Was the Maunakea Spiral Really a UFO?

Introduction

The bright spiral that appeared over Maunakea in January 2023 is one of the clearest examples of how a dramatic sky event can briefly look like a UFO while ultimately having a well-supported conventional explanation. A glowing, rotating pattern was captured by cameras near the summit observatories on Maunakea, prompting widespread speculation online. Yet within days, astronomers and spaceflight trackers linked the phenomenon to the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that had launched a military GPS satellite from Florida earlier that day.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

For Hawaii’s UFO history, the incident is important not because it remains unexplained, but because it demonstrates why the islands’ exceptionally clear skies can produce convincing reports of seemingly extraordinary objects. The spiral was real, visually striking and unusual. The key question was not whether people saw something, but what they were actually seeing.

Was the Maunakea Spiral Really a UFO?

In the early hours of 18 January 2023, the Subaru-Asahi Star Camera on Maunakea recorded a bright white orb that expanded into a large spiral shape before gradually fading from view. The footage quickly spread across social media and news outlets because the structure looked unlike aircraft lights, meteors or ordinary astronomical objects.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

The appearance was especially dramatic because it was observed from one of the world’s premier astronomical sites. Maunakea’s high altitude, dark skies and exceptionally clear atmosphere allowed the camera to record details that might have been invisible from more light-polluted locations. Researchers at the Subaru Telescope noted that the spiral was probably bright enough to be visible to the naked eye, but the sensitive camera captured its structure much more clearly.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

At first glance, the event seemed mysterious. It did not resemble a conventional aircraft, appeared high above the horizon and displayed a geometric shape that many viewers associated with science-fiction imagery rather than familiar aerospace activity. Those characteristics made it exactly the kind of sighting that can generate UFO reports.

What the Summit Camera Recorded

The camera footage showed a sequence rather than a single flash. A compact bright point appeared first, then broadened into a glowing cloud. As the cloud expanded, it developed a rotating spiral pattern that drifted across the sky before dispersing.[The Guardian]theguardian.combizarre whirlpool hawaii spacex floridaThe GuardianBizarre 'whirlpool' appears in night sky above Hawaii | Space31 Jan 2023 — Researchers believe the strange phenomenon is link…

An important detail is that the spiral was not observed solely by one witness. It was captured by an automated astronomical camera operating continuously at the summit. Researchers were alerted to the phenomenon by viewers watching the observatory livestream, after which telescope staff reviewed the recordings.[AP News]apnews.comThe images, taken by a camera near the Subaru telescope, showed a white orb evolving into a spiral before fading away. This was noticed b…

Because the event was documented on video rather than relying entirely on human recollection, investigators could compare the timing and direction of the phenomenon with known aerospace activity. That made the case much easier to analyse than many historical UFO reports, where only eyewitness testimony is available.

How the Falcon 9 Flight Matched the Sighting

The strongest evidence against a UFO interpretation came from the timing and location of a SpaceX launch.

On 18 January 2023, a Falcon 9 rocket launched a US military GPS satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Analysts quickly noted that the expected position of the Falcon 9 upper stage after orbital operations corresponded closely with the location of the spiral seen from Hawaii.[phys.org]phys.orgCamera captures night sky spiral after Space X rocket launch18 by a camera at the summit of Mauna Kea outside the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's Subaru…Read more…

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, which operates the Subaru Telescope, stated that discussions among observers and spaceflight enthusiasts rapidly connected the sighting to satellite deployment operations associated with the SpaceX mission. The observatory subsequently described the spiral as being related to the launch.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

Independent reporting reached the same conclusion. News organisations covering the event noted that researchers believed the phenomenon was produced by the Falcon 9 second stage after completing its primary mission. The coincidence in timing was not vague or approximate; the rocket had launched only hours earlier, and the observed sky position matched where the upper stage was expected to be operating.[phys.org]phys.orgCamera captures night sky spiral after Space X rocket launch18 by a camera at the summit of Mauna Kea outside the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's Subaru…Read more…

Unlike many UFO cases, there is little competing evidence pointing to an alternative explanation.

Why Rocket Plumes Can Form Glowing Spirals

The explanation sounds strange until the physics are understood.

After delivering a payload, a rocket’s upper stage may vent excess propellant or perform manoeuvres before re-entering the atmosphere. If gas is released while the stage is rotating, the escaping material spreads outward in a corkscrew pattern. Sunlight can illuminate the expanding cloud even when observers on the ground are in darkness.[hawaiinewsnow.com]hawaiinewsnow.comOpen source on hawaiinewsnow.com.

Several factors combine to make the effect spectacular:

• High altitude: The gas is released far above the atmosphere where it can expand into a huge cloud.
• Rocket rotation: A spinning upper stage turns the expanding plume into a spiral.
• Sunlight illumination: The cloud remains sunlit long after sunset or before sunrise at ground level.
• Dark sky background: Against a dark sky, the illuminated plume appears exceptionally bright and well defined.[universetoday.com]universetoday.comaurora hunter todd salat captures a bizarre spiral made by a spacex fuel dumpaurora hunter todd salat captures a bizarre spiral made by a spacex fuel dump

The result can resemble a giant luminous whirlpool suspended in space. To someone unfamiliar with rocket operations, the shape looks highly artificial yet unlike any conventional aircraft.

Why the Explanation Is Considered Strong

Many UFO investigations end with uncertainty because there is not enough information to test competing explanations. The Maunakea spiral is different.

Several lines of evidence support the Falcon 9 interpretation:

• The event occurred shortly after a documented Falcon 9 launch.[Phys.org]phys.orgCamera captures night sky spiral after Space X rocket launch18 by a camera at the summit of Mauna Kea outside the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's Subaru…Read more…
• The spiral appeared in the part of the sky where the upper stage was expected to be located.[AP News]apnews.comThe images, taken by a camera near the Subaru telescope, showed a white orb evolving into a spiral before fading away. This was noticed b…
• The observed shape matches known fuel-venting spirals associated with spinning rocket stages.[hawaiinewsnow.com]hawaiinewsnow.comOpen source on hawaiinewsnow.com.
• Similar spirals have been observed elsewhere around the world following Falcon 9 missions.[space.com]space.comShimmering 'night spiral' captured above Hawaii is actuallyShimmering 'night spiral' captured above Hawaii is actually

The Subaru team also noted that their camera had captured a comparable spiral in April 2022, likewise associated with Falcon 9 activity. The recurrence of nearly identical events strengthens the case that the 2023 sighting was part of an identifiable pattern rather than a unique mystery.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

What the Incident Reveals About Hawaii UFO Reports

Witnesses were not imagining the object. The spiral existed, was recorded by professional equipment and looked extraordinary. Yet the best available evidence points to a human-made source rather than an unexplained craft.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

The incident also highlights a recurring feature of Hawaiian sightings: the islands’ clear skies allow observers to see distant aerospace events that would go unnoticed in many other places. Rocket exhaust, satellite operations and other high-altitude phenomena can remain visible for long periods and appear much closer than they really are. That combination of excellent visibility and limited distance cues helps explain why some of Hawaii’s most striking UFO reports later receive conventional explanations.

In the case of the Maunakea spiral, later investigation did not weaken the rocket explanation. Instead, the accumulating evidence—from observatory staff, spaceflight tracking and comparisons with similar events—made the SpaceX connection increasingly convincing. As a result, the spiral is generally regarded as a resolved case rather than an unresolved UFO mystery.[subarutelescope.org]subarutelescope.orgThe spiral seemsA Flying Spiral over Maunakea | Topics & Announcements1 Feb 2023 — In the early morning of January 18, 2023, Subaru-Asahi Star Camera cap…Published: January 18, 2023

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Further Reading

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The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry

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Browse more on Amazon:The UFO Experience: A Scientific InquiryRocket MenThe Right Stuff

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Endnotes

1. Source: subarutelescope.org
Title: The spiral seems
Link:https://subarutelescope.org/en/news/topics/2023/02/01/3225.html

Published: January 18, 2023

2. Source: phys.org
Title: Camera captures night sky spiral after Space X rocket launch
Link:https://phys.org/news/2023-01-camera-captures-night-sky-spiral.html

3. Source: hawaiinewsnow.com
Link:https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/01/24/flying-spiral-spotted-over-mauna-kea/

4. Source: space.com
Title: Shimmering ‘night spiral’ captured above Hawaii is actually
Link:https://www.space.com/night-spiral-over-hawaii

5. Source: videos.space.com
Title: eerie blue spiral in the sky over hawaii created by spacex rocket
Link:https://videos.space.com/m/9UiwL6Fy/eerie-blue-spiral-in-the-sky-over-hawaii-created-by-spacex-rocket

6. Source: apnews.com
Link:https://apnews.com/article/d0f19d48010a2ccc26ccba31387d47d5

7. Source: theguardian.com
Title: bizarre whirlpool hawaii spacex florida
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/31/bizarre-whirlpool-hawaii-spacex-florida

8. Source: universetoday.com
Title: aurora hunter todd salat captures a bizarre spiral made by a spacex fuel dump
Link:https://www.universetoday.com/articles/aurora-hunter-todd-salat-captures-a-bizarre-spiral-made-by-a-spacex-fuel-dump

9. Source: thetimes.co.uk
Link:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/space-x-sky-spiral-yorkshire-t2cpgdxn2

10. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/kanazawaenglishspeakers/posts/4053164338248930/

Additional References

11. Source: english.elpais.com
Title: camera captures night sky spiral after spacex rocket launch
Link:https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-01-27/camera-captures-night-sky-spiral-after-spacex-rocket-launch.html

12. Source: explorersweb.com
Title: strange blue whirlpool over hawaii
Link:https://explorersweb.com/strange-blue-whirlpool-over-hawaii/

13. Source: wgbh.org
Link:https://www.wgbh.org/news/national/2023-01-31/a-mysterious-flying-spiral-above-hawaiian-night-sky-likely-caused-by-spacex-launch

14. Source: youtube.com
Title: Mystery blue spiral over Hawaiian skies blamed on Space X debris
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3d6XN6PBgc

Published: January 18, 2023

15. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko8FhK_3tfM

Published: January 18, 2023

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: Mystery of flying spiral over Mauna Kea solved
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRsuhP9wvNw

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: “Mysterious” spiral appears in night sky over Hawaii
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jGBpIsRLR8

18. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacehipsters/posts/9716505598394236/

19. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/CheddarGadgets/videos/mysterious-blue-spiral-caught-flying-over-hawaii-sky/513364067453303/

20. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/trtworld/posts/a-camera-atop-hawaiis-tallest-mountain-has-captured-a-white-orb-swirling-through/570931268402452/