LooseChanj wrote in message . com...

... MECO was a little strange,
the engines seemed like they cut out and back on a few times before finally
going out for good. Dark clouds? Or actually something with the rocket?
...

Just after MECO, some stage separation charges might be
visible and several solid rocket retro-motors mounted
near the base of the stage are definitely visible when
they fire to back the Atlas stage away from Centaur.

A point of light continued on, perfectly eclipsing a star during its arc. One
of the other people there said it was the tumbling stage, yes no maybe?

The point of light would have been the Centaur stage's
single RL10 engine. The tumbling Atlas stage might
have been briefly visible too, but much, much dimmer.

It was good that you watched this launch. Complex 36
will see only about two more Atlas III, and four more
Atlas IIAS, launches, with the last planned to happen
about one year from now.

- Ed Kyle