[AZ-Observing] Vandenberg Titan IV launch visible tomorrow / Minotaur launch photos posted

Apologies if someone else has posted about this today, but I only receive 
the digest version of the messages.
A Titan IV-B launch of a NRO spy satellite is scheduled for launch from 
Vandenberg at 11:04 AM MST tomorrow.  Weather permitting (at both ends) 
this should be visible from all of Arizona and for that matter over a wide 
area of the southwest U.S.  This will not likely be as spectacular as the 
Minotaur rocket launch was last month, but from probably 1-2 minutes after 
launch until the engines stop firing the rocket should be visible.  This 
is an historic launch, as this is the very last of the Titan series of 
some 500 launches (including all of the manned Gemini missions), and the 
last of the largest remaining rocket in the U.S. inventory. 

Copied below is an announcement on this launch.  See particularly the link 
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/b26/status.html to check on the status 
of the launch. 

Also note that - better late than never - my images of the September 22 
Minotaur launch have been posted now on the USGS web site here.  See the 
top item on the Astrogeology photo gallery page at 
http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Gallery/PhotoGalleries/ . 

- Brent 

= = = = = = = = = = 


                           LAUNCH ALERT

                                                             Brian Webb
                                         Ventura County, California
                                         E-mail: kd6nrp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                        Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info

   2005 October 18 (Tuesday) 05:51 PDT
----------------------------------------------------------------------

                        WEDNESDAY LAUNCH

The launch of a Titan IV rocket from Vandenberg AFB appears to be on
schedule for Wednesday. As of Monday, the probability that the weather
would be within acceptable limits at launch time was 60%.

Although this is a daytime launch, it could potentially be visible for
over a wide area.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                         COUNTDOWN STATUS

The best source of countdown status for the Titan IV launch
is the Spaceflight Now web site. Space journalist Justin Ray is now
providing current countdown status on a web page devoted to this
event. Point your browser to:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/b26/status.html

On launch day, this page will be updated frequently beginning at about
T-1 hour. Be sure to regularly hit the refresh button on your browser
to see the latest information. 

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