sts 128..here we go again........maybe !!!!

To Inifinity and Beyond!!!!

Now that was pretty cool!!
Worth getting up at 5am for anyway!!

For some reason it never even dawned on me that it might not be going 'straight up', it went sideways!

either that or they are going to wrong way!

Graham

Hi observed the shuttle and fuel tank at 05-21 hrs from killead co.antrim,took these 2 images,





jonathan.

I saw half of the flyover. I missed a good portion of it because a bloody drunk chose that moment to walk past the house and shout "Oi!! What are you lads doing in that garden!!??" which then got the dogs barking!! Twas in Taurus before I got him and the dogs to shut up and spotted it.

Any other 2 minute time period tonight would have been fine. No he picks exactly the 2 minute window when the shuttle flys over!!

I was out tweaking the scope for a few hours last night, hopeful that the clouds would stay away. Sure enough, they rolled in at about 1.30. but as I was putting everything away, it cleared up again (typical). Anyhow, got a few hours sleep and got up to watch the launch on NASA TV. Having seen it so many times now, it still rasies the hair on the back of your neck...

Then we headed outside. The sky was brightening, some high hazy clouds about but as close to perfect as required. Saw Venus and Mars in the East and Orion was on the rise to the SE.

The shuttle and following tank just "appeared" out to the SW and bombed along. They weren't as bright as the last launch - presumably because of the brighter sky - but it was just as awesome. The pair thundered through Orion (as noted by Brian!) and headed off into the distance and behind the only bit of low cloud in the sky.

Jonathan's images capture the scene perfectly.

Dave

Nice one guys on seeing it.
I set my clock for 4.58, watched the launch, looked outside, blanket cloud !!
Darn, typical.
On the upside, earlier in the night Frank found a nice new observing site, the main advantage over the Dolmen site is that its sheltered from any wind.

Jeez Louise.
So most of ye in the East saw it!
Fair play!!

It's an awesome sight and I was gutted to have missed it.