Saturday morning at 4:55 AM

[blueash]

Get up, look east
If the skies are clear you will see the flame of the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9, the first private commercial space craft which is being sent to the International Space Station

Should it be cloudy and for further updates and viewing, it can be watched online at
NASA - SpaceX Dragon Demonstration Flight Coverage on NASA Television (all times Eastern) (http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/cargo/cots_tv_schedule.html)

And then we also have a partial solar eclipse on Sunday. Big weekend for space and astronomy fans. Do NOT look directly at the sun or use regular sunglasses.

[KathieI]

thank you, Blueash.... I will definitely set my alarm clock. I love astronomy and watching spaceships launch. So much fun. Appreciate your posting this information. Shucks, if I had known in advance, I would have stayed out until 4:30 AM !!! :pepper2:

[BostonCelt]

Last second 72 hour postponement to Tuesday AM.... (Explanation Briefing scheduled for 6:30AM Saturday)

" 'LAUNCH!!'??? I thought you said 'LUNCH!'!!".......

[BritParrothead]

Sadly it did not happen :( I was watching here in U.K.

[asianthree]

everytime we come a launch is delayed, then we leave and off it goes someone it trying to tell us something:shrug:

[RichieB]

Last second 72 hour postponement to Tuesday AM.... (Explanation Briefing scheduled for 6:30AM Saturday)

" 'LAUNCH!!'??? I thought you said 'LUNCH!'!!".......

WOW ! A last second scratch indeed !

Lunch ?? I haven't had breakfast yet !! :mornincoffee: :)

[BostonCelt]

WOW ! A last second scratch indeed !....

The very last split second. In fact, the guy doing the final countdown even announced "Liftoff", a wee bit of over-anticipation there. But the computers, just doing their programmed thing, saw something in the parameters they didn't like and literally pulled the plug......

I never even got to check the sky but I think it was crystal here. Twould have been beautiful, I bet.

[RichieB]

The very last split second. In fact, the guy doing the final countdown even announced "Liftoff", a wee bit of over-anticipation there.

Yeah, he really got "faked out."

Happens sometimes.......

[njbchbum]

too bad about the launch - hope lunch goes off without a hiitch! ;)

re the eclipse - thought it was just gonna be visible on the west coast and not here on the east coast. now i gotta go check somewhere!

[RichieB]

re the eclipse - thought it was just gonna be visible on the west coast and not here on the east coast. now i gotta go check somewhere!

You have it basically correct. It will be a total eclipse for the west coast, and partial for the east coast.

[njbchbum]

You have it basically correct. It will be a total eclipse for the west coast, and partial for the east coast.

thanx - could not find that anywhere i checked!

[RichieB]

thanx - could not find that anywhere i checked!

try google - may 2012 solar eclipse

[Ooper]

You have it basically correct. It will be a total eclipse for the west coast, and partial for the east coast.

Not true... no total solar eclipse anywhere. The moon is too far away for a total this time. This is an annular eclipse, meaning it will have a ring around it. Can't see it here in TV because it will have already set below the horizon.

[looneycat]

Get up, look east
If the skies are clear you will see the flame of the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9, the first private commercial space craft which is being sent to the International Space Station

Should it be cloudy and for further updates and viewing, it can be watched online at
NASA - SpaceX Dragon Demonstration Flight Coverage on NASA Television (all times Eastern) (http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/cargo/cots_tv_schedule.html)

And then we also have a partial solar eclipse on Sunday. Big weekend for space and astronomy fans. Do NOT look directly at the sun or use regular sunglasses.

blueash, is your interest professional,hobbyist or just general excitement for launches? I ask since for me rockets are a hobby here's an example of the type I'm talking about
http://youtu.be/tjNhXGl8elM

[blueash]

No professional interest, just a fan since JFK and the Mercury program. I even named my dog Wally for Walter Schirra in the mid-60's. Still get an adrenalin rash watching a launch. Like all kids at the time, I wanted to be an astronaut and was sure by this time that we would have commercial flights to the moon.

[asianthree]

No professional interest, just a fan since JFK and the Mercury program. I even named my dog Wally for Walter Schirra in the mid-60's. Still get an adrenalin rash watching a launch. Like all kids at the time, I wanted to be an astronaut and was sure by this time that we would have commercial flights to the moon.

Problem is you can't take your golf cart so might as well stay here :1rotfl: