‘Space Jellyfish’: PhilSA confirms strange sighting as Chinese rocket launch

Philippine Canadian Inquirer
April 13, 2026

(Photo Courtesy: Jeanda Alora-Getongo via Philippine Space Agency)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) confirmed Sunday that the strange light witnessed by Filipinos across the country last weekend is from the Jielong-3 rocket launched by the People’s Republic of China.

The rocket was reportedly launched from the South China Sea at approximately 7:32 p.m. (Manila Time) on Saturday.

PhilSA explained in a post how the “space jellyfish” phenomenon occurs during rocket launches.

“The phenomenon is commonly called a “space jellyfish,” which occurs when a rocket’s exhaust plume, released at high altitudes, is directly illuminated by sunlight while observers on the ground remain in darkness,” PhilSA stated.

“The expanding plume fans out in the thin upper atmosphere and scatters sunlight, creating a luminous, jellyfish-like glow visible over wide areas during twilight conditions,” it added.