# Atlas Launch-sonic boom

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 21, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869 "2010-02-21T14:33:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/1 "2010-02-21T14:33:36Z")

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Now this is cool!  
The NASA Solar Observatory launch on an Atlas launch went up a few days ago.  
As the vehicle exceeded the speed of sound shock waves radiated away (as always-the sonic boom). But this time the atmospherics were just so and the waves were visible!  
This is so cool…

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Qvc6c7E-UF4/maxresdefault.jpg "Sonic Boom Meets Sun Dog Slow Mo Short") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvc6c7E-UF4)

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**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/2 "2010-02-21T22:25:28Z")

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Whoa. Impressive.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/3 "2010-02-21T23:43:49Z")

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Moving thread from IMHO to MPSIMS.

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**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/4 "2010-02-21T23:53:45Z")

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[Here](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/02/17/rocket-launch-blows-away-the-sky/)’s an explanation of it.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/5 "2010-02-21T23:59:44Z")

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Proof that it’s not fake:

[http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/18feb\_coolmovie.htm?list960120](http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/18feb_coolmovie.htm?list960120)

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**Author:** ![Beerman1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@Beerman1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beerman1963)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atlas-launch-sonic-boom/529869/6 "2010-02-22T20:25:57Z")

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That was cool!! :eek: