Did you spot a mysterious glowing spiral above the Harrogate district last night?
Residents took to social media to share their photos of an apparent 'glowing spiral' that appeared in the sky yesterday (Monday).
The cloud-like spiral was seen by stargazers across the UK and Ireland, as well as in Denmark, Italy and Poland.
It was visible for several minutes before fading.
Was it an extra-terrestrial phenomenon as some are suggesting? Not quite, according to the Met Office.
They took to social media platform X (Twitter) to clear up that the spiral was likely caused by frozen exhaust smoke from Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
A spokesperson for Met Office said:
“This is likely to be caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched earlier today.
“The rocket's frozen exhaust plume appears to be spinning in the atmosphere and reflecting the sunlight, causing it to appear as a spiral in the sky.”
These spirals form and are visible when ejected rocket fuel from the Falcon 9 gets frozen in space, before reflecting sunlight back towards Earth.

Harrogate care home donates £1,000 to charity battling loneliness
Builders unearth medieval well in Ripon city centre
Knaresborough teacher to run London Marathon in aid of Henshaws
Drugs seized and two arrested in Knaresborough
Spiegeltent returns to Harrogate for summer extravaganza
Starbeck festival set to return for third year
Police appeal to locate Harrogate fuel thief
Harrogate MP set to take on London Marathon in aid of colitis charity
Expansion could add £17m to northern economy, says Harrogate Spring Water
New café to open in place of Hoxton North this week
Ripon vintage tractor run to return this weekend
Ladies lunch event raises £25,000 for Yorkshire children's hospice
Yorkshire Baby & Toddler Show Returns
Lightwater Valley officially opens 'epic' new rollercoaster
Three Harrogate boxers scoop medals at international tournament
Harrogate woman's stroke at 37 inspires fundraising drive for vital charity
Harrogate MP calls for bus and rail fares to be slashed
Kittens with rare condition 'thriving' after community donates £1,000
Weather warning for strong winds issued ahead of Easter weekend
North Yorkshire Police to roll out facial recognition technology


