« How to ... ? » : taking pictures of the ISS [Solar System] Acquisition techniques · Jérémie · ... · 5 · 676 · 1

A lot of questions!

Jérémie:
- last but not least, do you have a software that easily helps calculating « transit » (ISS in front of the sun, or the moon

You may take a look at https://transit-finder.com/. It is possible to record the passage of ISS in front of the Moon by just using a DSLR in video mode and a telephoto lens:

International Space Station Lunar Transit

Hello !

I have been monitoring Transit Finder website extensively until I found a window to shoot the ISS in front of the moon (this week).

But… my son and I were ready to record that transit and we started recording a few seconds before it. With my ASI183MM Pro, connected through USB3 on the computer, the framerate on screen was around 5,5 FPS. Which is OK to see the transit as it last below the second.

My son saw it on screen (I was stupidely watching at the moon - the ISS was in shadow, no way to see it before it crosses the moon).

I was expecting to see it when looking at the SER file, but nothing…

I was using ASIAIR Studio, and looking at the SER file, it seems it could only record 1 frame per second in average… and the ISS went through between frames 😭

So, my question is : how do you capture such brief events ?

First of, next time I will record RAW 8bit and not higher, that should help, but is there better way to capture it ? With a DSLR that can record up to 15 frames per seconds ?

I don’t want to record in full HD : I want a nice resolution on the ISS with my 1620mm focal length.

Thanks for your suggestions !

If you aren't trying to manually track the ISS it every time it goes overhead at -2.8 or brighter magnitude, then you don't know what fun is regarding a telescope. Sure, you can get software but getting that dialed in correctly before you experience the pure rush of chasing the space station through your guide scope, you most likely won't deal with downloading, calibrating and dealing with the 4-5 new programs you'll need. But once you start  trying to catch it by tracking it by hand, you will be hooked.

You will NEVER experience a more exhilarating, stimulating or adrenaline pumping onslaught that looking through a telescope has to offer then the 2-3 minutes  you'll spend  trying to get ISS every time you're luck to get a good pass. You get ready, you align your scope to it's orbit, you do a practice run, and you hit record and hope all it good, because no time to adjust or even look at the screen. You are just hoping to get ISS to pass in the middle of your finder scope and I mean the MIDDLE. you can try to track it, but it's better I think to lead it and have the scope be still as it passes, then leap frog again, hope it hits center, repeat. 

What I have learned, You want to align your scope 180 degrees opposite Az of the HIGHEST Alt and (90 degrees minus highest Atl) (ex. highest alt is 47Az/76Alt you would align your scope North 227 degrees and 14 degrees Alt. You can use Heavens Above App to set up very close and only have to move move RA axis and nudge DEC a hair or two and get the images you need. (Shown on an old CG4 mount as my AVX is now on a new pier, but still have the AVX tripod so I trust it.)

ISS Tracker Snip.mp4

That's all you get from me, the fun is figuring out everything else out, and you won't curse me for too long, you'll thank me for turning you on to the most fun you can have with your telescope, even if you do end up with 25 gigs of black frames a couple of times. But 1 more thing, get a correct image finder scope. The SV208 will be your friend.