BOEING 747SP (N747NA)

NASA's one-and-only 'Sophia' B747-SP (callsign NASA-747) flying infrared telescope observatory lifting off Runway-20 tonight at Christchurch International Airport for a night flight over the Southern Ocean south of New Zealand. I quickly shot over to the airport after work with my camera gear to see her depart on her latest mission over New Zealand. I heard the crew on 'Ground' so got ready near the runway intersection outside the fire rescue station. ATC had a Dash-8 on short final popping out of the soup about 8 miles downwind with a request to slow down to minimum approach speed so as to let Sophia get airborne. This photo as can be seen, was shot in the dark with ISO at 6400, 1/45s, f2.8 at 160mm. Processed lightly in Lightroom to get rid of the noise.