Just Rushed out to do the ISS

[Fay]

Well I had no time to try & focus on anything, as it was a last minute decision.
I had the ISS on the chip but not in focus. I had the DMK on the WO with 1 extension tube & had it around position 5 on the WO. I was doing 1000 second with about 50 % gain.
I held it on my shoulder.

Need to go out earlier, set mount up & try focus out on aircraft, although there were not very many tonight.

[MarkS]

Fay,

If you managed to get the ISS on the chip then you're almost there!

Mark

[Fay]

Mark do you think 1000 of sec around the right time? Trouble was i was not getting the 30 frame a second rate with that. I did not think about that.  How many frames would I get?
Am I thinking this wrong?

[MarkS]

1/1000sec is just about perfect for a DSLR at at ISO 1000 at F10.  For F6.3 use 1/2000sec.  A high shutter speed also helps to freeze the image without blur.

At 1/1000sec you should be able to collect enough photons but your CCD camera probably has shutter speed and gain controls instead.   Also it will depend on your camera software how to get 30 frames/sec at 1/1000sec - though fewer frames/sec is definitely O.K.   The best thing to do is to try out the camera on a sunny(!!) day - the settings that correctly expose an object illuminated by sunlight will be just about perfect for the ISS.  Remember to take a note of what the successful settings are!

[Fay]

Yes I think I noticed that the frame rate had greyed out. It is quite nerve wracking knowing that the ISS is around at the alloted time, & I had quite an adreniline rush getting myself sorted & watching to see where is was coming from. I had bushes in front of me. You know you only have a couple of seconds to perform.

Next time I will put the laptop on top of a 5' ladder, as the DMK cable is so short. Also I will be able to glance at the screen more easily.