An Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 at 10:23 a.m. EST Thursday with NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, a mission to probe the sun's connection with Earth. These pictures were taken from the press viewing site about four miles from the pad.

Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Ben Cooper/Spaceflight Now