JWFIV ADDED: "It looks to me already burning when the video begins."
Are you referring to a video that you shot or something you just saw/taped off a TV broadcast? If a TV broadcast, what station? Where is the station located?
JWFIV ADDED: "Then the burning becomes obvious and the shuttle begins to spin like a rifled bullet and then break apart 2-3 seconds later."
I could not get out to see it pass over head because I'm in the hospital with my sick daughter. I couldn't see much detail in the TV broadcast videos (limited to the area's local channels's own video coverage and one of the "Big 3" network channels). I couldn't/didn't see any spinning in the video I saw.
JWFIV ADDED: "The fireball we see before breakup might be 300 yards across, and there were heroes in its center."
Were you seeing/taping it through a telescope? Are you just imagining that the crew must have still been in their seats or are you saying you actually saw them in the middle of it all? If the latter, I assume you must have had a very high-powered telescope and it must have been very eerie to see. Actually, it was eerie no matter what you saw about it.
JWFIV ADDED: "It's a terrible terrible sight, my eyes and heart are in pain."
Just as I was with Challenger's fateful flight, I am stunned, wet-eyed and grief-stricken. I only hope that the heroes either made their peace with God before their journey or did so quickly if they were able to see their doom. The nation and world mourns for them and their families (all except Iraq, of course).
See http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=BJKKZDZVFUFBACRBAELCFEY?type=worldNews&storyID=2152926).
All my speculation, and it is purely the guessing of an an untrained eye, comes form just watching the video on FOXNews.
The spinning I thought I saw was my perception based upon the behavior of the smoke/vapor trail just before it start to break up.
Yes, I was just imagining the crew was in the center of the fireball, but not necessarily in their seats...I figure it disinegrated into small parts very quickly.
I woke up this morning hoping that yesterday was a bad dream, but I flick on the tube and the nightmare continues.
Thanks for asking me to be a little more clear in my speech, er, writing....and, I wish you and you daughter much good luck and wellness, and hope she gets to leave the hospital soon...)