SpaceX Starlink sunset launch in 4K from Silicon Valley with small space jellyfish

The most spectacular launch is one at twilight, where it's dark where you are but the rocket ascends into the sunlight, which lights up the exhaust. The July 19 launch from Vandenberg was 50 minutes after sunset, so it got some of this effect. Here you can see what a launch looks like from Silicon Valley -- over 250 miles away.

See a wide-angle timelapse on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/btempleton/posts/pfbid0fCJFJAtmRKGCHDnNFAWnANkKM2jMzjczpweitnpRaXzyaacfV3vddMP1zyRCQYBjl

The full twilight launch is astounding and has been called the "Space Jellyfish." In 2018 we saw such a launch on a Falcon 9 Heavy which was going retrograde, ie. into the sun for maximum effect. Most launches go east -- into the dark -- as this one did. As such, the rocket had to climb to about 60 miles to hit the sun, which is after MECO and separation, unfortunately. What we did see was the nice illuminated exhaust of stage 2 gliding across the skies south of Cupertino, CA, next to Apple HQ. The prettiest scene begins around 2:45

A still photo of a superior jellyfish, also from Silicon Valley, can be seen at the end, at 4:40. This is a wide angle view, it's giant in the sky.

If you get a chance to see a twilight launch -- after sunset or before sunrise -- make the effort, even hundreds of miles away. For retrograde, sunset is best, for regular sunrise would be better -- or be to the east so you are in dark and the launch is not long after sunset. The timing has to be just right for maximum effect. Of course having a 2-booster F9 Heavy is also a big deal, as is a return landing on the pad.

If you have a 4K TV, watch this on that in 4K. Apologies for many stuck pixels in zoomed-in video.

0:00 SpaceX feed for actual launch
00:23 Rocket appears above coastal mountains
0:37 Close-up video added
1:10 MECO and separation
1:31 Rocket starts to enter the light
2:45 2nd stage plume now clearly sunlit
3:10 plume large in sky
4:20 plume starts to fade
4:40 Still photo of 2018 jellyfish

Видео SpaceX Starlink sunset launch in 4K from Silicon Valley with small space jellyfish канала BradTem Robocars +