{ "version": 1, "id": "sky-test-launch-plume", "image": "https://ufoathome.org/demo-data/share/sky-test-launch-plume.jpg", "summaryTime": 90, "tags": [ "rocket launch", "space jellyfish", "twilight phenomenon", "Falcon 9", "Starlink" ], "description": { "en": "A test sky for a rocket plume: the 'space jellyfish' that Starlink Group 10-49, a Falcon 9 launched from Cape Canaveral at 05:33 EDT on 25 August 2026, left over the East Coast in the twilight before sunrise, seen from Hoboken, New Jersey, across the river from Manhattan. Not an observer's account: the plume as physics makes it. The Sun is below the horizon for the ground but not for the exhaust 100 to 200 km up, which scatters its light and spreads as it ages into the bell and trails people took for something else. The stage's path is assumed (typical of a Starlink ascent); the shadow of the Earth, the spreading and the light are computed.", "fr": "Un ciel d'essai pour un panache de fusée : la « méduse spatiale » que Starlink Groupe 10-49, un Falcon 9 lancé de Cap Canaveral à 5 h 33 (heure d'été de l'Est) le 25 août 2026, a laissée sur la côte Est dans le crépuscule avant le lever du Soleil, vue de Hoboken (New Jersey), en face de Manhattan. Ce n'est pas le compte rendu d'un observateur : c'est le panache tel que la physique le fait. Le Soleil est sous l'horizon pour le sol mais pas pour l'échappement, 100 à 200 km plus haut, qui diffuse sa lumière et s'étale en vieillissant en la cloche et les traînées que l'on a prises pour autre chose. Le chemin de l'étage est supposé (typique d'une ascension de Starlink) ; l'ombre de la Terre, l'étalement et la lumière sont calculés.", "es": "Un cielo de prueba para una estela de cohete: la «medusa espacial» que Starlink Grupo 10-49, un Falcon 9 lanzado desde Cabo Cañaveral a las 05:33 EDT del 25 de agosto de 2026, dejó sobre la costa Este en el crepúsculo previo al amanecer, vista desde Hoboken (Nueva Jersey), frente a Manhattan. No es el relato de un observador: es la estela tal como la hace la física. El Sol está bajo el horizonte para el suelo pero no para el escape, 100 a 200 km más arriba, que difunde su luz y se extiende al envejecer en la campana y las estelas que se tomaron por otra cosa. La trayectoria de la etapa se supone (típica de un ascenso de Starlink); la sombra de la Tierra, la expansión y la luz se calculan.", "it": "Un cielo di prova per una scia di razzo: la «medusa spaziale» che Starlink Gruppo 10-49, un Falcon 9 lanciato da Cape Canaveral alle 05:33 EDT del 25 agosto 2026, lasciò sulla costa orientale nel crepuscolo prima dell'alba, vista da Hoboken (New Jersey), di fronte a Manhattan. Non è il resoconto di un osservatore: è la scia come la fa la fisica. Il Sole è sotto l'orizzonte per il suolo ma non per lo scarico, 100-200 km più in alto, che diffonde la sua luce e invecchiando si allarga nella campana e nelle scie che furono scambiate per altro. La traiettoria dello stadio è supposta (tipica di un'ascesa di Starlink); l'ombra della Terra, l'espansione e la luce sono calcolate." }, "time": { "year": 2026, "month": 8, "day": 25, "hour": 5, "minute": 39, "second": 20 }, "utcOffsetHours": -4, "durationSeconds": 160, "place": [ { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "name": "Hoboken, New Jersey" } ], "weatherTrack": { "keyframes": [ { "t": 0, "weather": { "cloudCover": { "value": 0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "The photographs of the launch from New York, Philadelphia and Washington show a clear dawn sky: no cloud is stated, a clear sky is assumed." }, "cloudDarkness": 0, "cloudBaseM": 2000, "lowerCloudCover": 0, "highCloudCover": 0, "precipitationType": "none", "precipitationIntensity": 0, "windDirectionDeg": 0, "windSpeed": 0, "storm": false } } ] }, "timeline": { "keyframes": [ { "t": 0, "shapes": [] } ], "order": [], "groups": [] }, "observerTrack": { "keyframes": [ { "t": 0, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 168.6, "pitchDeg": 5.0, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 10000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 165.9, "pitchDeg": 5.0, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 20000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 163.0, "pitchDeg": 5.7, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 30000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 160.0, "pitchDeg": 6.4, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 40000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 156.7, "pitchDeg": 7.1, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 50000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 152.8, "pitchDeg": 7.8, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 60000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 148.7, "pitchDeg": 8.4, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 70000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 144.4, "pitchDeg": 9.0, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 80000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 139.9, "pitchDeg": 9.5, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 90000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 135.3, "pitchDeg": 9.9, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 100000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 130.5, "pitchDeg": 10.2, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 110000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 125.6, "pitchDeg": 10.3, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 120000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 120.7, "pitchDeg": 10.3, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 130000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 115.9, "pitchDeg": 10.2, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 140000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 115.9, "pitchDeg": 10.2, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 150000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 115.9, "pitchDeg": 10.2, "fovDeg": 70 } }, { "t": 160000, "pose": { "lat": 40.744, "lng": -74.0324, "elevationM": 5, "headingDeg": 115.9, "pitchDeg": 10.2, "fovDeg": 70 } } ] }, "soundTrack": { "keyframes": [] }, "decor": [], "skyEvents": { "launches": [ { "id": "starlink-10-49", "title": { "en": "Exhaust plume of Starlink Group 10-49", "fr": "Panache d'échappement de Starlink Groupe 10-49", "es": "Estela de escape de Starlink Grupo 10-49", "it": "Scia di scarico di Starlink Gruppo 10-49" }, "vehicle": { "name": "Falcon 9", "mission": "Starlink Group 10-49", "engine": { "thrustKN": { "value": 934, "basis": "stated", "rationale": "SpaceX: a Merlin Vacuum's thrust in vacuum, 934 kN (the Falcon 9 second stage has one)." }, "specificImpulseS": { "value": 348, "basis": "stated", "rationale": "SpaceX: a Merlin Vacuum's specific impulse in vacuum, 348 s." }, "propellant": { "value": "rp1-lox", "basis": "stated", "rationale": "The Falcon 9 burns RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen." } } }, "track": [ { "t": -380000, "lat": { "value": 28.5618, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -80.5772, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 0.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -350000, "lat": { "value": 28.5649, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -80.5735, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 3.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -320000, "lat": { "value": 28.5925, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -80.5397, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 11.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -290000, "lat": { "value": 28.6721, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -80.4423, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 27.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -260000, "lat": { "value": 28.819, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -80.2619, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 47.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -225000, "lat": { "value": 29.0389, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -79.9904, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 68.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -200000, "lat": { "value": 29.2339, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -79.7481, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 82.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -140000, "lat": { "value": 30.2023, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -78.5226, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 112.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -80000, "lat": { "value": 31.3963, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -76.9565, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 134.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": -20000, "lat": { "value": 32.8902, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -74.9015, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 154.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": 40000, "lat": { "value": 34.5186, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -72.522, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 169.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": 100000, "lat": { "value": 36.2352, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -69.8274, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 180.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } }, { "t": 130000, "lat": { "value": 37.0969, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "lng": { "value": -68.3908, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." }, "altitudeKm": { "value": 185.0, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "Neither source gives the stage's track: it is assumed to follow a great circle from Launch Complex 40 at 47 degrees ('northeast along the East Coast'), with the downrange distance and height a Falcon 9 second stage typically has at that second after liftoff." } } ], "burnFromT": { "value": -225000, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "The first stage's engines stop at about T+2:35, when the second stage's single vacuum engine lights, and it burns until orbit insertion at about T+8:30: typical of a Starlink mission, not stated by the sources. The first stage's own exhaust, low in the air, is in the Earth's shadow at this hour and is left out." }, "burnUntilT": { "value": 130000, "basis": "assumed", "rationale": "The first stage's engines stop at about T+2:35, when the second stage's single vacuum engine lights, and it burns until orbit insertion at about T+8:30: typical of a Starlink mission, not stated by the sources. The first stage's own exhaust, low in the air, is in the Earth's shadow at this hour and is left out." } } ] }, "frozen": { "relief": { "src": "sky-test-launch-plume.relief.zip", "takenOn": "2026-10-20", "attribution": "Relief © IGN, LiDAR HD and RGE ALTI (Licence Ouverte 2.0) in France; © AWS Open Data (SRTM, ETOPO1) elsewhere" }, "imagery": { "src": "sky-test-launch-plume.imagery.zip", "takenOn": "2026-10-20", "attribution": "Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics, and the GIS User Community" }, "map": { "src": "sky-test-launch-plume.map.zip", "takenOn": "2026-10-20", "attribution": "Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics, and the GIS User Community" } } }