GSO 203/1200 mm Manual Dobsonian was used, fitted with 8×50 standard finder, through which ISS was tracked. Camera- ZWO ASI 120 MC-S connected to Dell Laptop Interface- Sharpcap software. Video sequence was started, and then ISS was tracked. Processed in PIPP ( ISS mode) , Autostakkert and enhanced in Registax a little bit. I usually do this exercise with a friend of mine, Aditya Kinjawadekar ; one tracks while one watches if the ISS is appearing on the screen and the parameters like exposure, gain, white balance etc are fine.
GSO 203/1200 mm Manual Dobsonian was used, fitted with 8×50 standard finder, through which ISS was tracked. Camera- ZWO ASI 120 MC-S connected to Dell Laptop Interface- Sharpcap software. Video sequence was started, and then ISS was tracked. Processed in PIPP ( ISS mode) , Autostakkert and enhanced in Registax a little bit. When I bought my Dob, one of the first things on the list was ISS, and I was really looking forward to capturing it, after looking at your images! They are really amazing! The one taken on 18 Nov actually happens to be my first ever attempt at ISS and I was really, really thrilled after seeing how it came out! I mean, first attempt, we were really nervous, but the moment it appeared on the screen with its panels, we were literally blown away… I will never forget those heart thinking moments tracking the ISS and enjoying it later! This is really an experience that I think is quite unique and the level of thrill that it offers is just amazing. It is really different than other type of astrophotography. I mean, we are capturing something in Low Earth Orbit, with humans in it! That represents the pinnacle of human spaceflight! Just never fails to impress me! Yeah, and about sharing, I would be more than happy if you could share these on the different social media platforms as well as the website. I would feel honoured! I mean, I was motivated by seeing your collection of images and now sharing one of my own really makes me happy!
All pictures were captured with the Celestron 8″ CPC 800 XLT. All pictures were taken with industrial / planetary type cameras from FLIR (formerly Point Grey). Old ones are Flea3 1.3 MP RGB from 2015 onwards mostly Blackfly 2.3 MP RGB (frequently with barlow as it has large pixels) or BlackFly S 5 MP mono (typically without barlow). The newer cameras have CMOS sensors with the interesting property that frame rate depends only on height of ROI so I typically shoot narrow strips like 2448 x 680 @ 180 fps so a good hit can give a lot of images for stacking from a single sensor pass if lucky. Some of the images were shot in 12 bit mode to better cover the dynamic range between panels and bright modules but most in 8 bit as it gives higher frame rates.
I took this photos Sunday April 5th. The ISS was about 59° and 300 miles away. I hand held a Celestron 8se like a rocket launcher with a Zwo Asi120mc camera shooting at 31fps. I tried my best to keep the ISS in the center of my Telrad. I shot 2900 frames and only got 43 of the ISS. Connecticut, USA
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Date 2018/11/11 Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone, Solomark smartphone adapter, 7mm Celestron LX Xcel eyepiece and 2 x Barlow mounted on a Sky-watcher dobsonian telescope 203mm/1200mm Single frame grabbed from Video. Settings ISO 800, Exp 1/2000 sec
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Date 2018/09/12 Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone, Solomark smartphone adapter, 7mm Celestron LX Xcel eyepiece and 2 x Barlow mounted on a Sky-watcher dobsonian telescope 203mm/1200mm Stacked image from Video: Settings ISO 800, Exp 1/2000 sec Run through PIPP and stacked best 3 frames with registax.
Istvan Csabai
Location: Zagyvarékas, Hungary Time/date: 22:20 21/05/2018 Equipment: 180/2700MC + ASI385MC Exp.:0.6 . Gain: 350 Maximum elevation of the ISS was 74° at visual magnitude of – 4.0, distance about 422km from my location.
20/10/07 Montage of ISS in early days showing different perspectives for a 45deg alt pass
10/2/08 ISS with Atlantis docked and end-on perspective – 222mm dobsonian at f12 with DMK21AF04.AS
29/7/08 Detailed view of ISS with single set of solar panels on each truss
23/3/09 ISS with Discovery attached and showing engine nozzle
20/5/09 One of my favourite views to date – 222mm dobsonian at f12 with DMK21AF04.AS
2/3/11 ISS (2 versions, one annotated) with Discovery attached (cargo doors open) and Steve Bowen in EVA at end of Columbus laboratory (see in depth analysis of this image at http://www.skyinspector.co.uk/sts-133-spacewalk )
28/3/18 ISS pass using a 222mm dobsonian and an ASI174MM showing decent amount of detail
Martin Lewis’ amazing photo of the event taken with his hand-guided home-built 222mm Dobsonian with ASI174MM camera, 2.7x Barlow, and a red filter from his back garden in StAlbans, UK.
Martin Lewis’ amazing animation of the event taken with his hand-guided home-built 222mm Dobsonian with ASI174MM camera, 2.7x Barlow, and a red filter from his back garden in StAlbans, UK.
150/1200 Newtonian telescope + Canon 1100D. Taken in 2015 from Hungary.
150/1200 Newtonian telescope + Canon 80D. Taken in 2018 from Hungary.
150/1200 Newtonian telescope + Canon 80D. Taken in 2018 from Hungary.
Péter Agárdi
Péter sent me these amazing shot of ISS (first one is my favourite). These are his words:
It was more than ten years ago I got into astrophotography, but with many of my hobbies, they come and go from time to time. I still have the same telescope I bought in around 2004 which is a Skywatcher 114/900 on an EQ2 mount.
First off one of my more advanced setup I got a very old digital camera a Casio QV3500 for the repurpose to astrophotography meaning removing all the lenses to get it into direct focus. I chose this model because I knew it has full manual modes to shoot with (not just the auto crap that was used around that time) AND the thread to put teleconverters or such. This comes into play later.
After some practice on airplanes the day of ISS photography finally came. Here is my first result
After a couple of years
Then some more years passed, I got a Canon 600D which is the best stuff I’ve every used so far! The articulated screen makes life so much easier! Taking photos of ISS with this setup resulted this picture
Later I got into recording videos because it seems a better idea making more frames which can be used. I wrote a little python program to analyze the frames and get only the ISS cropped. Here is a new picture, numbers are now relate to the frame number of the shot video
Yet another couple of month later (there were some thin clouds this day)
This is my last useful attempt so far.
With this setup (Skywatcher 114/900 + Canon 600D) I use the following parameters:
Shooting FullHD cropped (using only the FullHD sized area of the sensor) video with ISO 800 and around 1/1000 shutter speed. White balance set to Sunlight. No filters or barlow used.
Philip Smith
(Philip’s Facebook profile, Youtube channel – automated tracking with capable mount )
The SpaceX Dragon CRS-20 cargo spacecraft was captured with the International Space Station’s robotic Canadarm2 by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, with Andrew Morgan of NASA acting as a backup, on 9 March 2020 at 10:25 UTC (06:25 EDT). The CRS-20 Dragon spacecraft was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on 7 March 2020 at 04:50 UTC (6 March, at 23:50 EST). I imaged the SpaceX Dragon CRS-20 cargo spacecraft from my back Manorville NY, USA backyard. The telescope was an Edge HD 14″ with an Astrodon Red filter on a ZWO ASI174 mono camera and 1.6 barlow lens. The ISS and SpaceX Dragon CRS-20 passed time was at 6:47am EST at Max Pass 84°. The sky clear 20 minutes before imaging. Then it happened…. Fast moving low fog like clouds covered the sky at the time of the ISS Pass. The ISS brightness was at -3.9 and the Sun was at -15.3° below the horizon. Funny think happened. I could see the ISS in the clouds. The clouds made for a diffuse light like filter on the ISS. I had a little GOD help I would like to think.
I imaged the ISS and Cygnus spacecraft at max pass 53 deg. on 10-02-13 Time 5:25am EST I used my Meade 10SC OTAwith a 2X barlow with an Orange Filter on a Skynyx 2.0 M chip size 640×480 on CCD @ 66 FPS With Emmanuel Rietsch Tracking System Manorville, NY USA
I saw the ISS was going to make a pass of 89° over my observatory at 3:42 AM EST. So I made plans to record it. I used an EQ-G Mod mount by Emmanuel Rietsch and his Tracking System with my 11 Edge HD / SKYnyx 2-0M CCD Camera at 66 fps on a 2x barlow and orange filter. Manorville, NY USA
I saw the ATV-5 was docked to the ISS and was going to make a pass of 82° over my observatory on 08-22-2014 at 8:18pm EST. So I made plans to record it. I used my EQ-G Mod mount by Emmanuel Rietsch and his Tracking System with my 11 Edge HD / SKYnyx 2-0M CCD Camera at 66 fps with a 2x barlow and orange filter. Manorville, NY, USA
The weather was -3° and snow on the ground. I felt like I was inside a bid refrigerator. The sky looked clear but the seeing was poor. I imaged at 65 fps. This image is 4 images stacked in RegiStax 5 and CS6 processing. The image also has more info on it. I used an EDGE HD 14 with 1.6 barlow and orange filter. Camera was SKYnyx 2.0 m. Mod EQ-G mount with ER Tracking System and mod part that I also added. Manorville, NY, USA
This is my ISS image that I recorded and stacked about 76 images to make this high resolution image from my backyard on 8-03-15. As I was on the internet I saw a docking diagram overlay image taken from Soyuz TMA-17M before successfully docking to ISS. That image was from a You Tube NASA video I took a screenshot of to show you and compare it with my ISS high resolution image from my backyard. The ISS max pass that day was 77°. Manorville, NY, USA
I recorded on 8-17-15 Tiangong 1 with the 2 solar panels in view at 78° ….AND… ISS at 59° from my backyard. So I made this combo image to show you my images in true relation to each other. I used Edge HD 14 OTA with a SKYnyx 2.2 Mono CCD camera that has global shutter. The Barlow X 1.6 with an Astrodon orang filter. All on an custom modified EQ-G and ER tracking software made for me and my mount. Manorville, NY, USA
I imaged on 8-19-15 the ISS at 59° from my backyard. I used my Edge HD 14 OTA with a SKYnyx 2.2 Mono CCD camera that has global shutter. I also used a 2X Barlow with an Astrodon orange filter. All on an custom modified EQ-G and ER tracking software made for me and my mount. Manorville, NY, USA
This ISS was not in full Sun light at time of recording on 11-19-2016. I processed in VirtualDub and RegiStax5 to bring out more detalles in the ISS. The telescope was an Hedge HD 14 with a 1.6X barlow. Imaging camera was ZWO ASI174 mono with an orange filter at full frame then cropped video. All on a modified tracking EQ-G mount. Manorville, NY, USA
I think I am the 1st Amateur Astronomer from his own backyard to image BEAM Module Habitat docked to The International Space Station, Before and After BEAM was FULLY Pressure Inflated. (BEAM) is The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is seen fully inflated on the International Space Station on my image dated May 28, 2016 after being successfully expanded to its full size on May 28, 2016. The Bigelow Aerospace-built BEAM is a prototype space habitat for future space stations, moon colonies and moon bases. So now I think I am now part of that history. Manorville, NY, USA
I imaged the ISS on 8-09-17 from my backyard. Max pass was 58° at 9:42pm EST. The telescope was an Hedge HD 14 with a 2X barlow. Imaging camera was ZWO ASI174 mono with an orange filter. The mount and software helped me lock onto the ISS…………Seeing was good. Manorville,NY USA
I imaged the ISS on 3-25-18 from my Manorville NY, USA backyard. Max ISS pass was 62° at 8:06pm EST. The telescope was an Hedge HD 14 with a 1.6X barlow and red Astrodon filter on my ZWO ASI290 mono camera. The mount and software helped me lock onto the ISS…………The seeing at the time was poor. I did not stack any of these images. Manorville,NY, USA
I imaged the ISS on 5-18-19 from my backyard, Manorville NY, USA. ISS Max pass was 73° at 9:31 pm EST. Please Note: This ISS short video is at max 73° pass time and not in full Sun light at that time because of Earth’s curve and point of view to the ISS. The Sun was at -14.2°. You will see some solar flares from the Sun light reflecting off the ISS. The telescope I imaged with an Edge HD 14″ with an Astrodon Red filter on my ZWO ASI290 mono camera. You will see that the atmosphere was not good and also using a camera that has “ROLLING SHUTTER” that is better for planets and Moon. Not fast moving objects. With that said. It will make your images look funny and distorted. That is why “GLOBAL SHUTTER” is better like ZWO ASI174MC Color and mono CMOS Imaging Camera with USB 3.0 that has a GLOBAL SHUTTER sensor. For more info about Rolling Shutter vs. Global Shutter. Also Please Note: I am trying to image the ISS when at max 90° above my head is 250 miles above Earth and moving at 17,500 mph. The dimensions of the completed ISS research facility is approximately 356 feet (109 meters) by 240 feet (73 meters), or slightly larger than a football field.
I imaged the ISS from my backyard in Manorville NY on 7-01-19 at 4:26 AM EST! This ISS image is at Max Pass 84° point and not in full Sunlight at that time because of the Earth’s curve and point of view to the ISS. The Sun was only at -9.4°. I will share more images of this ISS pass when I have the time. The telescope was an Edge HD 14 with an Astrodon Red filter on a ZWO ASI174 mono camera and 1.6 X barlow lens. I also now have it all in my new Moonlite Focuser with Stepper Motor and new Hand Controller (Battery Operated).At the time of ISS pass the Seeing and Transparency was Average with Clear Skies. I also added an image of my uptodate ISS Tracking Setup modification.
I imaged the ISS from my backyard on 7-01-19 at 4:26 AM EST! This ISS image is at Max Pass 84° point and 3 other different times of that same pass. All ISS images are not in full Sunlight at that time because of the Earth’s curve and point of view to the ISS. The Sun was only at -9.4°. I will share more images of this ISS pass when I have the time. The telescope was an Edge HD 14″ with an Astrodon Red filter on a ZWO ASI174 mono camera and 1.6 X barlow lens. I also now have it all in my new Moonlite Focuser with Stepper Motor and new Hand Controller (Battery Operated).At the time of ISS pass the Seeing and Transparency was “Average” with Clear Skies.
Edge HD 14″ with an Astrodon Red filter on a ZWO ASI174MM (mono)camera and Tele Vue 2.0 x Powermate barlow lens
I put this Positive and Negative combination of both forms in same short video of the same ISS passing over my backyard at 6:35pm EST. The ISS on 1-20-20 had a Max 69° pass taken in poor seeings clear cold skies. The telescope was an Edge HD 14″ with an Astrodon Red filter on a ZWO ASI174MM (mono) camera and Televue 2.0 x Powermate barlow lens
I got this image of ISS on 9-19-08. I this I used a AP 155 refractor telescope hand guided. I only got this one OK image out of that pass. That image is at full frame from Lumenera’s SKYnyx2-0 Color CCD camera. I used a 3X powermate barlow.
According to these analyses I photographed the hatch of the ISS airlock from the ground, actually the highly reflective thermal cover that covers the hatch.The Quest Joint Airlock is the ‘door’ for spacewalkers. Here is where they egress and ingress the ISS. The measurements around the y and x – axes indicate that there is a bright detail at the right location as in the comparing space-based image. Some of the high pressure gas tanks on the outside of the airlock are separately visible and marked in the image. These tanks are used to recharge the spacesuites. Note also the resolved old KU-band dish antenna which was at the time of imaging still present at that location. This is the location where now the Tranquility node is mounted (visible in the comparing image on the right). The image was taken using a fully manually tracked 10 inch Newtonian telescope and colour camcorder. Date: 7th November 2019. Location: The Netherlands
“It’s been a while since I shot the ISS and clear skies prompted me to find a good pass. The quality was only 40-50% – the angle at the closest pass was not ideal but I decided to create a sequence image to show the movement of the station. I focused on Venus and then refined on Castor. When the Space Station appeared I hit record and began moving my scope by hand and following the ISS in the finder” Celestron 6SE on Celestron Advanced GT mount ZWO ASI120MC camera
Stack of 42 frames, captured from a 66 degree pass on July 17th, 2019. Equipment: Celestron NexStar 8SE, ZWO ASI224MC, Baader 610nm Near-IR Filter. The Canadarm is visible near the upper middle of the ISS, where the main truss and the modules intersect.
Stack of 255 frames, captured from a 77 degree pass on September 18th, 2019. Equipment: Celestron NexStar 8SE, ZWO ASI224MC, Baader 610nm Near-IR Filter.
Stack of 120 frames, captured from an 89 degree pass on November 15th, 2019. Equipment: Celestron NexStar 8SE, ZWO ASI224MC, Baader 610nm Near-IR Filter. The Canadarm is visible in this one as well, near the upper middle next to the
Stack of 21 frames, captured from a 69 degree pass on August 7th, 2018. Equipment: Celestron NexStar 8SE, ZWO ASI224MC.
Stack of 82 frames, captured from a 70 degree pass on May 14th, 2020. Equipment: Celestron NexStar 8SE, ZWO ASI224MC, Baader 610nm Near-IR Filter
All photos were taken mostly with high overhead passes of at least 50+ degrees above horizon to the zenith toward the southern sky. Hand guiding a fork/wedge mounted scope to the northern was just not practical when polar aligned in my observatory.
Photos taken from Renton, WA – just to the SE of downtown Seattle.
Camera: Vesta Pro webcam
Gain: about 45 to 50%
Brightness: 50%
Shutter speed: 1/500 second
Software (at the time!) I was using K3CCDTools to capture video.
AVI2BMP – used to sort the frames and save the good pictures as a .bmp file
