Rocket Launch!!!!

I took my brother and brother-in-law this past weekend to watch a rocket launch put on by Rocketry Carolina in Midland, NC. It was a perfect day with cool temps and mild winds. This was the first "officially sanctioned" rocket launch I had ever been to. Oh, I had built and launched small rockets before but this event took things to a whole new level for me.

It's really amazing to see how the hobby has progressed. I'll admit I'm hooked......

A Physics Professor with one of his students happy after a successful flight of a scratch built rocket.

Assortment of re-loadable rocket motor casings

Some big boys! The orange rocket is the one in the video below. Amazing!


Yep, it's a V2 rocket

Close-up of the ignition system


These fellows tried several times to get this complex multiple engine rocket off the ground. No go. Maybe next time?

Leonid Meteors from top of Black Balsam Knob

Went to Pisgah National Forest and camped on top of Black Balsam Knob to watch the Leonid Meteor showers. I was not disappointed! This is the perfect location to stargaze with a 360 degree view at 6200 feet of elevation. Saw a dozen long tail meteors and whole bunch of smaller ones. It was chilly with a constant wind but felt good to be back inside a tent!