[Launch Alert] Launch Provides Dusk Light Show

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT

			            Brian Webb
		        Ventura County, California
		        E-mail: kd6nrp at earthlink.net
	         Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info

				           2005 October 1 (Saturday) 19:09 PDT
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                           FROM THE EDITOR

This issue of Launch Alert may seem a bit incoherent or choppy because
a temporary vision problem is limiting my ability to use the computer.

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                   LAUNCH PROVIDES DUSK LIGHT SHOW

A Minotaur rocket lifted-off from California's Vandenberg AFB on
September 22 at 19:24:29 PDT. As expected the vehicle climbed into
sunlight during the boost phase, creating a fine visual display seen
over a large portion of the West.

I have received numerous sighting reports from persons who saw the
event. They observed from the following locations:

Arizona

Flagstaff, Litchfield Park, Pima/Pinal county line, Phoenix, Sierra
Vista, Surprise, Tucson, and Between Wiliams and the Grand Canyon.

California

Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Bishop, Calimesa, Coronado, Fallbrook, highway
138 at 280th going to Frazier Park, Fullerton, La Canada, La Habra
Heights, La Quinta, Mira Mesa, Morro Bay, Pasadena, Petaluma, Poway,
Ridgecrest, east of Sacramento, San Diego area, San Diego, San Pedro,
Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Peak, Simi Valley, Solvang, Table Mountain,
Tujunga, and Thousand Oaks.

Nevada

Las Vegas, Minden, Reno-Sparks

Utah

Northern Utah (this may be the most distant sighting)

I was in the mountains 7 miles north of Santa Barbara and 50 miles east
of the pad. I took several photos, but they are of reduced quality
because I was shooting through high clouds and the sky was a bit too
bright (lift-off occurred at sunset +29 minutes as seen from my
location). My results would have been much better had I stayed home in
Ventura County.

My home is an additional 50 miles further east and the sky would have
been darker and I probably would have had much less cloudcover.

Accordinng to the various e-mails I've received, photos and videos of
the launch are posted at the following locations:

http://eichler.dnsalias.org/media/video/Minotaur/launch-.mov

http://eichler.dnsalias.org/media/video/Minotaur/

http://home.comcast.net/~dwcrawford/Minotaur/index.html

http://members.cox.net/desertlavender/images/Minotaur_Vandenbergm.jpg

http://members.cox.net/desertlavender/images/Minotaur_Vandenberg2m.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/jaylawson/streak%20launch%20150.wmv

http://webpages.charter.net/jaylawson/Streak%20launch%20512.wmv

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbsurfing/45856527/in/set-1002069/

http://www.magicdave.com/private/browse/launch/

http://www.moonglow.net/ccd/pictures/rocket/index.html

http://www.orvsplace.net/gallery/minotaur_launch

http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/000478.html

http://www.siriuslookers.org

http://www.skyscapes.com/Gallery/Minotaur.htm

http://www.skywise711.com/astro/index.html

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Copyright © 2005 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
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