[sheeny (Al)]

So with a shuttle up and docked on the ISS is anyone planning to try to view it or image it?

Clouds seem to be parting here today, so I'll do a run through Satscape and Heavens-Above this arvo when I get home from work to see if I'll get any favourable passes.

For anyone else that's interested I've been filling in some of my cloud-bound days/nights doing some calculations:

The ISS orbits between 320 and 410km above the earth.
Most of the modules of the ISS are 4 to 5 metres in diameter.
When crossing the horizon, the ISS is about 2116 kms away.
Based on Dawes Limit the minimum apertures to resolve the 4m diameter modules of the ISS are:
50mm for altitudes of 75 degrees or higher;
70mm for altitudes of 45 degrees or higher;
80mm for altitudes of 35 degrees or higher;
90mm for altitudes of 30 degrees or higher;
180mm for 10 degrees or higher.

I have read that at 50x magnification there is plenty of detail to see on the ISS, but I haven't achieved that yet. At 20x I can say there's no detail at about 60 degrees altitude (20x80 Binoculars).

Because the ISS moves so fast across the sky, tracking is always going to be the challenge especially at high magnifications.

Feel like a challenge?

Al.