Observation by Steve Knight: ISS close up again

Uploaded by

Steve Knight

Observer

Steve Knight

Observed

2020 Mar 27 - 19:43

Uploaded

2020 Mar 28 - 10:20

Objects

Spacecraft

Equipment

Skywatcher f6 8in Dobsonian
ZWO ASI174MM camera
Televue 5x Powermate
642nm bandpass filter

Exposure

x12 1ms sequential exposures stacked

Location

Banbury

Target name

International Space Station

Title

ISS close up again

About this image

Another iteration trying to improve the image. This is using a 5x Powermate for a larger image size, pleased that I can manually track the ISS at f30. Downside is I had to increase exposure time. Next iteration is clearish tonight is to repeat this without filter for a shorter exposure.

Files associated with this observation

P_g4_ap44 registaxed resized faststoned.jpg (133.8 kB)

Like this image

Andy Wilson, Mr Leonard Entwisle, Chris Dole, Nick Hewitt, Graham Winstanley, Jeremy Shears, Martin Lewis, Andrew Dumbleton

Comments

Martin Lewis, 2020 Mar 28 - 19:42 UTC

Wow Steve- you did well manual tracking at f30. That's about optimum for that camera in terms of Dawes limit and with a 642nm filter too. Very well done. Will you drop to a red filter or use no filter at all?

Martin

Steve Knight, 2020 Mar 29 - 13:17 UTC

Thanks! Last night's iteration was 0.1ms, no filter. Not an improvement, in fact the opposite. Luminous transmittance of the 642nm filter about 10%, next iteration (if clear) maybe a red or orange filter with higher transmittance. Real challenge is focussing on a non tracking mount and I think that has to be spot on. In garden (where else can I go) I don't get a view of Polaris from where I have to be for ISS.

Martin Lewis, 2020 Mar 30 - 10:57 UTC

Yes you could try a red filter or a 610nm longpass (Baader red) which would have a much higher transmission than the 642nm.

How close to the Pole Star can you access? I would have thought that things will slow down enough towards Polaris that you can use a Bahitinov mask to successfully focus even if you can't actually get onto the star itself.

Best wishes,

Martin

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