Posted by: Szabolcs Nagy
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ISS – High Beta Angle Season in 2020
Previously I have witnessed this incredible phenomena a couple of occasions, twice in 2018 (first and second time) and third time in 2019. But what exactly High Beta Angle season is? In this great article written by Dave Dickinson on Universe Today will explain it thoroughly.
This morning was an early start, the International Space Station was predicted to cross my sky between 4:24-4:31am BST.
This was a clean imaging session with no major issues and frames already looked promising right after the imaging itself ended and I quickly looked back the raw video. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus-13 cargo spacecrafts is due to undock on the 11th May, but no visible sign yet of the Canadarm 2 robotic arm release preparations.
What surprised me is the fact that on my photo I could clearly identify the Progress MS-13 (74P) cargo spacecraft docked to the Pirs docking port, also Progress MS-14 (75P) cargo spacecraft docked to the Zverda aft docking port is very faintly visible too. This is a stacked photo of 21 frames to bring out more details.
I could make two animation, one is when ISS was rising rushing toward zenith and the second one after I turned around the scope and continued as ISS was receding toward east.
I am glad to capture ISS during High Beta Angle season for the fourth time. Will definitely try to capture the tiny Cygnus cargo spacecraft too once released, there will be another almost 3 weeks until it will carry out its deorbit burn and will be destroyed during reenty. This is the standard procedure.
09/05/2020
Equipment
Skywatcher 250/1200 Flextube dobson telescope
Zwo ASI224MC camera
TeleVue 2.5x powermate
If you are curious, how these photos were taken, please visit the About/Imaging section on this website for more information. If you like what I am doing and you might consider some kind of support, please visit my Patreon website.