Thursday 15 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
87%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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01ScienceNorth America

SpaceX launch produces jellyfish-like glow over the US

BBC and Guardian reports describe the display, with the Guardian citing Nasa’s explanation of sunlit rocket exhaust.

A SpaceX rocket launch produced a glowing, jellyfish-like effect in the US sky, according to BBC and Guardian reports. The BBC identifies the rocket as a Falcon 9. The Guardian dates the launch to 13 October and, citing Nasa, says sunlight illuminated its exhaust plume.

What holds up

  • ✓Two outlets report the same distinctive sky effect following a SpaceX launch.
  • ✓The Guardian attributes the exhaust-plume explanation to Nasa.

What doesn't yet

  • ?The supplied summaries do not specify the launch site or the geographical extent of visibility.
  • ?Only the Guardian provides the launch date and Nasa attribution; the underlying explanation is not reproduced.

Ask before you share

  • →Do images being shared show this launch rather than an earlier event?
  • →Where and when was the display observed?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]BBC News · Published 13 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  2. [2]The Guardian · Published 14 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com