On November 26 I was fortunate enough to be at the Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the Atlas V rocket. Aboard was the Curiosity Rover, and it's now on its way to Mars, arriving there in August 2012.
The experience of watching the launch was great. Mobs of people crowded the shoreline in Titusville. The rocket launched exactly on schedule, and was up and out of sight within seconds! It happened so fast! The really phenomenal thing is that the launch itself was silent; but after the rocket had disappeared into the clouds, the sound waves finally reached us and we were blasted by the powerful thrusters!
This sketch was obviously done very quickly, and largely after the fact. (I'm fast, but I'm not THAT fast! Okay. I'm not fast at all. In fact, I usually paint very slowly.)
And finally, happy 241st birthday, Beethoven! And happy birthday to you, too, Reyn!