Did anyone here catch the Moon Probe launch last Friday night 9/6 at 11:30 PM? I did and it was more impressive than I thought it would have been! If I knew how much more I would of headed down to the south shore. Instead of a dot obscured by trees, from my driveway in Deer Park I caught it much higher and brighter in the sky than anticipated. It launched from the new pad at Wallops Island VA by Orbital, who hold the contract for re-supplying the ISS. Therefore we will be treated to more of these launch viewings. It appeared well above the roof tops and trees, and I clearly saw the flickering flame and smoke trail. It staged about 3/4 of the way across the sky, and then became a bright orange dot (third stage) before fading out. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minota...longexposures/ This Tuesday there will be a daytime launch visible (9/17/13 with the window being 11:16 - 11:31 a.m. EDT) of Orbital's first run to the ISS. This is a liquid fueled rocket (LOX and Kerosene) so it will not be as bright as the exhaust is CO2 and Water. (Friday's was a solid fueled like the Shuttle boosters - ex ICBM) But if the conditions are just right, you may see a contrail develop. Check out these taken from Brooklyn on the rockets first test flight in April (NOT my photos) http://www.flickr.com/photos/grink/8668981981/ Neat Stuff! So now when approached by people asking you "What are you taking pics of?" You can say "Why the rocket ships of course!" http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/Orb-D1/
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