[AZ-Observing] Re: Launch

Saw it with the group from Flatiron. Even more spectacular than the Eagle Eye 
launch last Summer. Caught it right when it blasted off at 7:17pm. The thick 
trail from the horizon blossomed into a beautiful giant white cobrahead. The 
second stage rose to over 30 degrees and fanned back like a pearl-colored comet 
for several minutes and then faded away. It may have been shot down or it 
self-destructed, but the serpentine exhaust clouds stayed suspended for almost 
an hour, lit from below and showed green, yellow, orange, and red drifting 
layers in the top and a long white crescent-shaped cloud extending above that.

Jack


>I just saw the launch at approx. 7:20pm MST. I'd stepped outside to see if
>Ikeya-Zhang would be visible through the darkening twilight and saw this
>beacon rising above Venus. It was surrounded by a diamond-shaped glow. My
>first thought was rocket launch from Vandenberg, so glad to see Jack's
>confirmation. Didn't see it get shot down, though.

I saw it too and tried to get a shot with my Nikon Coolpix 800. I had to
hold it and it jiggled. It would have been a great shot, the moon, west
phoenix, Venus and the rocket trail. Even so, it was an awesome sight.

Jeff

                          Jeff Hopkins
                            HPO SOFT

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