Mysterious White Spiral Observed Across Skies of New Jersey

Numerous observers across New Jersey and surrounding areas reported witnessing a peculiar white spiral phenomenon in the night sky on August 12th, coinciding with heightened celestial activity. Many individuals were scanning the heavens that evening hoping to witness either the launch of the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket or observe the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, a yearly event highly anticipated by stargazers.

Social media platforms, particularly local subreddits such as r/NewJersey and r/BergenCounty, were inundated with accounts describing the unusual visual display – a bright, white spiral appearing to rotate in the atmosphere.

While the definitive cause remains unconfirmed, astronomer Jonathan McDowell attributed the occurrence to the deorbiting of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket. McDowell explained on X that a “spinup and propellant dump” at approximately 245 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) resulted in widespread observations across the eastern United States and Canada as the rocket descended towards re-entry over the Indian Ocean.

According to experts, such luminous spirals are a relatively commonplace consequence of rocket launches. They often originate from frozen fuel plumes ejected during the launch process, which then reflect sunlight, producing the characteristic spiraling effect as they interact with atmospheric conditions.

The observation occurred shortly after the Vulcan spacecraft successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 8:56 p.m. EST. The timing added to the intrigue, as many were already focused on monitoring the skies for this specific launch alongside the Perseid meteor shower which NASA describes as one of the most prominent annual events.

NASA notes that the Perseid meteor shower is visible across the Northern Hemisphere between July 17th and August 23rd, reaching its apex on August 12th and 13th. These showers are characterized by swift meteors that frequently leave trails of light in their wake, occasionally culminating in spectacular fireballs—brighter, longer-lasting displays of light and color. Optimal viewing conditions for the Perseids occur during pre-dawn hours but can be observed as early as 10 p.m. with proper techniques such as finding dark locations away from urban lighting and allowing sufficient time for eyes to adjust.