Stunning Spiral in Alaska Sky - What Was It?

Description: Northern light enthusiasts in Alaska witnessed a stunning sight recently when a baby blue spiral resembling a galaxy appeared in the sky amid the aurora. Many speculated that it might be an alien invasion or a portal to another universe. However, the cause was much more mundane - it was excess fuel that had been released from a SpaceX rocket that had launched from California a few hours before. The appearance of the swirl was captured in a time-lapse video by the Geophysical Institute's all-sky camera and shared widely on social media. While not a common sight, such occurrences have been observed by space physicist Don Hampton about three times. Join us as we explore the fascinating science behind this incredible sight.

Hashtags: #AlaskaSpiral #SpaceXLaunch #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #ScienceOfTheSky #GeophysicalInstitute

Tags: Alaska, spiral in the sky, SpaceX rocket launch, aurora borealis, northern lights, space physics, Geophysical Institute, excess fuel, time-lapse video, social media, Mauna Kea, National Astronomical Observatory, military GPS satellite.