Photo of the Week: 'Gas, Gas, Gas' — Stunning Plume After Falcon 9 Booster Separation

Photo of the Week: A vivid plume lights the Space Coast sky

Liftoff after liftoff, launch days along Florida's Space Coast continue to deliver fresh and striking moments — and FLORIDA TODAY photographer Craig Bailey captured one of the more unusual sights after the Nov. 2 SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

In this artsy, high-impact image, exhaust gases released when the Falcon 9 booster separated from the second stage formed a delicate, ribbon-like pattern that was illuminated and made visible by the day's atmospheric conditions. The effect is not always present or visible, which is why this frame stands out among the many launch photos Bailey has taken over several decades.

"That's just a frame from what happens sometimes if the atmospheric conditions are correct, when the booster separates from the second stage of a Falcon 9," Bailey said. "It's generally very pretty, but not always visible."

Borrowing a line from the Rolling Stones, Bailey joked, 'in fact, it's a gas.' More precisely, the image shows exhaust gases expanding and catching sunlight at altitude, producing a transient plume pattern that can look surprisingly artistic through a camera lens.

Why this photo is special

• The pattern is produced by exhaust gases during booster separation, not by flames or debris.
• Visibility depends on atmospheric clarity and the angle of sunlight — conditions that don't always align.
• Bailey's experience and timing produced a crisp, well-composed shot that outshines typical smartphone photos of launches.

This striking image originally ran on FLORIDA TODAY. Photographer: Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY.