For the past couple of weeks the International Space Station (ISS) has been orbiting close to my house.  This great App, the ISS Detector Satellite Tacker, provides a forecast (date, time, and trajectory) of when the ISS will pass close to your location and a graphical guide, operating in real time, indicating where to look https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.runar.issdetector&hl=en.  I have been using this App for over a year and it is excellent, the only thing it can’t help with is cloudy skies!  As a result of cloud and rain I have been struggling to photograph the satellite during this period, until last night when we had great viewing conditions from dusk until late in the night (more on that in a later blog).  At just past 9.30 p.m. last night the ISS passed nearby again, so that I was at last able to record its path on my camera.

Of course nothing is straight forward and living close to Gatwick airport doesn’t help.  In the first two exposures the ISS track was interrupted by aircraft crossing its path – at a much lower altitude of course.  However, it makes for some interesting pictures.

ISS track intersected by a passing aircraft                                                                                   Canon 700D | 200mm telescopic lens | 46secs @ ISO200           

Better

The ISS is an amazing achievement.  Constructed in modular form by the USA and Russia since 1998, it measures approximately 73m x 109m x 20m, with a crew of 6, to date drawn from fifteen different countries.  The ISS travels around the Earth in a circular orbit between an altitude of 205 miles and 255 miles, at a speed of 17,227 mph, thus orbiting the Earth every 93 minutes!  As a result of this orbit it passes over or close to all the Earth’s surface, which means we all get a chance to see it (clouds permitting) every now and again – this is made possible by the Sun’s reflection off the station producing a bright golden flash as it passes.

At last, a clean shot of the ISS as it heads on its way towards the south east and out of view – back again in 93 minutes having travelled around the world!

Last night’s pass was from the west to the south east, at an inclination of about 45^o, producing a very good view for about 5 minutes.  Similar views of other manmade satellites are also common but, of course, they don’t carry people.  What a great human achievement and an awe inspiring sight which I never tire of.  Fortunately, once the aircraft had passed I was able to get a ‘clean’ shot of the ISS, unfortunately this will be the closest I’ll ever get to travelling in space.