Where to View This Weekend's East Coast Rocket Launch

NASA's Cygnus cargo spacecraft has the crucial duty of delivering thousands of pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. But first it has to get into the air, and to that end the space agency has stuck it inside a rocket that will blast off spectacularly on Sunday afternoon*.

At a scheduled launch time of 12:52 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 13*, a hulking Antares rocket (this thing) will rise like Odin's fiery spear from the Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's eastern shore. If the weather is clear, the launch should be visible over a big chunk of the East Coast, including Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Norfolk, and perhaps even New York. For maximum enjoyment try finding a good vantage point, like the roof of an apartment building or anywhere not west of the Appalachian Mountains. *UPDATE: As of 10 a.m. on Friday, NASA has pushed the launch back to Sunday.