SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch

What an awesome experience - the pictures don't even say it all. First, we learned of the launch and made last minute plans to visit the Kennedy Space Center the day of the launch. Because it was last minute, the "close" 3 mile observation was already full. We ended up at the Saturn V Center 6.3 miles away. Even at this distance the sound and feel of the launch was incredible!

Here are the details of the pictures:

Taken at 6.3 miles away to the launch site (I have no idea the distance it was before the Falcon 9 went behind the clouds).

Settings: ISO 200, 1/800, f/9, 400mm lens

At a distance of 6.3 miles, using 400mm lens, heat wave distortions due to refraction in the atmosphere are obvious at ground level, and the phenomenon fluctuated with sun and cloud cover. Once in sky, well above ground, this phenomenon stopped.

From launch to the time the Falcon 9 went behind the clouds was 120 seconds. I fired off about the same amount of frames.

See more pictures here: http://tonycarlson.zenfolio.com/p761171287

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