I just came across these May 25th posts in this new thread that was then pinned. LOL I created an incredibly elaborate and informative thread about Dragon reentry viewing, and then couldn't get it pinned. Someone else creates a similar thread asking the basic question, there's a couple brief answers, and THAT one gets pinned? Yuk yuk Hi guys! (waves) ... I'll ask for this new thread's handful of posts to get merged into the existing thread:SpaceX Dragon Re-Entry Viewinghttps://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=60517.0and for that thread to be pinned. That thread started out as being about Florida returns, of course, but absolutely can pivot to California returns. If you are reading this within a longer thread with lots of timeline data and images etc., then that merge has been completed!
Giving this thread a bump (yes I know it's "pinned") since we have a Dragon return coming up that's higher profile than usual.If anyone has any West Coast viewing information, including timing information like I figured out for Florida returns and posted in the beginning of this thread, let's hear it!
I live over there. All landing spots are over the horizon and can't be seen. Depending on the reentry track, if it's a southern node (coming down from the north), it will definitely be visible along its entire reentry path down the coast from the Scott Manley area in the South Bay to Los Angeles, where I am, if it's dark. If it's a northern node (coming up from the south), then nothing. The Entry Node will be announced by either NASA or SpaceX. They haven't yet.
Quote from: catdlr on 01/13/2026 04:02 amI live over there. All landing spots are over the horizon and can't be seen. Depending on the reentry track, if it's a southern node (coming down from the north), it will definitely be visible along its entire reentry path down the coast from the Scott Manley area in the South Bay to Los Angeles, where I am, if it's dark. If it's a northern node (coming up from the south), then nothing. The Entry Node will be announced by either NASA or SpaceX. They haven't yet.The pass near the landing sites around 12:30 am Pacific time on the 15th is a north-to-south pass, according to n2yo.com.
