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Did you see it? SpaceX launch visible over parts of NJ this morning

The launch took place around 5:30 a.m.

Toniann Antonelli

Apr 14, 2026, 8:16 AM

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If you were up early and had your eyes on the sky, you might have caught a rare sight in New Jersey—a SpaceX rocket launch.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 5:33 a.m., its northeast trajectory making it visible along the East Coast. By the time it reached the Garden State, it was likely in the "jellyfish phase," where sunlight illuminates the exhaust plume against a darker sky, creating a glowing, jellyfish-like effect.

Some News 12 viewers reported spotting the bright object shortly after launch and wondering what they saw. While not frequent, a few SpaceX launches are visible over New Jersey each year, depending on trajectory. The next is scheduled for this evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Videos courtesy Johnatha Arocho and Miguel Santos

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