http://www.observers.org/reports/fp.07.07.96.html
Fremont Peak, July 7
by Mark Wagner
After a night of clear sky observing until around 1 am, an impomtu wine
tasting, then some limited sleep, Rich (Neuschaefer) came and woke me at 5
am. I awakened my daughter Mimi and Dean Linebarger. We stood together with
John Gleason half-way up the pa th to the observatory. It was a gorgeous
sight... the observatory was open with the 30" Challenger (telescope)
pointed skyward and illuminated in preparation for a photo of the Shuttle
Columbia streaking across the dawn behind it. The sky was red and golden in
the east as the sun approached. Almost directly crossing the zenith was a
clearly delineated terminator, separating night from day. It was a
dream-like moment as I looked down at the fog covered valleys, the scene
above, and with the anticipation of what I was to witness. Then, after a
few minutes, far in the west through some trees we could see a brilliant
silver-red arc light begin to ascend in a low trajectory, rising quickly
leaving a grey-blue trail, then descending just as quickly to meet the
sunrise in the east.
I was fascinated at the thought of people riding a candle through the dawn.
But the best part, for me, was the look of amazement and excitement on the
face of my eight year old daughter, standing in her cowgirl boots and
pajamas on the mountaintop with that early morning scene unfolding before
her. I know she will never forget it.