Polls

Re: Viewing the ISS

lynxcat — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:41:03 GMT

Thanks those were some great links!

Re: Viewing the ISS

DaveMitsky — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:08:47 GMT

There are only a few computerized telescope drives that can slew fast enough to track satellites but one can do the job manually with a smooth alt-azimuth mount. I've had some success viewing the ISS using magnifications of 40x or so.

You may want to have a look at some of the ISS images posted at the sites that I mentioned earlier in this thread:

http://www.iss-tracking.de/images/stationpic.html

http://www.astrosurf.com/legault/iss_atlantis_transit.html

http://pictures.ed-morana.com/ISSTransits/

http://www.astronomycamerasblog.com/2009/01/30/iss-images-by-laurent-langelez/

Dave Mitsky

Re: Viewing the ISS

lynxcat — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:52:39 GMT

Kevin Bozard:
I didn't get to see it last night John, we had thunderstorms in the area and clouds had taken over our southern sky. What a sight that must have been. By the way, I saw your image at Spaceweather, nicely done.

Starwolf:
I would really really really love to get an image capture of the ISS in front of the sun or moon. Hmmm, come to think of it, I would love to get any decent image capture of it. You know the type of picture that you see on Spaceweather.com every few weeks....

You're not alone in that quest. I've been trying to image the ISS for a while now, with less than desirable results. Ralf Vandebergh takes some of the best ISS shots I've ever seen through a 10" telescope, but even with tips from him; I still haven't been able to capture that one shot that knocks me out of my chair. Imaging the ISS isn't an easy task, but I'll get it someday.
This is the best shot I've captured so far, but is nothing compared to Ralph's.

WOW thats really cool! Was that taken through your telescope? How much magnification do you need to see any details? I can't imagine how I could ever catch something moving that fast with my telescope!

Re: Viewing the ISS

zachsdad — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:36:40 GMT

This has sure been a good STS mission for you, John. Congratulations on the photos. I went out again last night, but the overcast was too heavy to see anything. The plume would have been a great catch.

Re: Viewing the ISS

johnm — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:48:08 GMT

Thanks Kevin. I submitted another from last night. It's in the "sightings" link.

There was still quite a bit of light here from the setting Sun, so I used ISO100, should have tried a little higher I guess. Thing is with these shots you only get one chance. Had to stretch it out quite a bit to get both the ISS and STS-128 to show. The exposure was 150.2 seconds long. No indication of the vapor plumes in mine, and they were visible during the exposure.

Re: Viewing the ISS

Kevin Bozard — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:26:47 GMT

I didn't get to see it last night John, we had thunderstorms in the area and clouds had taken over our southern sky. What a sight that must have been. By the way, I saw your image at Spaceweather, nicely done.

Starwolf:
I would really really really love to get an image capture of the ISS in front of the sun or moon. Hmmm, come to think of it, I would love to get any decent image capture of it. You know the type of picture that you see on Spaceweather.com every few weeks....

You're not alone in that quest. I've been trying to image the ISS for a while now, with less than desirable results. Ralf Vandebergh takes some of the best ISS shots I've ever seen through a 10" telescope, but even with tips from him; I still haven't been able to capture that one shot that knocks me out of my chair. Imaging the ISS isn't an easy task, but I'll get it someday.

This is the best shot I've captured so far, but is nothing compared to Ralph's.

Re: Viewing the ISS

johnm — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:42:41 GMT

Did anyone here get a chance to see any of the passes for last night, the 9th?

And witness the incredible clouds and plumes around and ahead of STS-128?

I first noticed strange shapes beginning to form around the shuttle about 2112 MDT from 43.347N 109.196W.

There was an incredible long plume visible ahead of the STS as it passed through UM.

Information now is that it was a waste dump in preparation for de-orbit.

An amazing thing to see naked eye!

Re: Viewing the ISS

johnm — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:05:09 GMT

I got a fairly decent image last night of the ISS and STS-128 passing overhead.

Spaceweather.com thought it was good enough to include in the list of double fly-by shots on the opening page.

Tonight I have one last chance for a good shot, it'll be tough, low in the NW, but I think I have everything lined up now and camera angles correct, etc. Hate to miss the chance at what could be the last shot of Discovery flying along with the ISS.

Re: Viewing the ISS

craterdavy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:25:42 GMT

It is going to come up for us here in Maine at 8:07 from the southeast .,.,and get to 83* heading eastnortheast,..,this is going to be a really good one .,,.the skies are very clear and still,.,and the the redsox are on the radio.,,.what more could you ask for,.,O+O

Re: Viewing the ISS

Kevin Bozard — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:14:09 GMT

I missed it, but it was because of my own doing. I hadn't checked the fly-by time, and I was thinking that it was after 9 o'clock. When I did check the times at 7:30, I found that I had just missed it. That was the last one above an altitude of 50 {which is better for imaging) for this round of sightings. I'll have to wait for the next ones now.

Re: Viewing the ISS

zachsdad — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:34:51 GMT

I caught the evening pass on 9/8 also. My wife even came out to take a look as the ISS and Discovery streaked overhead. Always a great sight.

Re: Viewing the ISS

craterdavy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:20:34 GMT

I just watched the iss and the shuttle go by.,.,very cool,.,after 2 months of clouds,.,and a few weeks of early morning passes,..it is good to see it at night again,.,.O+O

Re: Viewing the ISS

lynxcat — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:42:52 GMT

I saw the ISS about a month or so ago for the first time, after I got the times from the NASA site (I live in Tucson). I thought it was really cool! It was really bright, I'd say somewhere between Jupiter and Venus in brightness. I used my 8x56mm binoculars on it and it and it didn't look stellar but I couldn't quite make out any kind of shape. I wonder how much magnification you need to see any detail?

Re: Viewing the ISS

craterdavy — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:56:55 GMT

Very cool .,.,i wish the clouds would part so i could get to try to see it in my scope,..,soon come.,.,.,O+O

Re: Viewing the ISS

leo731 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:41:12 GMT

Last night I stepped out the back door about 9:30 PDT in anticipation of seeing the ISS streak overhead. My first view of the sky was worrisome as the Moon was fighting to shine through an advancing fog bank and the southwestern sky was covered up to about thirty degrees with tendrils of fog reaching even higher.

I knew the ISS was up and racing at 9:35 but I couldn't see it. Finally it popped into view near Saturn in Leo and proceeded to cross the sky towards the northeast. It was a bright yellow colour and outshone every other object in the sky save for the Moon. It looked rather odd in my 7x50s, sort of like a barbell at times but not clearly defined. To my naked eye it was just a bright star. What was interesting is that my wife said that it looked sort of like a twin star passing by. I hadn't told her what to expect so her observation of how it looked was interesting. She gave up on it as it passed Polaris and began to dim and retreated to the warmth of the indoors. I continued to track it as it faded from view with my binoculars until it was lost behind a distant tree near the horizon.

This was a most favorable transit of the ISS and a real treat for me to see it. I am thankful that the fog was late in arriving,