More Shadow Chasing

It's only a few days before Endeavour undocks from the ISS and returns to Earth. Unfortunately, there are no solar transits visible from the UK after undocking, so this imaging session was to try and improve on my previous "docked" image. Endeavour is the dark blob situated between the solar panels, which are also better presented compared to my last post. I was chuffed to get 4 images so, overall, I think this is a more pleasing composite than my last effort. Images taken at Maple Cross, Herts. on 24th May.

Due to the resolution limitations of my camera and lens (420mm), I think this is the best I can achieve with my current set-up. In the raw images, the ISS is only about 25 pixels across, so there's not much data to play with! I need to increase the image scale which means getting one of my scopes set-up for solar imaging. Another project to add to the growing list.

ISS/Endeavour at 10h55m and the all important 24seconds.... (and sunspot 1216)

A very fuzzy Endeavour

Shadow Chasing - Endeavour crosses the Sun

After yesterdays disappointment, the weather today was forecast to be worse, but I checked out a favourable spot anyway to try and image the ISS and Endeavour transit, predicted for this morning at 11.43 and 38 seconds. I've only got 3 attempts left to try and image Endeavour before it's pensioned-off, so I had to try and hope for better luck than we had yesterday.

When I arrived at my chosen site near Pulloxhill, Beds, I parked up in a convenient field ......and it started to rain. "What am I doing here?" I asked myself. As the wind was blowing the cloud along at a fair pace I thought I'd stick it out and hope for the best. Fortunately, 10 minutes before the transit started a big patch of blue blew across the sun and everything was looking good.

No other mishaps, and I started my 100 exposure sequence 10 seconds before the predicted start, at a rate of 5 fps, using my laptop on the car seat to get an accurate time fix.

Back home, I was delighted to have captured 3 images which are composited here. The other dot on the sun is the sunspot AR 1216. The enlargements show some detail - one of the sets of solar panels is very clear, though I'm not 100% sure which bit is Endeavour. I suspect it's the dark blob near the centre.

Duration of transit only 0.57 secs. Shadow ground speed 7.5 km/s

Diameter of ISS = approx 65.4 arc seconds

In a field somewhere, with my DSLR and 420mm lens