Morning Launch

Nothing like a rocket launch in the early morning to inspire and wake you up.  The 4 Million Newtons of thrust and a weight of over 500 tons gives a nice blast of power to your morning that coffee never could.  I am talking about the Atlas V rocket that launched on September 2nd, carrying a US Navy communications satellite up into orbit. There is a lot happening in this medium exposure photo.  The rocket blasts off in a bright flash, then climbs into the atmosphere, where its exhaust plume becomes a noctilucent cloud, illuminated by the Sun that hasn’t...