While on the other thread, a person with first-hand experience firing missles gave an accurate and reasonable descirption/explanation of a missle launch gone awry.
However, a brief search of images on failed missle-launches brought up a few images, but nothing that came close to the perfect spiral on this one image. I recall a year ago there was a thread on images in the sky caused by ice particles that created a variety of pretty and astounding light displays. They weren’t moving though!
I guess I’ll wait and see too!
The Russkis have officially confirmed it was a failed Bulava from their Typhoon sub Dmitrij Donskoy. The first two stages worked, but when igniting the third stage the rocket suffered a structural failure and deviated from its course.
With 11 failures out of 12 launches things are looking up for the American side in the current disarmament talks. And the Russians won’t have a counter to the planned missile shield.