Monday launch may produce a ‘space jellyfish’ in the West
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A rocket launch could light up the sky again, but this time on the West. Will you be able to catch a glimpse?

Miriam Guthrie
ByMiriam Guthrie•
5 hours agoUpdated: November 1, 2026, 1:55 pm ESTPublished: November 1, 2026, 1:32 pm EST

Wow! SpaceX Launch creates mesmerizing ‘space jellyfish’

Remember the “space jellyfish” created from a SpaceX launch just a couple weeks ago? Well, there’s a chance to catch it again Monday night! But let’s see if you will have clear skies to view it.

SpaceX is planning for a Falcon 9 launch of the USSF-423 mission on Monday, Nov. 2, with a four hour launch window starting at 5:42 p.m. PST. 

With the turning of our clocks and the end of Daylight Savings time, an earlier sunset means that the launch window will be during twilight, perfect for catching the “space jellyfish.”

The sky will be dark, but the rocket’s exhaust will be high enough in the sky, to still catch the sunlight, making the glowing “space jellyfish” for people to see from hundreds of miles away. 

The launch will take place at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, but much of the West will have a chance to spot the “space jellyfish.”

(MORE: SpaceX launch creates glowing 'space jellyfish' in the sky)

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Viewing forecast

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Clear skies: If you’re in southern Utah, Arizona or New Mexico, this past weekend’s storms will have cleared out in time, bringing clear skies and the best visibility to catch the launch.

Some trouble spots: Parts of southern California, including Los Angeles, as well as Las Vegas and Salt Lake City are forecast to have some clouds in the sky during the launch, but there should be enough breaks in the clouds to still spot the “space jellyfish.”

Poor view: If you are in parts of northern California, including San Francisco, or western Nevada, cloudy skies could make it quite difficult for you to spot the “space jellyfish,” but luckily there’s no rain in the forecast. 

Storms will be moving through Colorado on Monday evening, bringing rain and high elevation snow to the region, so you will probably miss out on catching a glimpse of the launch. 

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