Southern California night owls might be treated to a view of a SpaceX rocket due to lift off early Friday from the coast near Santa Barbara
The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to launch just after midnight Thursday, but the launch was scrubbed and rescheduled for 12:30 a.m. Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base northwest of Santa Barbara. The rocket and its exhaust plume might be visible for hundreds of miles as it soars south along the coast, if skies are clear.
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"Observers in dark locations may be able to see the rocket's faint exhaust plume," the base said in a launch alert. "Rather than being illuminated by sunlight at high altitude, the plume will generate its own light."
Launches just after sunset and before sunrise usually provide the best views as the rocket reflects the sun's rays against the backdrop of a darkened sky.
Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Saturday at 12:08 a.m. PT
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The rocket will carry 21 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. The first stage booster, making its 15th flight, will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX has a Starlink constellation of satellites orbiting Earth about 340 miles up, shuttled into space by the company's rockets. The Starlink network is designed to deliver high-speed internet anywhere around the globe.
If light conditions are right, the satellites appear in a train as they parade across the night sky. The satellites are sometimes visible in the first few minutes after sundown and before sunrise when the sun is below the horizon, but the satellites are high enough to reflect direct sunlight.
Use the FindStarlink tracker to find the best upcoming viewing times.
