                  APOD: 2018 January 13 - Launch and Landing

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                                2018 January 13
                                      [2]
                              Launch and Landing
                Image Credit & Copyright [3] : John Kraus [4]

Explanation: A composite of three consecutive exposures, this night skyscape
[5]  follows the January 7 launch and first stage landing of a Falcon 9 rocket
from a beach on planet Earth's space coast [6] . With the launch from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, the bright streak beginning farthest left traces
the initial phase of the rocket's flight. A visible upward hook marks the
first stage beginning its return trajectory with a "boostback burn" near the
top of the arc, while the second stage separates and continues toward orbit.
Above the top of the launch arc due to perspective, a bright streak shows the
returning first stage slowing and descending toward the Cape. Centered below,
the streak at the horizon is a 17 second burn finally slowing [7]  the first
stage to a successful vertical landing about 8 minutes after launch at Landing
Zone 1 [8] . During the scene's effective long exposure time, the background
stars leave short trails in the night sky of the rotating planet [9] .

              Tomorrow's picture: three galaxies and a comet [10]

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    Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff [22] (MTU [23] ) & Jerry Bonnell [24]
                                  (UMCP [25] )
          NASA Official:  Phillip Newman Specific rights apply [26] .
              NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices [27]
              A service of: ASD [28]  at NASA [29]  / GSFC [30]
                           & Michigan Tech. U. [31]
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Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1801/DSC_0022-Edit.jpg
  [3] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [4] http://www.johnkrausphotos.com/
  [5] http://www.johnkrausphotos.com/
  [6] https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84737
  [7] https://www.flickr.com/photos/130608600@N05/39585578201
  [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Zone_1
  [9] ap140130.html
  [10] ap180114.html
  [11] ap180112.html
  [12] archivepix.html
  [13] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [14] lib/aptree.html
  [15] http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  [16] calendar/allyears.html
  [17] /apod.rss
  [18] lib/edlinks.html
  [19] lib/about_apod.html
  [20] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=180113
  [21] ap180114.html
  [22] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [23] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [24] http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  [25] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [26] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [27] http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  [28] http://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [29] http://www.nasa.gov/
  [30] http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [31] http://www.mtu.edu/
