Space Station

I've never really tried to shoot something like this before, not even star trails. But the news that the penultimate launch of the Space Shuttle would send it over our skies as it chased the International Space Station got me thinking. Apparently both the Shuttle Endeavour and it's jettisoned fuel tank would be visible from Dublin as they passed overhead.

So to figure out how I was going to set it up I had a go at shooting the Space Station on one of its passes:



The long white-ish streak in the middle of the shot is the ISS, which travelled in an East-West direction. Just below it, the bright blob is the planet Saturn, a prominent sight in our night sky at the moment.

The setup was pretty simple - I put the camera on a tripod and used the cable release to trigger a number of test shots, but found that a 30 second exposure at f/8 and ISO 100 was best. Using information from the website Heavens Above I knew when the ISS would make it's appearance. In real time it looks like a very bright start or a fast moving aeroplane. the sky chart on Heavens Above indicated that the pass would make the ISS appear quite close to Saturn, so I composed and timed to capture it in this way.

I'm happy with the result - admittedly my home is not in a dark area so I'd give this another go in a more rural setting without street lights.

As for STS-134, sadly the launch was cancelled! It seems unlikely that I'll see it now, the next launch date is on Monday May 2nd, but earlier in they day when it will still be bright here...