Author Topic: STS-119 Viewing (On Orbit ISS and Discovery) (Read 35085 times)

bkellysky · « **Reply #20 on:** 03/18/2009 12:27 am »

Saw the ISS this evening, a few minutes ahead of the time predicted at heavens-above.com, so no photo.
Last night was cloudy, so no chance to see them both!
The last photo I took is from Sunday night, posted at
page 9 of the previous STS-119 Viewing thread.
Canon A40 15 seconds at ISO 100 on a tripod.

bob kelly
ardsley, new york, usa

Chandonn · « **Reply #21 on:** 03/18/2009 12:32 am »

Just got another pass this evening of the entire stack. Saw it for a bit longer than predicted on NASA's tracking site (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html). Was not as bright as ISS was last night because it was an hour later. I could tell through small binoculars that it was made of several components but could not resolve any particular details.

jgoldader · « **Reply #22 on:** 03/18/2009 01:29 am »

We had a very nice pass seen at 7:43pm EDT on Tuesday west of Philadelphia, PA.

My first attempt of digital photography through my telescope resulted in about half a dozen decent images, two of which are attached. The images were taken with a Canon RebelXT and an 8" Celestron SCT (f/10).

L-R in the first image: The two sets of starboard arrays are clearly visible, then one of the radiators, then the long string of modules--I believe the orbiter is on the lower end--then a much fainter radiator, then the single set of port solar arrays.

The second image is rotated a bit from the first and is from later in the pass; I'm pretty sure the reddish color is the backside of the S5/S6 arrays.

Jeff

JJ.. · « **Reply #23 on:** 03/18/2009 08:22 pm »

I managed to see the ISS/Discovery stack pass over Sheffield (U.K) at 7.35pm,
I got 3 photos,but had a little trouble getting the panorama program to work,
Heres the early version ..

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #24 on:** 03/19/2009 07:04 pm »

Bright UK pass...but overcast, so no joy in the north

LSainsbury · « **Reply #25 on:** 03/19/2009 07:24 pm »

Just seen them go over the south of the UK - not as bright as before but as fast!

Hopefully tomorrow the sky will be ok as well for a better view...

Andrewwski · « **Reply #26 on:** 03/19/2009 08:29 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 03/19/2009 07:04 pm

Bright UK pass...but overcast, so no joy in the north

Saw them through clouds the other night. Thin clouds, but still impressive!

iamlucky13 · « **Reply #27 on:** 03/19/2009 08:33 pm »

Quote from: jgoldader on 03/18/2009 01:29 am

My first attempt of digital photography through my telescope resulted in about half a dozen decent images, two of which are attached. The images were taken with a Canon RebelXT and an 8" Celestron SCT (f/10).

Nice job! I'm impressed to be able to make out any details.

How do the photos compare to the naked eye view? Or did you just leave the camera on for the whole pass?

astrobrian · « **Reply #28 on:** 03/19/2009 08:36 pm »

naked eye, you just see a star moving rather fast, little to no detail

animaux · « **Reply #29 on:** 03/19/2009 09:08 pm »

Weimar, Germany, 2009:03:19 19:29:44 GMT+1, 15 sec exposure.

My first proper ISS trail shot :) unfortunately my cam was not prepared when the two were still closing in on each other yesterday.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/animaux/3368666782/" title="The ISS and Space Shuttle Discovery streaking through Orion by Animaux, on Flickr">The ISS and Space Shuttle Discovery streaking through Orion by Animaux, on Flickr[/url]

Andrewwski · « **Reply #30 on:** 03/19/2009 09:56 pm »

Quote from: astrobrian on 03/19/2009 08:36 pm

naked eye, you just see a star moving rather fast, little to no detail

It can be an awfully bright star though!

jgoldader · « **Reply #31 on:** 03/20/2009 02:41 pm »

Quote from: iamlucky13 on 03/19/2009 08:33 pm

Nice job! I'm impressed to be able to make out any details.

How do the photos compare to the naked eye view? Or did you just leave the camera on for the whole pass?

I just had the camera on for the whole pass. Satellites move awfully fast! I tried two techniques--hand-tracking and imaging at the same time, and sort of leading the stack, stopping, then imaging as the stack moved through the field. I'm pretty sure I had better luck with the hand-tracking, there looks to have been worse smear the rest of the time.

There have been stunning photos and movies of the ISS taken by a bunch in Germany at www.tracking-station.de; they use a bigger telescope (so sharper images) and autotrack.

People have made movies using webcams or small astronomical imagers. I haven't tried that, since the field of view of a webcam is very, very small compared to a DSLR. Even as it was, I caught the stack in fewer than half my images.

Jeff

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #32 on:** 03/20/2009 06:31 pm »

Quote from: marshallsplace on 03/20/2009 06:16 pm

Central UK next pass:

ISS Fri Mar 20/ 08:28 PM 2mins 40 secs 10 above W 40 above WSW

Awesome! And it's a clear sky! Look to the South West?

JosephB · « **Reply #33 on:** 03/20/2009 06:31 pm »

No Kidding! It's great to see isn't it. I remember as a teenager requesting pamphlets from NASA on the then Freedom space station. Things have changed since then (from Freedom to "ralpha") but it's beautiful to see in orbit at long last!

MKremer · « **Reply #34 on:** 03/20/2009 06:41 pm »

Remember, there's a separate sightings thread to pass on all your reports and images.

marshallsplace · « **Reply #35 on:** 03/20/2009 06:41 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin
[/quote

Awesome! And it's a clear sky! Look to the South West?

West South West so basically - yes

If it's clear skies then you won't miss it.

shaula1247 · « **Reply #36 on:** 03/20/2009 06:41 pm »

Just had a perfect pass almost directly overhead, absolutely clear sky and dawn just breaking. I hate to state the obvious but it sure is bright.

aurora899 · « **Reply #37 on:** 03/20/2009 06:41 pm »

Quote from: marshallsplace on 03/20/2009 06:16 pm

Quote from: aurora899 on 03/20/2009 06:07 pm
Nice pass over the UK, although the sky was still a little bit too bright. Not sure if we have another opportunity on the next orbit?

Central UK next pass:

ISS Fri Mar 20/ 08:28 PM 2mins 40 secs 10 above W 40 above WSW

Thanks for the confirmation.
I've now managed to locate JSC's sighting information page for the UK:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+Kingdom

Just click on "England" for example and then your town!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #38 on:** 03/20/2009 06:48 pm »

Quote from: MKremer on 03/20/2009 06:41 pm

Remember, there's a separate sightings thread to pass on all your reports and images.

Oops, sorry boss. Split the latest posts

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #39 on:** 03/20/2009 07:33 pm »

That was brilliant! Better than the pass with ISS/Endeavour. Very bright, very obvious, racing across the sky. Impossible to register in the brain that they are flying 230 miles up.

Felt like waving