After scrubbing a launch planned for Monday, Oct. 19 due to unfavorable booster-recovery weather conditions, a SpaceX rocket that will likely be visible from North Carolina is set to be launched in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The Oct. 20 SpaceX launch is a Falcon 9 rocket on the Bandwagon-5 mission, launching from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. As reported by Florida Today, the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission will deploy 32 payloads including cubesats, microsats and reentry vehicles in low-Earth orbit.
The "jellyfish effect" or "space jellyfish" is expected to be created by conditions around the time of the launch, and predictions show that it will likely be visible along the North Carolina coast, and possibly
further inland.
Here's what to know.
When is the SpaceX launch?
After scrubbing a Monday, Oct. 19 launch attempt due to unfavorable booster-recovery weather conditions, SpaceX has scheduled the pre-sunrise Falcon 9 launch for 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Will SpaceX 'jellyfish' be visible from North Carolina? Where to see SpaceX launch
According to the space jellyfish predictor, the SpaceX launch "jellyfish effect" or "space jellyfish" will likely be visible along the NC coast, and potentially further inland to Charlotte and beyond. Visit jellyfish.johnkrausphotos.com to see the full map.
What is the SpaceX 'jellyfish'?
John Kraus's "space jellyfish predictor" explains that the so-called "space jellyfish" occurs when a rocket and its exhaust plumes are illuminated by sunlight in the upper atmosphere or in space while its observer is in relative local darkness.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 'Space jellyfish' caused by SpaceX launch could be visible in NC
