A strange cloud formed after a rocket launch and mystified those who saw it

Before dawn on September 2, an Atlas V rocket took off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The launch was a complete success, but it left behind a strange, colorful, and oddly-shaped plume hanging in the sky - a departure from the typical narrow, cylindrical cloud left behind by other rocket launches:

Keep scrolling to see some of the amazing photos taken by Florida residents, many of whom were taken aback by the sight.