Comments on: Spectacular new ISS picture… from the ground! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:42:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: The Next Twenty Years » Blog Archive » Amazing Shuttle picture! | Bad Astronomy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-261606 The Next Twenty Years » Blog Archive » Amazing Shuttle picture! | Bad Astronomy Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:21:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-261606 [...] including several of the space station. Ralf’s images have graced this blog before, including this one of the station, a picture of Discovery and ISS from an earlier mission, and one actually showing an astronaut [...] [...] including several of the space station. Ralf’s images have graced this blog before, including this one of the station, a picture of Discovery and ISS from an earlier mission, and one actually showing an astronaut [...]

]]> By: International Space Station – From Earth « The National Space Society of Phoenix http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210322 International Space Station – From Earth « The National Space Society of Phoenix Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:04:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210322 [...] recently ran across these amazing picture of the International Space Station taken by Ralf Vandebergh. So I went looking for his work on the [...] [...] recently ran across these amazing picture of the International Space Station taken by Ralf Vandebergh. So I went looking for his work on the [...]

]]> By: Mike Salway http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210268 Mike Salway Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:48:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210268 A collection of Ralf's best images of the ISS, Space Shuttle and other Satellites, including information about Ralf himself, is here: <a href="http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2009/07/17/amazing-images-of-the-international-space-station" rel="nofollow">Amazing Images of the International Space Station</a> Well done on this excellent new image, Ralf! A collection of Ralf’s best images of the ISS, Space Shuttle and other Satellites, including information about Ralf himself, is here:

Amazing Images of the International Space Station

Well done on this excellent new image, Ralf!

]]> By: chaboyax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210254 chaboyax Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:54:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210254 thanks Fritriac thats how i find them but good info for people that didnt know thanks Fritriac thats how i find them but good info for people that didnt know

]]> By: little vampire http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210194 little vampire Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:49:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210194 In case you sit in bed one night (or day) and wonder how many people are in space right now, here you'll find the answer: http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/. Though, it doesn't say how many mice or frogs are in space. In case you sit in bed one night (or day) and wonder how many people are in space right now, here you’ll find the answer: http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/. Though, it doesn’t say how many mice or frogs are in space.

]]> By: Sriram http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210192 Sriram Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:25:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210192 Brilliant :).. Brilliant :) ..

]]> By: Will Somebody Please Buy Me A New Telescope!?!?! « Geordi Calrissian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210169 Will Somebody Please Buy Me A New Telescope!?!?! « Geordi Calrissian Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:48:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210169 [...] Gracias senor BA! [...] [...] Gracias senor BA! [...]

]]> By: MadScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210126 MadScientist Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:12:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210126 Ralph's certainly committed and does great with the equipment he has. Anyone with observing time on maybe a 50" telescope want to try to see what comes up? Just whack a digital movie camera on the back - that's got beamsplitters filters and multiple detectors so you don't get artefacts due to changing filters and don't get such bad artefacts if you need to blow up the image. Of course you'll need a 'scope which can be programmed to track an object in orbit and which can slew pretty fast. Ralph’s certainly committed and does great with the equipment he has. Anyone with observing time on maybe a 50″ telescope want to try to see what comes up? Just whack a digital movie camera on the back – that’s got beamsplitters filters and multiple detectors so you don’t get artefacts due to changing filters and don’t get such bad artefacts if you need to blow up the image. Of course you’ll need a ‘scope which can be programmed to track an object in orbit and which can slew pretty fast.

]]> By: John Keller http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210105 John Keller Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:22:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210105 There was some loon on godlikeproducts stating that the ISS was fake. Here's a link to a site that give you information on ISS sightings. http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ There was some loon on godlikeproducts stating that the ISS was fake.

Here’s a link to a site that give you information on ISS sightings.

http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

]]> By: coolstar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210079 coolstar Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:26:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210079 There's a actually a reason that most of the best photos of the ISS and shuttle are taken with small telescopes: it doesn't help to use larger ones. Resolution is effectively set by the "seeing" and one of the main determinants of that is called the "Fried parameter" which is essentially (and somewhat simplistically) the average size of a refracting blob of air above the telescope. Even at great seeing sites, that's around 10-20 cm or about 4-8 inches. Once your aperture gets much larger than that, you're averaging over lots of little blobs of air, which makes things worse. Most of these shots are also taken with very short exposure times, to help "freeze" the seeing. Professionals have learned this technique from amateurs and call it "lucky imaging". (well, it can help to use larger telescopes, of course, if you have a million dollar adaptive optics set up.......). There’s a actually a reason that most of the best photos of the ISS and shuttle are taken with small telescopes: it doesn’t help to use larger ones. Resolution is effectively set by the “seeing” and one of the main determinants of that is called the “Fried parameter” which is essentially (and somewhat simplistically) the average size of a refracting blob of air above the telescope.
Even at great seeing sites, that’s around 10-20 cm or about 4-8 inches. Once your aperture gets much larger than that, you’re averaging over lots of little blobs of air, which makes things worse. Most of these shots are also taken with very short exposure times, to help “freeze” the seeing. Professionals have learned this technique from amateurs and call it “lucky imaging”.
(well, it can help to use larger telescopes, of course, if you have a million dollar adaptive optics set up…….).

]]> By: Paul Bates http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210061 Paul Bates Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:50:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210061 That's amazing. I recently saw the flyover when the shuttle and space station where closing in on each other. Awesome! That’s amazing. I recently saw the flyover when the shuttle and space station where closing in on each other. Awesome!

]]> By: Fritriac http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210050 Fritriac Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:28:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210050 @chaboyax Searching for daylight passes? Look at www.heavens-above.com. Select your observing site and you'll get daylight and night passes with altitude, azimuth and the exact times. @chaboyax

Searching for daylight passes? Look at http://www.heavens-above.com. Select your observing site and you’ll get daylight and night passes with altitude, azimuth and the exact times.

]]> By: chaboyax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210042 chaboyax Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:06:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210042 i just love seeing this come over has any one here seen it in daytime i have once very early am i just love seeing this come over has any one here seen it in daytime i have once very early am

]]> By: Fritriac http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210028 Fritriac Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:47:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210028 @Shane I LOLed too, but here's a little nitpick. Ralf is from the Netherlands ;-) /Saw some of his pics at Spaceweather.com and some other sites. All of them hand-guided. This guy must be a genius. Kudos! @Shane

I LOLed too, but here’s a little nitpick. Ralf is from the Netherlands ;-)

/Saw some of his pics at Spaceweather.com and some other sites. All of them hand-guided. This guy must be a genius. Kudos!

]]> By: rich (richmanwisco) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210023 rich (richmanwisco) Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:27:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210023 @Shane It never gets old! @Shane

It never gets old!

]]> By: Bjørnar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210016 Bjørnar Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:50:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210016 Why am I seeing double? Why am I seeing double?

]]> By: Kevin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210012 Kevin Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:13:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210012 Speaking of conspiracy theorists, did any of you read that even Neil Armstrong is now saying that he didn't land on the moon? <b><a HREF="http://bit.ly/FSrPr" rel="nofollow">Conspiracy Theorist Convinces Neil Armstrong Moon Landing Was Faked</A></b> Oh yeah.... :D ;) Speaking of conspiracy theorists, did any of you read that even Neil Armstrong is now saying that he didn’t land on the moon?

Conspiracy Theorist Convinces Neil Armstrong Moon Landing Was Faked

Oh yeah…. :D ;)

]]> By: Keith (the first one) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210010 Keith (the first one) Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:12:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210010 Awesome. That's very impressive. (I noticed another Keith posting here) Awesome. That’s very impressive.

(I noticed another Keith posting here)

]]> By: Carey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210006 Carey Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:14:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210006 If conspiracy theorists are looking for new ideas*, the ISS sure is starting to look like a swastika. *Hey, I like to help out where I can. If conspiracy theorists are looking for new ideas*, the ISS sure is starting to look like a swastika.

*Hey, I like to help out where I can.

]]> By: Claire http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210005 Claire Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:14:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210005 I got chills looking the photo you linked with the astronaut doing an EVA. Unbelievable. I got chills looking the photo you linked with the astronaut doing an EVA. Unbelievable.

]]> By: kuhnigget http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210004 kuhnigget Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:06:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210004 @ Shane: LOLski! @ Shane:

LOLski!

]]> By: Shane http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-210002 Shane Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:57:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-210002 In America, you photograph satellite. In Soviet Russia, satellite photograph you. In America, you photograph satellite. In Soviet Russia, satellite photograph you.

]]> By: dmolavi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-209997 dmolavi Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:33:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-209997 One more reason I need to move to the country...I miss seeing stars in the sky at night. One more reason I need to move to the country…I miss seeing stars in the sky at night.

]]> By: Lewis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-209994 Lewis Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:23:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/09/01/spectacular-new-iss-picture-from-the-ground/#comment-209994 I've taken my family to a local dimly lit parking lot a couple of times to see ISS pass overhead, in the evening. One time in particular I think Endeavour was docked and there was an EVA underway. To think that bright dot moving across the sky had people inside (and even outside). It was amazing. Can't wait to see it again! I’ve taken my family to a local dimly lit parking lot a couple of times to see ISS pass overhead, in the evening.

One time in particular I think Endeavour was docked and there was an EVA underway. To think that bright dot moving across the sky had people inside (and even outside). It was amazing. Can’t wait to see it again!

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