You could be forgiven for thinking a rocket had been launched over Gingin yesterday, but the Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed the unusual cloud formation was part of a very common phenomenon.

The formation looked as if a missile had been fired, with the thin stream of cloud stretching up out of sight.

The object over Gingin which captured attention. Credit:Allen Newton

Residents posted photos and video to social media showing the cloud yesterday afternoon, and speculated on its origins.

Unfortunately, the formation's origins were not as exciting as proposed "unidentified flying objects".