Wallops Island is 332 miles south southwest of Springfield. Launches from Cape Canaveral that head northeast, up the coast are low on the horizon from Boston, up to 16 degrees. 1 more of the 8 launch paths show from at least one of the three cities.
Checking the upcoming launches against the sky over Boston, MA.
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A rocket can be followed up to about 174 miles in daylight and 621 miles after dark, and a plume lit by the sun above a dark ground carries farther still. The figures here are for a launch at night or in twilight, the best case.
Each row is a direction rockets fly from one site, with the best view among the three cities. Most launches on the list follow one of these paths, and the tag on each upcoming launch above says which.
| Launch heads | From | Best view | Up to | Look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| northeast, up the coast | Cape Canaveral | Low on the horizon from Boston | 16 degrees | south southwest |
| southeast, out over the Atlantic | Wallops Island | Low on the horizon from Springfield | 8 degrees | south southwest |
Worked out from each launch path and the distance to the city, for a launch at night or in twilight. A fist held at arm’s length is about 10 degrees.
The nearest site is Wallops Flight Facility, 332 miles from Springfield. If you are traveling there, these are the usual public places.
Pad 0A: Northrop Grumman Antares and Rocket Lab Neutron.
A rocket in daylight can be followed to about 174 miles, after dark to about 621 miles, and a plume lit by the sun while the ground is dark carries to about 808 miles.
