I observed the launch from Stanton down in Orange County,
118.0w 33.8n, through my telescope at both 19x and then
at 30x. I misjudged the location on the horizon where
it would rise and didn't see it until it was almost due
west and rising over a building. I caught it in time
to observe (19x) one of the stages fall away. I then
switched to 30x after the next stage lit and continued
following it until burnout. It was an orange diffuse
dot at all times.

After burnout was the interesting part. It would fade
completely but every 5-7 seconds it would flare up
again to about 1/3 it's brightness before burnout. It
almost looked as though I was watching a slow tumbling
satellite. I fianlly lost it when I accidently bumped
the scope.

I would guess I was either seeing course correction
firings or was following a spent booster as it tumbled
down range, occasionally looking down the still
smoldering 'barrel'.

Brian
--
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?