crystals. Those ice crystals spread outward behind the rocket, creating the enormous white plume that can be seen from hundreds of miles away. The timing of this morning's launch made the view even more spectacular. Although the sun was still low in the sky for observers on the ground, the rocket had already climbed high enough to be illuminated by direct sunlight. "And another with a booster falling back down also visible above the tree." Photo by Lawrence Sherman. That sunlight reflected off the ice crystals in the rocket's exhaust, causing the plume to shine brightly against the morning sky. Why Does the Cloud Get So Large? Once the rocket reaches the upper atmosphere, the surrounding air becomes much thinner. See also: Saharan dust keeps storms in check as dangerous heat grips South Florida With less atmospheric pressure, the exhaust plume expands rapidly, creating the fan-shaped or "jellyfish" appearance that often accompanies launches near sunrise or sunset. The cloud can remain visible for several minutes before gradually fading away. South Florida Has One of the Best Views Living in South Florida gives residents a front-row seat to launches from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. When skies are clear, launches are often visible from Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, especially those occurring around sunrise or sunset when the lighting creates the most dramatic views. More Launches Are on the Way With SpaceX maintaining one of the busiest launch schedules in history, South Floridians will have many more opportunities to witness these incredible sky shows in the months ahead.
Source: WPEC