NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Robin Stuart
Date: 2013 Sep 12, 15:57 -0700
On 6 September, 2013 on schedule at 23:27 EDT the LADEE mission was launched from Wallops Island, Virginia and its ascent was visible from the East Coast of the US. Details of the launch trajectory can be found at https://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurV/files/LADEE-Mission-Overview.pdf I took the attached photographs from an undisclosed location. The first is included just for the wow factor and shows Stage 2 burn out followed by Stage 3 ignition along with the trails of some stars in Sagittarius. The second photo shows Stage 3 burn out against the background stars and also the rocket plume that was barely visible to the naked eye. The relatively bright star above the trail end is Fomalhaut. Information from the link above indicates that Stage 3 burn out was to occur at T +207.62s, Latitude 37.41, Longitude -69.43, Altitude 161.99km. From measurements of the photograph the last point visible of the rocket’s trail appears close to R.A. 23h5m47.4s, Declination -31d46.1’ (J2000.0). Where was the photo taken from?
Robin Stuart
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