Truth behind ‘space jellyfish’ phenomenon as China takes giant leap forward in space race

A mind-bending space phenomenon has sparked fascination online.

You'd be mistaken for thinking the 'jellyfish' pictured above was found in the depths of the ocean. But no - this 'creature' was actually captured in our Earth's sky, and it's not actually a creature at all...

Instead, it's what's been dubbed a space jellyfish and occurs every now and then at the start of certain missions. Previous sightings of the phenomenon have ignited panic, led to reports of UFOs and even triggered fears of nuclear missile strikes.

But it's nothing at all to worry about.

China's July 15 rocket launch in action (CGTN)

The illusion is created when a rocket launches, an already nail-biting moment of any space assignment.

Sunlight reflects off the high-altitude rocket plume - the visible exhaust stream emitted from a rocket engine - creating the illusion of a moving sea creature.

It's only really visible to us mere mortals during morning or evening twilight.

And last week, China's space agency launched its Tianzhou 9 cargo ship on a Long March 7 rocket, causing its own beautiful space jellyfish to form.

You can see the video below - it's seriously breath-taking.

The automated cargo delivery is heading to the country's Tiangong space station, delivering approximately 6,500 kilograms of supplies - setting a new record for its cargo missions by about 100 kilograms.

Footage of the space jellyfish has since gone viral in Reddit's R/SpacePorn community, with a clip of the stunning moment racking up more than 20 thousand upvotes.

"This is amazing. The sky is such a magical place. Such a cool capture," one person said.

"I saw the one from Space X on the 18th from my house in Peoria, Arizona. It's a really neat thing to be able to see," a second commented.

"I for one welcome our new Space Jellyfish Overlords!" a third quipped.

Three astronauts aboard China’s Tiangong space station, part of the Shenzhou-20 mission, are awaiting the arrival of the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft.

China's Long March-7 rocket carrying Tianzhou-9 blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Among its 6,500 kilograms of supplies is 30 new 'space' foods, a new core muscle training device to support astronaut health in microgravity and 776.5 kg of scientific experiments supporting some 23 research projects, Space News reports.

There are also two upgraded 'Extravehicular Activity' (EVA) space suits, each rated for 20 spacewalks over four years, an improvement over previous models which supported 15 EVAs over three years.

This latest launch shows how Tiangong is rapidly advancing and gradually closing the gap with the International Space Station (ISS).

While the ISS benefits from larger cargo deliveries and more frequent resupply missions through multiple international launch providers, Tianzhou 9’s record-breaking payload and high-tech upgrades show China is serious about growing its capability to support long-term, self-sufficient crewed missions.

Tiangong only just launched in 2021, and with the ISS due to be decommissioned by the end of 2030, all eyes could soon be on China.