Rahul SomvanshiThe Subaru Telescope, run by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, recently shared a captivating video on YouTube of a strange blue “flying spiral” that was recorded in Hawaii captivates viewers. The footage, taken on January 18th, shows a fleeting spiral galaxy-like light whirlpool in the night sky above Maunakea. The enigmatic appearance has left many curious about the cause of this unusual phenomenon.
On January 18th, 2023 UT, a peculiar sight was spotted over Maunakea, leaving many puzzled and wondering about the origins of this “mysterious” flying spiral. This rare event was captured by the keen eyes of our viewers and recorded using the Subaru-Asahi STAR Camera, a joint venture between the Subaru Telescope, run by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper company. The video was shared on YouTube with a caption explaining the source of the footage.
As the video of the strange flying spiral over Maunakea was shared on the internet, it immediately caught the attention of many users. People were eager to understand the cause of this unusual formation and were quick to share their thoughts and theories on social media. Some users even jokingly suggested that it could be an alien spaceship or a sign of early arrival of Andromeda galaxy. “Hey @elonmusk, this you or aliens?” commented one user, while another wrote “OMG, Andromeda has arrived 4 billion years early!!”
After the video of the mysterious flying spiral over Maunakea went viral, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) made an official statement, revealing that it was actually frozen rocket fuel that was ejected during a SpaceX launch. The Japanese space agency took to Twitter to explain the phenomenon, stating that it seemed to be related to SpaceX’s launch of a new satellite on January 18th. According to Space.com, the rocket that caused this spiral was a Falcon 9, which was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This is not the first time such spirals have been seen, as it is a common occurrence when the upper stage of Falcon 9 dumps excess fuel into the ocean.
