On the evening of February 27, 2023, around 7:20 PM local time, I witnessed an unexpected sky phenomenon above Saint Martin Island. While having dinner at the Java Restaurant in Grand Case, a bright, expanding plume appeared over the Caribbean horizon — a SpaceX launch carrying Starlink v2 Mini satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
I wasn’t prepared at all, so these photos were captured using only a smartphone. Post-processing was later done in Photoshop and Topaz AI to enhance clarity. Despite the limitations of cellphone photography, the moment was unforgettable.
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| SpaceX Starlink launch creating the “Space Jellyfish” effect above Saint Martin, February 27, 2023 |
These photos capture the SpaceX, launching first Starlink v2
Mini satellites into orbit. The SpaceX Launch was from Cape Canaveral in
Florida, which is located approximately 1,300 miles (2,100 km) from Saint Martin Island.
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| The SpaceX launch first batch of second-generation Starlink internet satellites Seen Across Saint Martin Night |
These photos capture the beauty of the rocket plume as it glows and reflects sunlight from high altitudes. The plume appears as a bright, luminescent trail that arcs across the sky, creating a stark contrast against the darkness of the night sky. This effect called Space jellyfish (or jellyfish UFO or rocket jellyfish).
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| The SpaceX launch seen over Saint Martin Island on the evening of February 27 2023 |
Looks like this is new attraction on Caribbean islands now!
SpaceX Launch as a Modern Sky Phenomenon
Although this event was created by human technology, the visual effect in the sky is governed by the same physics that shape many natural sky phenomena.
After sunset, the lower atmosphere above Saint Martin was already in darkness. However, at high altitude, the rocket plume remained illuminated by sunlight. This contrast between shadowed ground and sunlit upper atmosphere created the glowing “space jellyfish” effect.
The phenomenon occurs because the expanding exhaust gases reach altitudes where they still reflect direct sunlight, while observers on the ground stand in twilight or darkness. It is the same geometric principle that makes high-altitude clouds glow after sunset.
In this sense, the SpaceX launch becomes part of a broader category of Sky Phenomena — visible interactions between light, atmosphere, and space.
Related Astrophotography & Sky Phenomena Posts
These posts explore how celestial light, atmosphere, and even modern space technology create extraordinary visual effects in the sky.
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Lightning Photography — Brooklyn NYC Storm
Capturing atmospheric electricity during a summer storm over New York City. -
Comet SOHO-5008 During the Total Solar Eclipse
A rare comet revealed during totality.
