[Bob]

I wonder if there is a reason for the occasional sunset launches or if they just schedule them now and then to give the taxpayers a little extra bang for their buck.

A little good PR can't hurt. :=)

BTW, that's a beautiful picture. Do you happen to know from how far away it was taken?

[concentric circles]

I don't know the details of the photo but the angle of the view puts the image pretty high in the sky so I would guess that it was taken not far from the coast in Southern California.