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Pelicans Steal the Spotlight as SpaceX Falcon 9 Lights Up the Sky — Photo of the Week

07:50 PM, 12/06/2025
Pelicans Steal the Spotlight as SpaceX Falcon 9 Lights Up the Sky — Photo of the Week

Photographer Malcolm Denemark of Florida Today captured pelicans perched on pilings as a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Starlink satellites on Dec. 2. The 5:18 p.m. liftoff coincided with dimming daylight, which made the rocket's flame stand out against the sky. The birds’ presence and the contrast in lighting transformed a routine Space Coast launch into this week’s evocative Photo of the Week.

Pelicans Take in a Falcon 9 Liftoff

What might have been a routine launch photo became something memorable when wildlife and perfect timing aligned. Malcolm Denemark, a senior photographer at Florida Today, captured a striking image of pelicans perched on pilings as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rose into the evening sky on Dec. 2.

The Falcon 9 was carrying a batch of Starlink satellites and lifted off at 5:18 p.m. As daylight dimmed, the rocket's flame grew brighter against the darkening sky, creating high contrast that helped the scene pop. The pelicans stayed put on the pilings just long enough to be framed in Denemark’s shot, turning an ordinary Space Coast liftoff into this week's Photo of the Week.

“It would have been a routine daylight SpaceX Starlink launch, a common sight on the Space Coast,” Denemark said. “But the light was getting dimmer for a 5:18 p.m. launch, darker than the rocket's flame, which added to the contrast. And the pelicans perched in the pilings stayed in place for the launch ... it made all the difference.”

Why it matters: The image captures the intersection of human technology and coastal wildlife, highlighting both the pace of launches from Brevard County — which has enjoyed a record-breaking year for liftoffs — and the everyday presence of nature along Florida’s Space Coast.

Photo Credit: Malcolm Denemark / Florida Today

This article originally appeared in Florida Today as “Pelicans get bird's-eye view of launch in Photo of the Week.”

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Pelicans Steal the Spotlight as SpaceX Falcon 9 Lights Up the Sky — Photo of the Week - CRBC News