How is the ISS Captured Using a Telephoto Lens?

[Andy Resnick]

ISS flyover about an hour ago:

800/5.6, 1/1000 s, ISO 1000. ISS was maximum magnitude -2.0, I tried to 'pre-calibrate' against Vega but still underexposed.

 

[Drakkith]

Nice!

 

[Andy Resnick]

Here's the whole set during the flyover:

 

[Andy Resnick]

Let's try this...

 

[Jimster41]

I looked for it. But the moon was on blast, and it's bright around here to begin with.

It would have appeared moving right?

 

[Drakkith]

Let's try this...

Even as blurry as it is, that's awesome!

 

[Andy Resnick]

Here's what I got from tonight's flyover- it passed close enough to Arcturus for this:

and the video:


deets: same lens settings, except 1/1250s. ISS max apparent magnitude -3.1, max elevation 78 degrees.

 

[Andy Resnick]

I looked for it. But the moon was on blast, and it's bright around here to begin with.

It would have appeared moving right?

Right- just like an airplane, but no flashing lights.

 

[tfr000]

Cool. So a stationary camera with a telephoto?

 

[davenn]

Cool. So a stationary camera with a telephoto?

no, not stationary
with any sort of telephoto lens big enough to give the sort of image size that Andy got he used 800mm, you are going to have to follow the object across the sky
it will move out of field of view very quicklyDave

 

[tfr000]

no, not stationary
with any sort of telephoto lens big enough to give the sort of image size that Andy got he used 800mm, you are going to have to follow the object across the sky
it will move out of field of view very quickly

Yes, I kind of assumed maybe he'd gotten it aimed before the pass...
I have seen the ISS a couple of times, and yes, it moves right along.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Tonight's flyover- this time the station is front-illuminated:



1/1250s, ISO 800. apparent magnitude -3.3, elevation = 58 degrees.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Cool. So a stationary camera with a telephoto?

no, not stationary
with any sort of telephoto lens big enough to give the sort of image size that Andy got he used 800mm, you are going to have to follow the object across the sky
it will move out of field of view very quickly

Yes, it's a telephoto lens on a stationary tripod- I slew the lens a few degrees/s to keep up, tho. A minor point- for the second movie, I had to alter the tripod a little to enable near-vertical orientation, like this:

http://www.richardpeters.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/vertical.jpg

and as a consequence, the camera executes a 180-degree roll throughout the sequence of frames which I did not remove.