North Carolina residents report seeing a bizarre formation in the sky. What is it? If you live in North Carolina, you may have seen some strange things in the sky over the past week.
During the early morning hours, North Carolina residents reported seeing a glowing, jellyfish-like presence in the skies over the state.
Given just how many odd and paranormal stories have been going viral recently, it’s no surprise that some have looked at this phenomenon with unease. So, what really happened?
What Was This Strange Light In The Sky Over North Carolina?
In a video with over 142,000 views, TikTok user Fatima Valdovinos (@fatimavaldovinos3) showed the unusual object.
The object moves from the right side of the video to the left. In its wake, it leaves a gradient of light.
“Did anybody see this in Durham?” Valdovinos asks in the caption of the video. “What could it be?”
In the text overlaying the video, she noted that the clip was filmed at 5:38 AM.
Commenters Have Theories
Immediately, internet users began to confirm that what Valdovinos saw wasn’t unique. The comments section of her video contains numerous original images of the phenomenon from different angles. This confirms that it did, in fact, occur.
Next, they speculated about what this unfamiliar display could have been.
“I think the was the skyscraper sized astroid that was supposed to take out a large city in 2089. They have now said that that astroid is no longer a threat,” wrote a user.
“I saw this too but i thought i was hallucinating so i just went back to sleep,” offered another.
“Rocket scraping the ether and the Firmament,” declared a third. “NOTHING penetrates the Firmament…nothing.”
@fatimavaldovinos3 Did anybody see this in Durham? What could it be? #durham#nc#abcnews#fyp
♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs – Skittlegirl Sound
The Real Answer
What really happened? The answer may be disappointing.
While some were hoping for proof of aliens or God, the real answer is that the “space jellyfish” was actually the result of a SpaceX launch.
According to WRAL News, SpaceX recently launched 28 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The rocket carrying these satellites released gases high in the atmosphere as a consequence of this launch. Then, sunlight reflected off these gases, even though it was still dark on the ground.
This effect, often referred to as a “space jellyfish,” occurs only during twilight launches. That explains why people saw it so early in the morning.
If you live on the East Coast and want to see this for yourself, you’re in luck. SpaceX says they will be launching more satellites at 4:36 a.m. on September 25th, creating the perfect conditions for another space jellyfish.
BroBible reached out to Valdovinos via TikTok direct message and comment and to SpaceX via email.