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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider What lit up the night sky? PhilSA explains strange glow seen over PH

What lit up the night sky? PhilSA explains strange glow seen over PH

Published Apr 12, 2026 10:24 pm
(Photo by Jeanda Alora-Getongo/Philippine Space Agency Facebook)
(Photo by Jeanda Alora-Getongo/Philippine Space Agency Facebook)
A glowing formation seen over parts of the Philippine sky on Saturday evening, April 11, left many Filipinos wondering what it was.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said on Sunday, April 12, that the lights observed at around 7:40 p.m. on Saturday (Philippine Standard Time) were most likely caused by the passage of the Jielong-3 rocket, launched minutes earlier by the People’s Republic of China from the South China Sea.
PhilSA said the phenomenon is commonly called a “space jellyfish.”
It happens when a rocket releases exhaust at very high altitudes, where the thin atmosphere allows it to spread widely.
Although it is already dark on the ground, sunlight can still reach the exhaust at high altitude, causing it to glow.
This makes the expanding plume visible against the night sky.
As it spreads, PhilSA said the plume can form a wide, glowing shape that appears to move or drift, creating the jellyfish-like effect seen across large areas during twilight.

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PHILSA SPACE JELLYFISH ROCKET MYSTERIOUS LIGHT STRANGE GLOW
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