FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Titan IV Launch from VAFB

[Jeff Hopkins <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I watched with binoculars from 11 to 11:30 and saw nothing. I thought 
I would at least see something when the rocket got higher. No sign of 
anything. There is a haze over Phoenix, but I thought something would 
be seen above the haze. Guess not.

The dusk launch was certainly spectacular. I hope there will be more of those.

Jeff

At 11:47 -0700 10/19/05, Neville Cole wrote:
>Chris,
>
>If you didn't see much from Carlsbad, that would explain why I didn't see
>anything at all from Phoenix!  Not like the dusk launch from a few weeks
>ago, which was very cool.
>
>Neville
>
>----Original Message Follows----
>From: Christopher Watson <skygx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: AZ-Observing <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [AZ-Observing] Titan IV Launch from VAFB
>Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 11:22:58 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
>
>From a high bluff in Carlsbad, CA, with unobstructed NW view of the coast, I
>watched the launch of the last of the Titan IV vehicles from Vandeberg AFB
>this morning.  The first evidence of a exhaust plume was seen at 11:04:55,
>as it climbed above the light cloud bank hugging the coast.  Nothing but
>grey-white smoke against a light blue sky.  I saw the trail quickly
>extending toward the WSW, with no hint of any flame point.  At about
>11:06:25 I saw a burst of yellow-orange light at the tip of the exhaust
>trail which lasted about 3 seconds.  Probably a stage burnout and
>separation.  After that, no further flame detections, and the trail quickly
>became too difficult to detect against the bright sky.  After about 11:08,
>there was no telling a rocket had launched.  This was my first day launch
>observation.  All my others have been duck or night launches.  I'd have to
>say that the presence of the Sun creates a very underwhelming experience.
>
>Christopher Watson
>Carlsbad, CA

-- 
Jeff Hopkins
HPO SOFT
http://www.hposoft.com/Astro/astro.html
Hopkins Phoenix Observatory
7812 West Clayton Drive
  Phoenix, Arizona 85033-2439 U.S.A.
www.hposoft.com
--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please 
send personal replies to the author, not the list.