Researchers got a stunning show in the waters about 300 miles off Baja California — a rare species of jellyfish that looks like a deep-sea firework.
The Halitrephes maasi jelly came into view almost a mile below the surface, according to NautilusLive.org, where the research vessel Nautilus streams footage of their exploration at sea.
The jellyfish’s frilled tentacles and the radial canals that move nutrients through the jelly’s bell reflect light, causing it to look like a firework bursting under the water.
But the jellyfish doesn’t always appear so festive, according to researchers. Without the lights of the remotely operated vehicle observing it, the Halitrephes Jelly usually drifts unseen in dark waters.