Kepler Launch

"The Delta II rocket carrying the Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft lifted off on time at 10:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spectacular nighttime launch followed a smooth countdown free of technical issues or weather concerns.Kepler's mission: to peer closely at a patch of space for at least three-and-a-half years, looking for rocky planets similar our own. The spacecraft will target an area rich with stars like our sun, watching for a slight dimming in the starlight as planets slip through the space between."Kepler is a critical component in NASA's broader efforts to ultimately find and study planets where Earth-like conditions may be present," said Jon Morse, the Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The planetary census Kepler takes will be very important for understanding the frequency of Earth-size planets in our galaxy and planning future missions that directly detect and characterize such worlds around nearby stars."

Isaac and I were able to watch the Kepler Rocket launch from the beach right out front of the hotel. We were just a few miles from the Space Center so we could see the launch pad from the beach. They had the launch pad lights turned on so it was really pretty. The rocket rumbled as it flew by and lit up the sky. It was pretty amazing. The six boosters dropped off and continued to light up until they hit the ocean. And, we watched the rocket until it was no longer visible. Here are my pictures... Not quite as good as this one at the top cause I didn't take that one.... ha ha!!