A bright, jellyfish-shaped cloud appeared in the morning sky over parts of the southeastern United States on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, drawing attention from residents and local newsrooms. The Washington Post asked readers whether they had seen the "space jellyfish" cloud that morning.
Local coverage tied the display to a SpaceX launch. FOX 35 Orlando reported that the effect lit up the Florida sky after the CRS-35 mission launched toward the International Space Station. WESH also described a glowing "space jellyfish" effect over Central Florida following the rocket launch.
The sighting was not limited to one state. WVTM reported that early risers across Alabama were stunned by a mysterious jellyfish-like glow, while WTSP asked what the glowing cloud over Tampa Bay that morning had been.
The "space jellyfish" look is a known visual effect that can follow certain rocket launches, though the source material does not explain the physics behind it. The reports from the outlets above consistently point to the same launch as the cause of the displays seen across the region.
Coverage of the event has so far come from local television stations and The Washington Post, each describing the same phenomenon in different parts of the Southeast.
What to watch next: whether SpaceX or another source offers an official explanation of the display, and whether more images from the CRS-35 launch emerge.
