Rocket Lab launches satellite at dawn, stargazers mystified by strange cloud

From Whangārei, down to Auckland, Hawke’s Bay and Tauranga, people shared photos of the cloud and its long, wispy tail that followed.

Wispy clouds were spotted in many parts of the North Island after the launch, this was seen in the Kaimais, Tauranga. Photo / Alice Campbell

A spokesperson from Rocket Lab said the strange orb-shaped cloud that many saw is called a “space jellyfish”, a phenomenon that can happen when sunlight reflects off the exhaust plume from the rocket’s engines.

What many people likely saw was a space jellyfish – a phenomenon that can happen when sunlight reflects off the exhaust plume from the rocket’s engines. Photo / Aaron Bennett

This is Rocket Lab’s 15th launch this year and 73rd launch overall. “Owl New World” was just one of 21 upcoming missions to deploy Synspective’s Earth-imaging constellation before the end of the decade.