Mysterious blue spiral spotted over European skies. What was it? (photos)

space.com ^ | 3-25-25 | Robert Lea

[dynachrome]

Is it a plane? Is it a satellite? Is it a galaxy? Is it aliens? A strange blue spiral lit up the skies over Europe on Monday night (March 24), causing residents of the U.K. and other European countries like Croatia, Poland, and Hungary to flood social media with photos and videos, along with requests to identify this weird light. Some users even speculated that the spiral could be the work of aliens!

Space.com can reveal the identity of the object behind this spectacular event, and unfortunately (possibly reassuringly), rather than being the work of extraterrestrial visitors, it's a bit more down to Earth.

The cause of the strange blue spiral is actually a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:48 p.m. EDT (1748 GMT) on Monday. The rocket was carrying the secretive NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

[dynachrome]

"I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords."

[packrat35]

Doctor Who leaving for the last time since the BBC wokesters killed it.

[OHPatriot]

Looks like someone flushed the Galactic Toilet. We’re Doomed!!!

[Jamestown1630]

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6370521242112

[dynachrome]

Looks like Tesla symbol. Calling The Musk to save us.

[EvilCapitalist]

Isn’t Uranus blue?

[Phoenix8]

Jesus came back and saw the LGBTQ movement , gender neutrality movement, current Pope, kids getting their breasts cut off and boys having puberty blockers, Radical Islam over-running Europe and the Mideast ……

[RoosterRedux]

The blue spiral seen over Europe was said to be caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket after launching the classified NROL-69 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office—it’s a “SpaceX spiral,” formed when leftover fuel from the upper stage is released at high altitude, freezes, and reflects sunlight in a swirling pattern.

[TexasGator]

You can check yours with a mirror or cellphone.

Please do not post any photos or videos here.

[GaltAdonis]

It’s a navigational space road sign placed by aliens to warn us.
So we had better pay it heed.
What does it say? What does it mean? Warn us of WHAT?
Darned it I know.
But we can’t say that we weren’t warned….

[Tell It Right]

Photo of the blue phenomenon over Europe.

[RoosterRedux]

That’s exactly what it is. It only looks like a spiral because of the rotation of the Urf.;-)

[ifinnegan]

You’re more right than you know.

—-

The cause of the strange blue spiral is actually a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:48 p.m. EDT (1748 GMT) on Monday. The rocket was carrying the secretive NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

[rlmorel]

This was my version of that some years ago:

[BlackbirdSST]

Isn’t Uranus blue?

I'm not even going to ask how you know that about dynachrome.

[C210N]

Project Blue Beam perhaps

[Allegra]

[Yo-Yo]

The photo in question:

As the article says, it is a SpaceX rocket launch.

These sort of spirals are often seen in Europe, caused by Russian rocket launches.

[WKUHilltopper]

“Isn’t Uranus blue?”

If your anus is blue, call a doc ASAP.

[sit-rep]

lol