America has been a leader in space since Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and I was still wearing diapers. A teacher rolled a TV into our classroom letting us all view the landing of the first Space Shuttle mission and, later, Challenger's journey tragically ended on my birthday as I sat stunned in front of my TV.
Not since an Apollo mission have I witnessed a launch, and I have rather vague memories of that -- I was four at the time. However, tonight I can, and so can you if you reside on the east coast.
At 11:27pm EDT LADEE blasts off from Virginia on its way to reconnect man and moon. The time is drawing near and skies along the eastern seaboard are relatively clear. You will need a proper viewing spot, preferably dark skies and a look that can angle fairly low on the horizon. If you meet the criteria then you should be in for quite a show.
Folks from South Carolina to Maine and even our friends up north have this opportunity to witness a bit of NASA history. For precise instructions and maps you can head over to Universe Today to get the full info. Now, I must leave you -- the countdown is on.
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