A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 on March 3, 2026, creating a luminous 'space jellyfish' effect visible across Brevard County. The phenomenon occurred shortly after sunrise, as the rocket’s exhaust plume caught sunlight high in the atmosphere. Residents from Cocoa to Titusville reported seeing the glowing, jellyfish-shaped cloud illuminated in the early morning sky. The launch marked the first of three scheduled missions this month from the Space Coast. Meteorologist Eric Burris explained the effect works like this: when a rocket launches near sunrise or sunset, sunlight reflects off the exhaust plume high above Earth. The exhaust particles scatter the light, creating a glowing, translucent appearance that resembles a jellyfish. 'It’s like the rocket is holding a lantern in the sky,' Burris said during a live weather segment. The effect is temporary, lasting only minutes as the plume disperses. SpaceX confirmed the launch carried a payload of 52 Starlink satellites for global broadband internet. The mission was the 34th Starlink launch of 2026 and the 12th of the year from Florida. The next scheduled launch from the Space Coast is set for Monday, March 11, with a target window of 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. EST. Local astronomer Dr. Lisa Nguyen, who photographed the jellyfish effect from Kennedy Space Center, called it 'a rare but beautiful reminder of how spaceflight interacts with Earth’s atmosphere.' She noted the phenomenon is more visible during launches in the early morning or late evening. 'It’s a temporary art piece in the sky,' Nguyen said. The SpaceX launch was visible as far south as Melbourne and as far north as the Kennedy Space Center visitor complex.