International Space Station w/ DSLR & 400mm Lens

I took this a few weeks ago with the Rebel T1i and a 400mm L telephoto lens handheld. It would have been about 500 miles away.

International Space Station

Holy cow! You make me wanna run outside and aim my 500mm upwards!

I remember that it was booking (as in, hauling butt) when I tried to capture it with a wide angle. I am impressed you could track it with a 400mm. Great job.

godzakka wrote in post #8756671
Holy cow! You make me wanna run outside and aim my 500mm upwards!

I remember that it was booking (as in, hauling butt) when I tried to capture it with a wide angle. I am impressed you could track it with a 400mm. Great job.

Thanks!

Yea, it was a little difficult. A telescope buddy called me and told me about it. It had just undocked with the shuttle and both were traveling through the sky for about 30 visable seconds. I jumped outta my car and threw the camera and lens together and pointed upwards. I manually focused and shot 6 shots... this was the only one to come out!

I will have to try it again when I have more notice. The "heavensabove" website tells you the times... I just need a clear night.

To put this into perspective (rough estimates):

The ISS is the size of 2 football fields. It was about 500 miles at the closest point...

This photo would be like taking a picture of 2 Football fields in Sacramento from Los Angeles! Crazy...

It's a tricky target to capture like that, and I think you did really well. Suprising amount of detail really. I managed to shoot it with a 1200mm scope and didn't get much more detail than you at all.

"The "heavensabove" website tells you the times..."

Visited the site but I cannot figure out how to enter my own Lat/Long. All it wants to show me is 0 deg N 0 deg W. It must come over southern England at some time?

Lowner wrote in post #8759394
"The "heavensabove" website tells you the times..."

Visited the site but I cannot figure out how to enter my own Lat/Long. All it wants to show me is 0 deg N 0 deg W. It must come over southern England at some time?

If you can do google earth then spot your home and zoom in on it and the info you need will be in the bottom right hand corner of the screen . Lat. & Long.

Hard to resemble but i found one other section on the web that has very close resemblance to yours . ISS Scope Images

I use this link, Lowner. It's already set to Winchester in that link, so should work for you. And yes, it passes over the South of England quite often.

http://spaceflight1.na​sa.gov …n=England&city=​Winchester

Adrena1in,

Thanks, I'll try it. What passes near you must be close to me.

Re the other site, I know my lat/long, but was unable to gigure out how to enter the information.

I'd be completely astonished if my 100-400 and 1D Mk II could resolve anything that distant and so small.

Lowner wrote in post #8762734
Adrena1in,

Thanks, I'll try it. What passes near you must be close to me.

Re the other site, I know my lat/long, but was unable to gigure out how to enter the information.

Near the top of the page http://www.heavens-above.com/ is a section called "Configuration" with links "select from a map", "from database" and "edit manually".

A friend of mine Ian Mercier from Sherbrooke Quebec did this picture of the ISS last week:

Find out what he used. I think I might be able to get something good with my 2800mm SCT, but tracking the ISS with it is going to be very difficult, and no way will I get anything so sharp.

Maybe this is how you do it?

http://spacelaunch.ger​hards.net …-up-close-picture-of.html

Yaaa sure holding a C8 with hands ... 2000mm focal lenght ... lol!

More secrets revealed:

http://apod.nasa.gov/a​pod/ap090410.html