Postponed rocket launch may be visible over Seacoast Monday night

MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE: The launch was postponed until Tuesday night again due to upper level winds not being within the required limits for a safe launch, according to NASA. They will try again at 8:05 p.m. The chance to see the rocket is better on Tuesday as skies are expected to be partly cloudy at launch time.

Thought you missed the launch of the Black Brant XII rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia? You've still got a chance on Monday night after its liftoff on Saturday was postponed.

The launch on Sunday night was postponed because of "upper level winds not being within the required limits for a safe launch," according to a message on the NASA Wallops Twitter account from NASA. The new scheduled launch is Monday around 8 p.m.

The best place to view the launch will be right along the immediate coast, according to meteorologist Hunter Tubbs with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

"We are expecting less in the way of clouds. We're expecting 40-50% cloud cover on average for the Seacoast area. It looks like clouds will increase later in the night," Tubbs told Seacoast Current. "The highest likelihood to be able to see it in terms of clear skies would be right along the coast."

The further away from the coast the less chance you'll have to see the launch, according to Tubbs.

"We are expecting more in the way of cloud cover further to the west and to the north. Shower are going to move through later on tonight and they're going to be coming in from the west," Tubbs said.

What rocket is being launched?

A four-stage Black Brant XII rocket is scheduled to be launched at 8:04 p.m., just after sunset, with a launch window of 40 minutes. The launch was originally scheduled for Friday but was scrubbed due to weather.

Where can I see the rocket?

It could be visible over much of the eastern United States.

What you'll see will be the release of barium vapor 9 or 10 minutes into the launch forming two green-violet clouds that may be visible for about 30-60 seconds in northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire including the immediate Seacoast and 60 to 90 seconds in southern Maine.

Rocket emissions cause weird colors

Immediately after the vapor is released, spherical clouds will form which are a mixture of green and violet and last about 30 seconds. After exposure to sunlight the vapor clouds quickly ionize and take on a violet color.

The barium vapor is not harmful to the environment or public health.

Livestream video of rocket launch

Live coverage of the mission will be available on the Wallops IBM video site (beginning at 7:40 p.m.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH