Residents along the Space Coast reported seeing a bright halo in the sky shortly after midnight Wednesday as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The first-stage booster’s contrail glowed with sunlight still below the horizon, creating a visible light display that lingered for several minutes. The mission aimed to deploy 29 Starlink satellites to expand global internet coverage. The rocket’s first stage landed on a recovery ship in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the latest in SpaceX’s reusable rocket efforts. The launch occurred during a rare window when the sun’s angle created optimal visibility for the contrail, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as a ‘sun glint’ by aerospace experts. Local observers in Cocoa and Titusville described the sight as unusual but not unexpected, with some noting the glow appeared similar to auroras seen during solar flares. SpaceX has conducted over 100 launches from the Space Coast since 2010, with the Starlink program accounting for more than half of those missions. The company said the satellites will support its goal of providing broadband internet to underserved regions worldwide. The launch added to a busy week for the space industry, with NASA’s Artemis program also preparing for a lunar mission later this month.