International Space Station solar transit

crimbfighter

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A little different than my deep space photos, this was more "near space!" Periodically the International Space Station will pass between the Sun and the Earth, and there are resources that can tell you very precisely where and when you need to be so the ISS will pass between you and the Sun, silhouetting it against the Sun. Today was one such transit pass near my house, so I had to take advantage! What I really liked about these images, was seeing the ISS pass by several active sun spots!

*SAFETY DISCLAIMER* Do not try imaging or viewing the Sun without the proper filters! You can destroy gear or burn out your retinas!

The ISS is whizzing along at 17,500mph, so the time it is visible across the Sun is very short. In this pass, the transit lasted only 0.56 seconds. To image it, I fixed a solar filter to my telescope, and using my Nikon D500 at 10fps, I start continuous shooting 10 seconds before the transit time and continue for 10 seconds after. This ensures that somewhere within the 200 frames, I should have captured the transit.

Gear:
-Celestron 8" SCT telescope, f/10, 2032mm focal length
-Celestron solar filter
-Celestron AVX mount
-Nikon D500

Shooting at 1/1000sec, ISO 1600
No particular order, but these are cropped and uncropped images. In the cropped images, the profile of the solar panels is pretty well defined.

1.
ISS Solar Transit 4 June 2023-101.jpg


2.
ISS Solar Transit 4 June 2023-103.jpg


3.
ISS Solar Transit 4 June 2023-107.jpg


4.
ISS Solar Transit 4 June 2023-108.jpg
 
Amazing, wonderful, awesome, I always looks forward to your posts.
 
Awesome! Great that there are lots of spots currently, too!
 
Such a phenomenal type of photography and those that are good (and patient) with it astound me.
These are simply fantastic. Only thing I can say is "Thank you".

*edited*
Actually I can say more than just Thank You. I am nominating that second image for June 2023 Photo of the Month!
 
Last edited:
Incredible shots! You are the bomb with this stuff. Love it!
Thanks!
Such a phenomenal type of photography and those that are good (and patient) with it astound me.
These are simply fantastic. Only thing I can say is "Thank you".

*edited*
Actually I can say more than just Thank You. I am nominating that second image for June 2023 Photo of the Month!
Wow, thank you very much!
 
Awesome shots as always. You make me want to go out and spend money to do the type of shots you do.
 

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