View Full Version here: : Jupiter, Uranus, and the X-37B spaceplane
StephenM
01-06-2010, 06:01 AM
Hi all,
At 5:12 this morning we had a pass of the US Military's new X37B spaceplane just below Jupiter and Uranus, so I thought I'd have a go at capturing it. The X-37B was about mag 3.5, which is at the limit of what I can pick up with my K100D and 300mm lens. In order to make the X-37B trail visible I had to adjust the levels so much that the quality of the resulting image is terrible - but the X37B is visible, which was the goal. Had a nice view in binoculars as well.
Anyway, here's the image.
Cheers,
Stephen
Dennis
01-06-2010, 07:38 AM
What a unique capture – nice planning and execution Stephen, you’re a champion at this exotic stuff!
Cheers
Dennis
Nice work, that's not something you see every day...
Bird
michaellxv
01-06-2010, 08:58 PM
Well done, timed perfectly.
alexch
01-06-2010, 09:17 PM
Very interesting and well captured. Thanks for sharing
Alex
StephenM
02-06-2010, 03:28 PM
Thanks Dennis, Michael, Anthony and Alex.
Unfortunately the focus moved on my lens while waiting for the X-37B to arrive, so the trail was a bit out-of-focus and therefore faint. I took another sharper image of the planets just after the X-37B passed, and combined the 2 in Photoshop to get this image. Would have been better if the focus hadn't moved!
Cheers,
Stephen
kinetic
02-06-2010, 04:00 PM
Pure amateur astronomer imaging excellence, Stephen:thumbsup:!
Steve
Good one Stephen. :thumbsup:
StephenM
02-06-2010, 08:51 PM
Thanks Steve and Liz!
Not sure about that Steve, but it was a bit of fun!
Cheers,
Stephen
multiweb
02-06-2010, 09:51 PM
Very cool Stephen! :thumbsup: Did the men in black knock on your door shortly after you took those shots? ;)
Great work and planning Stephen.
How the heck did you find out when it was visible? Heavens Above?
StephenM
03-06-2010, 10:14 AM
Thanks Marc. No, they haven't knocked on the door yet, but it's probably just a matter of time!
Thanks Rob. The X-37B passes have been listed on Heavens Above for the last few days. It's quite interesting to see if you get the chance.
Cheers,
Stephen
Thanks Stephen - must look it up :)
kinetic
04-06-2010, 06:32 AM
I saw it this morning Stephen , on a 45 degree pass (Fri, 5:19am)
Tried to get a photo...nothing so far in a quick stretch of my set.
I will try stacking them to reduce the noise, see if I can see a trail
as a negative.
Mag 4 was easily visible even with the moon nearby, but in a 30sec
time exposure with it moving, obviously not enough brightness to
register on a pixel.
Steve
StephenM
04-06-2010, 08:39 PM
Glad you got to see it Steve. Hopefully we'll get some brighter passes in the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Stephen
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