Thursday, 6 June 2013

International Space Station @ 2am 6th June 2013

This is the best image I have managed to capture so far of this tiny dot whizzing overhead using a webcam attached prime focus to my 4" Etx scope.
It has taken hours and hours to get this image so its not been easy.
The ISS orbits the earth every 90 minutes so the night had three passes at 10.44pm, 12.25am and 2am and this image was taken at the darkest time at 2am so its worth waiting up.
Its the size of a football field and weighs about 450 tons, but its travelling at 17,500 miles an hour and its about 260 miles away when its overhead. When you first see the ISS, its about 960 miles away in the West and looks quite small so the best time for imaging is when nearly overhead.
The image has raised a few questions for me. I am not sure exactly what parts of the station I can see and I'm not sure where the solar arrays are?

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