ISS, Space Shuttle and Columbus

[MarkS]

The next few evenings provide wonderful opportunities for photographing the ISS - it will be up to magnitude -2.5 (about the brightest it gets).  Not only that, but Space Shuttle Atlantis will be joining the party along with the Columbus module (launches Thursday).

Go to www.heavens-above.com to find out when it passes over your back garden and exactly where to look.

[JohnP]

Thks for reminder Mark - Looks like tonight could be ideal - perfectly clear skies & really bright/ high pass...

John

[Daniel]

Wow, that was pretty amazing, had no idea it would be THAT visible, how on earth do you guy's manage to track that with the scope when you take photo's of it?

[MarkS]

It's certainly very bright - an impressive sight as it flies across the sky.

As for following it with the scope, my technique was to release the clutches on the mount and move the scope by hand. 

[MarkS]

Space Shuttle has taken off.
Docking with ISS is scheduled for 17:25GMT on Saturday.  It will be visible over Sidcup at 18:14-18:18GMT
Get those cameras ready ...

Mission Schedule here:  http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/mission_schedule.html

According to
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_Kingdom&region=England&city=London
tomorrow (Friday) night the shuttle will fly over London 25 minutes after the ISS.  But I'll be on my way home from work 

But I saw the ISS from Blackheath on my way home tonight.

[Fay]

Mark, what constellation will it pass thru, tonight at 17.55?
Do operate camera manually via telescope?
What kind of exposure?

Fay

[Fay]

Ok I have found the star charts

[MarkS]

Faye,

Some info at: http://forum.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/index.php?topic=2839.0

The way to think about it is that the ISS will be in full sunshine up there (even though it's dark down here)  therefore you need exposure settings appropriate for a sunny day.  In my case I used the EOS 300D at F6.3, ISO 1000, Shutter 1/1000s.  The F-number is of course governed by your telescope, focal reducer etc.

The same principle applies for a webcam - use webcam settings appropriate for a sunny afternoon.

My most important hint is this: make sure you correctly focus on a star beforehand.    You may need to change exposure settings to do this - remember to change them back afterwards!

As for the telescope, I released the clutches and swung the telescope by hand whilst trying to keep the ISS central in the finderscope.  Make sure the mount is at a convenient height so you can easily do this with the scope pointed upwards almost vertically.

Good luck!

Mark

[MarkS]

Another tip.

You can practice the technique during the day by photographing those very high jets as they move across the sky.

Mark

[MarkS]

Got it!

But which bit is the shuttle?  It did definitely dock.

[mickw]

Nice one Mark.
I looks like the long white dangly bit near the panels is where it's attached - nose towards us with wings to either side.
Sorry if Iwas getting too technical for you 
Assorted pictures here -
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Just to cheer up anyone who missed it - spent most of the day focussing the Lidlescope with camera attached and modifying a tripod mount so I could swing through the path smoothly.
Got everything set up, practiced on high flying planes, tried to focus on a star but could't see anything through viewfinder, figured everything should be OK anyway - lens cap popped on to keep away any dew.
18:10 arrived - went out and switched on the camera and whacked off 81 shots while aligning along the scope and hoping.......................
Have you guessed yet ?
LENS CAP - DOH

[Fay]

Mark,

you have certainly got the knack!!!!

[Fay]

Not sure about you, Mick!!!!

Having said that, I had set up, last night, for deep sky imaging, meaning everything but the kitchen sink was on the mount! I thought I would deviate for a while & try the ISS.

My Canon would not work, as the programme has developed a fault, & the webcam was playing up, as was the mouse. I thought I would switch to K3 & manually move the mount as the ISS came over.
There it was & it was like manouvering an anti aircraft gun, the weight of it all, & I could see it in the finderscope but the weight was too heavy to keep it on the chip, After that, the evening went completely down hill!!!!!!!
I am having a better time tonight.


Fay

[Tony G]

Well, I was out there and like Mick had been planning and trying to focus and have everything ready and this is the outcome





This is 2 of many images, and as you see I had difficulty trying to make out the shuttle like Mark, but saying that I had trouble making out the ISS
I think it may have been better like Mick with the lens cap on
MAYBE NEXT TIME.

Tony G

[MarkS]

I think I've found the shuttle - rotating the frames by 180 degrees helped.

The grey blob hanging down in the second image of the strip appears to have wings and a tailfin.



All 4 were taken with the Nikon D70 at ISO 1600, shutter 1/1000s, F10

Tony - I reckon yours are overexposed
Mick - Leaving the lens cap on - that's terrible

Try again Sunday evening ...

[Fay]

Mark,

do you hold your camera while hand guiding the telescope?
If not, how do you guide the scope & press the camera button?

They are such good images, Mark. I have always been facinated with the shuttle since we went to Stanstead airport, years ago, to watch it come in on top of a jumbo jet. Most amazing sight as it appeared over these low trees.

Fay

[Rick]

Those are absolutely cracking shots, Mark!

[MarkS]

Rick - Thanks for your comments.

Faye - So far I've used a remote control to fire the camera when the ISS is in the centre of the guidescope (make sure the guidescope is perfectly aligned!) so I don't need to touch the camera.  Tonight I'm going to try a different approach by manually pressing the camera button - that way I can fire off multiple shots per second.

[MarkS]

Another tip: the photo below shows how I set the mount up.

The scope is pointing West and it just has to drop gently backwards to track the ISS as it flies overhead.  I adjusted weights so it will naturally fall (slowly!) backwards of its own accord.

[mickw]

Fay if you are going to make a habit of waving your scope around - try this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-RS-60E3-Remote-switch-500N/dp/B00007EE78/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1202636574&sr=1-4
The have others but this is the cheapest

[Tony G]

Just looked at heavens above for tonights fly past and thought that a shot of the ISS passing Mars would be a great shot.
http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?Size=500&OFOV=20&ORA=69.2054339285437&ODec=33.2722354031815&SatID=25544&lat=51.433&lng=0.036&alt=59&loc=Mottingham&TZ=GMT&Date=39488.7760112176&Mouse=?76,358
So my quest for today is:-   'Just to get a image that looks like the ISS'

Tony G

[JohnP]

Tony - why don't you just try putting ZS66 on EOS & then hand holding it. Set shutter to say 1/1000 at ISO 800  - Make sure you have pre-focused though & then just use like a normal camera with a big lens on front... It's worth a try & don't need to bother with mount etc... Just a thought don't blame me if it doesn't work. Also set shutter to continuous & if you see it through viewfinder just keep your finger pressed down..

John

[MarkS]

Tonight's batch is not so good.  I tried holding my finger on the camera shutter button instead of using the remote control.  It made it awkward to track the ISS with the scope and also seems to have caused noticable vibration or smear.

Unfortunately, the best image disappeared off the edge of the frame.