Space Shuttle Launch

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How odd.

Yesterday, I was at work (evening delivery job), and it was coming on towards twilight, when I looked up to see a massive plume of smoke and a glowing orange and white trail in the sky. I knew right away from the direction and brightness of the thing that it must be a shuttle lauch. You see, I'm on the west coast of Florida, and the Kennedy Space Center is a scant 100 miles across the peninsula from us. So we have a perfectly clear view of the Space Shuttle when it launches. Of course, I had no idea there was supposed to be a launch. It surprised the heck out of me.

It was amazing, I mean, I turned a corner, and saw the launch just rising above the horizon. I watched the boosters separate and fall off, and then the shuttle itself disappeared, just as the sun was setting. It left the most unearthly glowing trail in the sky, which persisted for a few minutes. It was the brightest orange and hot-white and then purple. Obviously, the sunset had something to do with it, but I wonder what exactly is in rocket fuel exhaust...

Anyways, I just thought I'd share this random event.

I really like the picture on this page...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/index.html

Cool. I wish I could see a space launch, sadly I live nowhere near a Space Centre. However, I do once remember visiting the Kennedy Space Centre.