Astronomy Picture of the Day 9-26-02

NASA ^ | 9-26-02 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2002 September 26

Rocket Trail at Sunset
Credit: James W. Young ( TMO, JPL, NASA) Used With Permission

Explanation: Bright light from a setting Sun and pale glow from a rising Moon both contribute to this stunning picture of a rocket exhaust trail twisting and drifting in the evening sky. Looking west, the digital telephoto view was recorded from Table Mountain Observatory near Wrightwood California, USA on September 19, four days before the autumnal equinox. The rocket, a Minuteman III solid fuel missile, was far down range when image was taken. Launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base it carried its test payload thousand of miles out over the Pacific Ocean. The red/orange color from the setting Sun dramatically intensifies near the top of the rocket trail, but below the sunset line, the very bottom of the trail is faintly illuminated from the east by a nearly full Moon. Still in full sunlight, the bright diffuse cloud at the top of the trail, the result of a rocket stage separation, is tinged with rainbows likely produced by high altitude ice crystals forming in the exhaust plume. Astronomer James Young comments that the cloud takes on the appearance of a white dove flying from right to left across the sky.

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Fun Fact:

This unarmed practice missile's trajectory was to take it 4200 miles in 30 minutes to strike a location in the Marshall Islands. USAF "Deterrence 'R' Us" ICBM.

I grew up in SoCal and remember many such launches. One time I even watched one through my telescope.

It really does look like a dove flying from right to left!

[petuniasevan]

[MeekOneGOP]

Very nice !

[BossyRoofer]

It is a beautiful picture, but this dove tells of many nations unable to give peace a chance! Good job APOD.

[RightWhale]

The contral shows graphically how the air of the upper atmosphere moves. It has large scale turbulence, and also lacks the coherence seen with ordinary jet contrails in the lower atmosphere.

[firewalk]

Thank you (-:

[Golden Gate]

Rocket Trail at Sunset

Check out this Photo!