{"id":19886,"date":"2018-01-12T14:56:32","date_gmt":"2018-01-12T22:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stormbruiser.com\/chase\/?p=19886"},"modified":"2018-01-12T15:19:49","modified_gmt":"2018-01-12T23:19:49","slug":"january-12-2018-rocket-launch-at-kvbg-from-knsi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stormbruiser.com\/chase\/2018\/01\/12\/january-12-2018-rocket-launch-at-kvbg-from-knsi\/","title":{"rendered":"January 12, 2018 Rocket Launch, at KVBG, from KNSI"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"180112_7222_VBG-launch\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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A few weeks ago, a rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB caused quite the celestial spectacle from the Los Angeles area and even from the deserts of Arizona. \u00a0The launch was during twilight, and it was so visually impressive that it stopped traffic and was a major news story! \u00a0Unfortunately, I did not know about the launch beforehand, and I only saw the after-effects in the sky: \u00a0a crazy upper-atmosphere vapor trail. \u00a0That was cool, but I had missed the main event. \u00a0It would have been very easy for me to witness and photograph had I known about it, so I was a little bummed about the whole thing.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to yesterday: \u00a0another satellite\/rocket launch is scheduled from Vandenberg! \u00a0This time I am out on San Nicolas Island, with a great view towards the direction of Vandenberg. \u00a0The launchpad is about 120 miles northwest of the island. \u00a0I was outside for the 1 p.m. launch with my camera…nothing. \u00a0At 4 p.m. I learned that the launch had been postponed until 4:59 p.m. \u00a0Great! \u00a0This new launch time would be a little after sunset, and would be, or should be, much more impressive visually. \u00a0As I prepared to make the short walk up to my favorite high-point viewing spot, the launch was scrubbed. \u00a0The new launch time would be 1 p.m. the next day.<\/p>\n

Today I made my way to the unofficial San Nicolas Island rocket launch viewing site. \u00a0No one was there, which was nice. \u00a0(I am the only person I have ever seen there.) But I didn’t see anything happen towards Vandenberg. \u00a0I came back to the room and learned that there was now a new launch time: \u00a02:11 p.m, an hour later. \u00a0Again I headed up to the viewing site, arriving right at 2:11 p.m. \u00a0There was nothing to the northwest of interest. \u00a0There were quite a bit of cirrus clouds, and some fog and low clouds hugging the ocean waters at altitudes below mine. \u00a0But visibility was generally excellent. \u00a0I made sure that my camera and the 200mm lens were ready. \u00a0I saw some halfway interesting stratus clouds to the northeast and thought about taking a picture of that, but checked the view to the northwest again. \u00a0And there it was! \u00a0The rocket launch was in progress, and there was already a vapor trail extending perhaps 3-to-5 degrees into the sky. \u00a0I had missed the first few moments. \u00a0I took about a dozen photographs, most of them at 200mm. \u00a0It was very cool, but not exactly visually stunning like the evening launch in December. \u00a0In my first photograph or two, I can zoom-in and crop and barely make out a rocket-shaped object at the top of the fiery vapor trail. \u00a0Hey — not bad for 120 miles away, right?! \u00a0 My camera time stamp says that the first image below was taken at 2:12 p.m., and the last one was at 2:16 p.m.<\/p>\n

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