Astronomy Picture of the Day

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

                                2020 March 12

                             Falcon 9 Boostback
                    Image Credit & Copyright: John Kraus

   Explanation: Short star trails appear in this single 84 second long
   exposure, taken on March 6 from a rotating planet. The remarkable scene
   also captures the flight of a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo
   spacecraft over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station shortly after launch,
   on a resupply mission bound for the International Space Station.
   Beginning its return to a landing zone about 9 kilometers from the
   launch site, the Falcon 9 first stage boostback burn arcs toward the
   top of the frame. The second stage continues toward low Earth orbit
   though, its own fiery arc traced below the first stage boostback burn
   from the camera's perspective, along with expanding exhaust plumes from
   the two stages. This Dragon spacecraft was a veteran of two previous
   resupply missions. Successfully returning to the landing zone, this
   Falcon 9 first stage had flown before too. Its second landing marked
   the 50th landing of a SpaceX orbital class rocket booster.

                 Tomorrow's picture: an awesome starry night
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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