Residents of Hawaii were left stunned when an unusual phenomenon appeared in the night sky above them. On Tuesday night, a mysterious spiral formation was spotted in the sky, creating an eerie whirlpool-like effect.

The strange sight was captured by a Japanese telescope and shared on social media, quickly gaining attention and sparking speculation.

The Guardian reported that the spiral was likely a rare phenomenon called a “gravity wave,” which is created when two air masses of different temperatures and densities collide.

CBS News reported that the phenomenon is “mysterious” and that it is not yet known what caused it.

The New York Post reported that the spiral was seen among the stars and that it was moving.

PEOPLE reported that the Japanese telescope captured an image of the spiral flying over Hawaii and shared a video of the eerie sight.

The bizarre whirlpool in the sky above Hawaii is still unexplained and has yet to be fully understood. For more information on this story, view the full coverage on USNN.