Rare fletch1027 Posted February 5, 2020 #1 Share Posted February 5, 2020 We are sailing this Sunday from PC on Harmony. I noticed that there is a rocket launch of a ULA Atlas V rocket at 11pm EST that same night. Curious if it will be visible from the ship (assuming a clear night) with Harmony being around 6 hours out of port heading south by then. My assumption is that it may be a bright light on the horizon assuming the ship is 150 miles from PC by then if cruising at around 20 knots (about the same distance as PC to Ft. Lauderdale)... https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar/2020/february/rocket-launch-ula-atlas-v-solar-orbiter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BunnyHutt Posted February 5, 2020 #2 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Someone can absolutely tell me I’m wrong, but I’m going to say doubtful. My husband watched a launch several years ago from a home on Merritt Island (less than 10 mi, directly across the lagoon) and I was shocked at how small it looked. He had driven over from MCO because he knew he wouldn’t be able to see it from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamKat Posted February 5, 2020 #3 Share Posted February 5, 2020 On January 6th we were able to watch the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Mariner of the Seas. We had a large crowd at the back of the ship, did a count down and all cheered. It was very neat to watch. Even got some great shots. So it is possible if the conditions are right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteLady Posted February 5, 2020 #4 Share Posted February 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, IamKat said: On January 6th we were able to watch the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Mariner of the Seas. We had a large crowd at the back of the ship, did a count down and all cheered. It was very neat to watch. Even got some great shots. So it is possible if the conditions are right. OP will be about 6 HOURS away from PC at the time of the launch.....so this is doubtful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robtulipe Posted February 5, 2020 #5 Share Posted February 5, 2020 4 minutes ago, IamKat said: On January 6th we were able to watch the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Mariner of the Seas. We had a large crowd at the back of the ship, did a count down and all cheered. It was very neat to watch. Even got some great shots. So it is possible if the conditions are right. What time was that launch and did mariner sail at it's regular time of 4pm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly361 Posted February 5, 2020 #6 Share Posted February 5, 2020 You will be too far out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Btank Posted February 5, 2020 #7 Share Posted February 5, 2020 I'm going to go against the grain here and give you a qualified "maybe". How's that sound for commitment? 🙄 While I haven't been able to find the launch profile online, I'm assuming that the Solar Orbiter launch will be at a lower inclination - in other words, it won't be "tipped up" towards the north pole as much. If this is the case, you *might* see the end of the stage one burn and separation above the northern horizon - but not by much. Can't really say for sure without doing the math, which can't be done without knowing the launch parameters and the ship's position at the time of launch. Good luck! --bruce T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1815 Posted February 5, 2020 #8 Share Posted February 5, 2020 I could see them from Orlando when I worked there (about 60 miles away). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted February 6, 2020 #9 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Totally depends on weather, and flight path. I've seen a launch from south Florida headed back to the cape. But, the odds it doesn't get moved again are pretty steep in my opinion. But, when you see one close, it's spectacular 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl_native Posted February 6, 2020 #10 Share Posted February 6, 2020 We used to see them when I lived down in West Palm, and a night launch would be even more visible. I think there's a possibility depending on the angle of the launch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlowBroTy Posted February 6, 2020 #11 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I can see a falcon 9 take off from my home near Mount Dora FL. That is about a hour and a half drive to the cape. As the other poster said it all depends on the weather and path of the rocket. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted February 6, 2020 #12 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Latest info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare orville99 Posted February 6, 2020 #13 Share Posted February 6, 2020 1 hour ago, John&LaLa said: Latest info We're hoping for a delay in the SpaceX launch that's scheduled for the 15th. If they scrub on Saturday and re-schedule for Sunday, we'll be back in port on Harmony on the 16th in time to watch it from the port. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Btank Posted February 6, 2020 #14 Share Posted February 6, 2020 17 hours ago, fl_native said: We used to see them when I lived down in West Palm, and a night launch would be even more visible. I think there's a possibility depending on the angle of the launch. Yep. We used to watch daytime shuttle launches from the roof of the old IBM building in Boca Raton, and I watched night launches from the beach just south of there. --bruce T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph2017China Posted February 6, 2020 #15 Share Posted February 6, 2020 You know the ship is only traveling 20 - 25 mph at most so 6 hours is only 150 miles. So depending on the weather (clear skies) you certainly might be able to see the launch. I have seen many from central Florida (north). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalt_ro Posted February 8, 2020 #16 Share Posted February 8, 2020 i was able to see a early morning space x launch from around coco cay. so definitely possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingos Posted February 8, 2020 #17 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted February 8, 2020 #18 Share Posted February 8, 2020 25 minutes ago, flamingos said: Just saw that myself, cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutzig Posted February 8, 2020 #19 Share Posted February 8, 2020 We will be on the Harmony leaving on March 1st, and were wondering about the early am March 2 launch. @John&LaLa May I ask what kind of camera that was? Debating on a new compact or bridge camera, or a new iPhone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted February 8, 2020 #20 Share Posted February 8, 2020 1 hour ago, tutzig said: We will be on the Harmony leaving on March 1st, and were wondering about the early am March 2 launch. @John&LaLa May I ask what kind of camera that was? Debating on a new compact or bridge camera, or a new iPhone Canon D80 with an image stabilized 70-300 zoom. 10+ miles south of launch pad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutzig Posted February 8, 2020 #21 Share Posted February 8, 2020 7 minutes ago, John&LaLa said: Canon D80 with an image stabilized 70-300 zoom. 10+ miles south of launch pad Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingos Posted February 8, 2020 #22 Share Posted February 8, 2020 2 hours ago, Heymarco said: Cruising back to Port Canaveral on the Mariner several years ago, the captain encouraged everyone to go on deck and see a day launch of the space shuttle. The shuttle successfully lunched that day but to everyone’s surprise no one from the ship could see it. It was a really clear sunny day too. Bright sunny days, depending on your angle, make it impossible to see. It's a little bright flame against a bright sun. More often you'll just see the vapor trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted February 10, 2020 #23 Share Posted February 10, 2020 (edited) It looked like this. And kind of like this 😉 But nothing like this Trajectory was definitely southeast Edited February 10, 2020 by John&LaLa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare perfect match Posted February 10, 2020 #24 Share Posted February 10, 2020 We are 90 minutes northwest of the launch 🚀 area. Didn’t even try to get pictures of the small red 🚀 spot I was able to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paross4 Posted February 10, 2020 #25 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Onboard Harmony. Last night a group of a hundred or more were on the aft pool deck watching for the launch. Just after 23:00 we saw it through broken cloud cover to the northwest. It appeared as a smallish orange ball to the naked eye. Crossed over us off the port bow on a southeastern track. (Or so it appeared). Pretty neat. Big cheer and applause from those watching. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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