Man-made Satellite Images

Most taken using Brent Boshart's Satellite Tracker Software

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International Space Station

My first attempt at imaging the ISS with a ToUcam.
The body is overexposed but the solar panels on the top are visible.

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International Space Station

I tried imaging the ISS with a Pentax DSLR at 2000mm
The exposure is better but the focus is worse.
I can't adjust anything while imaging. Back to the web cam next time.

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International Space Station

These web cam images at 1250mm were taken under poor conditions.
The weather was humid and hazy, max elevation was 22 degrees. The ISS
only had one minute of visibility, not enough time to adjust the camera.

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International Space Station

Web cam images at 1250mm, max elevation was 53 degrees.
The ISS only had one minute of visibility, enough to focus but
not enough time to adjust the camera gain. The tree and haze
turned down the brigtness for me. I'm getting better!

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International Space Station

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation was 66 degrees.
I changed focal length and got worse.

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International Space Station Aug 31 2008 4:37 AM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 76 degrees.
These images were taken about 30 seconds apart.
Note the rotation of the spaceship. The arc across the sky
causes the ISS to change angle and size.

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International Space Station Sept 20 2008 8:27 PM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 51 degrees.

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International Space Station Sept 21 2008 7:20 PM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 51 degrees.

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International Space Station Nov 23 2008 6:02 PM
Docked with Shuttle Endeavour

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 27 degrees.

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International Space Station Dec 8 2008 4:57 PM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 63 degrees.

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International Space Station Jan 21 2009 6:07 PM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 25 degrees.

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International Space Station Feb 1 2009 6:36 PM

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 75 degrees.

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International Space Station Feb 21 2009 5:34 AM

I went back to Pentax DSLR for dynamic range and field of view
SCT at 2000mm, max elevation 29 degrees.

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International Space Station Mar 15 2009 8:20 PM

Pentax DSLR, SCT at 2000mm, max elevation 80 degrees

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International Space Station Mar 17, 2009
Docked with Shuttle Discovery

I added a Barlow for more resolution.
Pentax DSLR, SCT at 4000mm, max elevation 86 degrees

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International Space Station April 24, 2009

Pentax DSLR, SCT at 2000mm, max elevation 50 degrees

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International Space Station July 8, 2009
Third image is after scope rotated 360 deg upon passing under Polaris

Pentax DSLR, SCT at 2000mm, max elevation 51 degrees

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International Space Station July 20, 2009
Really cloudy night, only a few frames came through

Pentax DSLR, SCT at 2000mm, max elevation 36 degrees

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International Space Station August 28, 2010
Two twilight images, Sun was only 4 degrees below the horizon
Hardware worked well but only a few frames came within the FOV
If the one on the right had not been cut off it would have been my personal best

Web cam images at 2000mm, max elevation 83 degrees

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One of my March 17, 2009 ISS images with brightness
increased to reveal the Shuttle Discovery's delta wings.

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Four GeoSynchronous Satellites

Stellarvue 80mm, Pentax K100D, 1 min * 39

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Four GeoSynchronous Satellites though tree branches

Stellarvue 80mm, Pentax K100D, 1 min * 3

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Four GeoSynchronous Satellites

Stellarvue 80mm, Pentax K100D, 1 min * 10

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Arianne

European expendable launch system

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Cosmos 1736

Russian Satellite

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Cosmos 1736

Russian Satellite

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Cosmos 1803

Russian Satellite

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EGP

Japan's "Experimental Geodetic Payload" or "Ajisai" (Hydrangea flower) is a very distinctive object launched in August 1986. EGP is a sphere with a diameter of seven feet, and is covered with mirrors designed to reflect sunlight so the satellite can be photographed by ground stations for precise geodetic surveying measurements. The brief flashes are too short to be noticed by the naked eye. In binoculars EGP resembles the strobe of an airplane but the flash pattern is more complex than a strobe light.

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EGP

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Unknown

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Iridium Satellite 1999
Iridium flare of MAG 8.1 was the most intense small nightime object I'd seen.

Orion Short Tube 80 piggyback, Pentax K1000 film, 3 minute exposure

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MAG 8 Iridium Satellite passing Polaris

Pentax K100D, 100 mm with tripod

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