https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/25/alien-hopes-crash-to-earth-glowing-spiral-uk-spacex-rocket

 **Alien Hopes Crash to Earth as 'Glowing Spiral' Turns Out to Be SpaceX Rocket**  

A mysterious glowing spiral spotted in the night sky over the UK sparked fleeting excitement among UFO enthusiasts—until astronomers revealed the far more mundane truth: it was the aftermath of a SpaceX rocket launch.  

The ethereal blue swirl, captured by stunned onlookers and shared widely on social media, was actually excess fuel vented from a Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage after deploying satellites into orbit. As the spinning propellant froze in the high atmosphere, sunlight illuminated it into a dazzling—but entirely human-made—cosmic spectacle.  

“For a brief moment, it felt like first contact,” admitted one disappointed skywatcher. Scientists, however, were less surprised. “This keeps happening,” said an astronomer. “People forget how rocket launches can create beautiful but explainable phenomena.”  

The incident highlights how SpaceX’s frequent launches are reshaping our night skies—and serves as a reality check for those hoping to spot extraterrestrial visitors. For now, the search for alien life continues… without any spiral-shaped calling cards.