Video: Mars Science Laboratory Heads Out For Mars While Cenatur Vents

“On the 26th of November 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory was launched from Cape Canaveral. This timelapse sequence shows a plume drifting against the background stars, probably caused by venting from the Centaur rocket after it carried out a burn over the Indian Ocean. The main body of the spacecraft can be seen as a short trail to the upper left of the plume. Several artificial Earth satellites can be seen briefly passing through the field of view.” More info at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium Facebook page.