Jellyfish-Shaped Orb Lights Hilton Head Skies After SpaceX Launch
Published October 14, 2026 at 5:26 am|By Bristol Ainsley, Staff Reporter
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Some Hilton Head Island-area residents saw a colorful, jellyfish-shaped cloud in Lowcountry skies early Tuesday morning after a SpaceX launch from Florida.
The orb appeared tied to a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft headed for the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff from Cape Canaveral, east of Orlando, came at 6:33 a.m. Tuesday.
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Harbour Town residents watching from the island reported seeing the orb around 6:35 a.m. while outside for morning coffee, about two minutes after liftoff.
NASA said the flight was SpaceX commercial resupply services mission No. 35, carrying more than 6,300 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo to the station aboard Dragon.
The uncrewed Dragon is expected to dock at the station after a roughly 52-hour trip, with arrival targeted for about 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. The rocket left Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, more than 300 miles south of Hilton Head, and island residents have spotted similar glowing orbs after prior Cape launches, including one on March 5.
What's Happening
What did residents see?
A colorful jellyfish-shaped cloud over Hilton Head-area skies around 6:35 a.m. Tuesday.
What launched?
A SpaceX Dragon on NASA commercial resupply mission No. 35 left Cape Canaveral at 6:33 a.m. with more than 6,300 pounds of cargo.
When does it dock?
Autonomous docking is expected about 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 after a 52-hour trip.
Bristol Ainsley
HERE Hilton Head · NEWS
Bristol is a staff reporter for HERE Hilton Head covering local news, community stories, and developments across Beaufort County. Bristol is committed to accurate, community-first journalism.
