They say a night time launch is so spectacular that the rocket turns night into day. But night time launches went out of favor for a while because apparently there wasn't enough light for observers to see whether stuff was falling off the shuttle.
Well, they're back. The next launch target is March 11, 2008 2:28 a.m. EDT. Here's the mission information, and here's the Launch Blog.
Via Bad Asttronomy.
Night time launches are amazing. Having a brother who was a deputy director of NASA helped me into the VIP viewing area [3 miles from the pad] for a night launch in '96. You are able to track, with the naked eye the twinkle of the Shuttle even as it goes into orbit over Africa. All just about 8 minutes after it was sitting right in front of you. One of the most amazing, if not the most amazing things I've ever witnessed first hand.
Posted by: Wallace | March 08, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Wallace, you lucky dog!
Posted by: Geo | March 09, 2008 at 07:15 AM