Hi folks: Wrote this on Jan 20... and since I did not see any people posting on their observation.. I posted mine here... . No See due to clouds. ".....Not sure how many of you are aware of NH successful launch this morning ( Jan 20).... Well normally we dont have much chance of seeing a rocket over our sky. So when Tony from Australia alerted me to NH..- I was excited and wanted to video the passage of rocket illuminated with a flaming tail..... The first launch date, I have to asked for prediction for Singapore and the launch was delayed due to bad weather (WX)... then the following day it was delayed again due to a power failure in control room ... and the 3rd time ( this morning).. ... read on. NH( New Horizons rocket to pluto) - 3rd try - launch 18:06; 1) 15:15 UT ( 11:15pm) - NASA released the trajectory of the 3rd burn. Singapore was included in the drop-down box of viewing locations. Using loose-sheet of SkyAtlas 2000.00 - I started to re-tag the positions. ( Not too different from first launch prediction). The rocket will move quickly through Southern Cross at elevation 21 degree and up. The sky was still cloudy. Will this improve towards early am? I also check my video setup.. cables checked..... Sony Video Walkman tested.... Gone to bed but leave the Broadband on... 2) 18:15 UT ( 2:15am) - Alarm Clock Rang. Jumped out of bed and peeped outside the window - sky was still cloudy. 3) 18:40 UT - Checked out Nasa web page - and watching count down - this process 'restarted' at least twice due to 'WX or weather violation' pushing the launch twice to 19:00. 4) 19:00 UT - This time it went through all the tests smoothy - not more last minute 'violations' messages... it was 'exciting' to watch the count down T-10, T-9, T-8......T-0 - 'engine fire'... and lift off! .... finally after the first two days delayed.. I felt the goose pimple all over me... 5) 19:10 UT - quick check on updated trajectory... glanced at a couple of Alt/Azm coordinates...and verified with skymap on my Palm T3... well not much change. Sky still lousy... no chance to see anything...so did not bother to re-plot the 19:19Z positions. 6) 19:35 UT - sky did not improved at all - given up hope.. and gone back to sleep leaving one video system watching the cloudy sky. Returning to bed, wife stirred and murmured - 'did you watch the Rocket' ... 'No, too cloudy' but its on its way ..'. 7) 19:51 UT - In bed ... I heard my wrist watch alarm went off and 'imagined' that the rocket was sailing quietly pass the Southern Cross...and headed SE - and out of reach from my south- facing window..... .." So fellow skywatchers from Down Under or Indian Ocean what did you see? Rgds ykchia www.ykchia.com <http://www.ykchia.com> +8 UT, Singapore ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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