NASA Black Brant XII / CARE Rocket Launch 9-19-2009

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NASA Black Brant XII / CARE Rocket Launch
From Wallops Island, Virginia September 19, 2009

For more info about the science mission, read:
http://wpdp.colorado.edu/Files/Presentations/BERNHARDT.pdf

For more info about the launch, go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/CARE.html

A video showing the actual rocket being launched is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqdPKbcKK8g

Videotaped from Eldersburg, Md. (approx. 130 miles NW of Wallops Island)

Launch and Cloud Dispersal videotaped using "Color Slow Shutter" mode (1/2 second binning), daylight color balance, manual focus set to infinity. Sony digital camcorder DCR-TRV22, processed with Windows Movie Maker.

The apparent "slow-motion" appearance at normal speed is an artifact of the slow-speed "shutter" of the low-light mode for this camcorder. Each frame is about a 1/3 to 1/2 second exposure, letting the CCD accumulate more photons so faint objects can be imaged.

The rocket launch (first scene) is shown at normal speed. Then the cloud (rocket exhaust) release is shown at 8X normal speed first, as it is easier to see how the cloud was generated and dispersed when sped up. This repeats 2 more times without subtitles; finally, the cloud release is shown at normal speed.

The object moving from left-to-right near the bottom, is just a passenger jet on approach to BWI airport, 20 miles to the SW.

Except for editing out the ~6 minutes between launch and dispersal, and speeding up playback of the dispersal (the first 3 playbacks), no processing (contrast, brightness, sharpening etc.) was done to the video.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NASA
• Wallops
• Island
• Black
• Brant
• XII
• CARE
• Mission
• Rocket
• Launch
• Missile
• Test
• UFO
• Noctilucent
• Cloud
• Lights
• Cone
• East
• Coast
• New
• Jersey
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania
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• Delaware
• Virginia
• Carolina
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• Connecticut
• Rhode
• Kentucky
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• Estes
• ufo

[831Gromit]

Hi I would like to know what is happening very fast in the bottom of the video, from left to right ... thanks!

if you could write me email: gromit831@hotmail.com

[HalfCockedMD]

@831Gromit as has already been mentioned, it's a jet on approach to BWI airport.

[sparktastic1]

Nice video.

I have an interest in low light CCD, so I can appreciate this video and it's contents.

[HalfCockedMD]

@sparktastic1 Thanks... I want to upgrade to a 1080 HD camcorder soon, any recommendations? Excellent low-light capability and the ability to record in extreme slow-motion (opposite ends of the spectrum, I know) are two extremely important considerations for me.

[LeeSiRois]

whats the other thing flying across the bottom while this is happening?

[HalfCockedMD]

Jet, on approach to BWI.

[MisterWilk]

Hello All! I'm a member of the science team who conducted this experiment. We're thrilled that you all got to see it and have really enjoyed reading your posts. Do a google search for the following to find a presentation from May 2009 describing the experiment in detail.

"CARE Charged Aerosol Release Experiment Program Update"

[Skyes9]

This is a common sight out in Southern California, especially during with the twilight conditions, they can make a launch trail visible for about 250+ miles .

[TheGoodnessIsGood]

@HalfCockedMD Canon 1080's are best in low light as far as I've found, and they make cameras with a 1080P option, which is a true 1080P frame for frame recording, unlike the sonys and others that use an interlaced recording technique then "fit" them back together at 1080P. They don't have the tricky features of other brands ,but stick to the basics, good lens, quality sensors, etc, hence ,best in low light.

[cargirl401]

my husband and i saw this! lolol i could have sworn up and down it was a ufo! lolol thanks for clearing it up for me! i had no clue what it was!

[12urmomma]

i saw this in connecticut on my front porch..freaked me out till i saw the news the next day..

[phishbeat]

I saw this too. I was near Keane, New Hampshire. We had no idea what it was.

[AllisonCourtComedy]

yo i saw that **** too!!!

[UkiKid555z]

i saw this