Satellite Images

Mick (Michael) · #1 07-11-2004, 10:37 PM

Took this photo of Iridium 68 yesterday, it was -0 mag in the constellation of Cetus. anyone else image satellites?

iceman (Mike) · #2 08-11-2004, 06:15 AM

Nice shot! How long was that exposure? It looks like about 15-20 seconds, as the stars are beginning to trail..

I'm hoping to get some satellite shots this week, since I don't have the laptop this week it'll be either widefield shots or afocal eyepiece shots again.

Do you use heavens-above for your satellite tracking data? Is it spot-on for your location?

iceman (Mike) · #3 08-11-2004, 06:22 AM

Also, there's a little more detail in your image.. I did a little bit of processing to bring it out..

Hope you don't mind.

Mick (Michael) · #4 08-11-2004, 09:05 PM

Thanks Ice, the exposure details are as follows Nikon Coolpix 4500 18.72sec f/3.2 ISO 200. Yes I visit heavens-above often and have found it to be very accurate for pass information of Iridiums and other satellites.

iceman (Mike) · #5 08-11-2004, 09:10 PM

ewww I posted the re-worked version on my work computer, with a much older and (it seems) crappier monitor, and I couldn't see much of your flare in your original shot, so I made it brighter thinking I was making it look better..

Then I get home and have a look, and this monitor is a bit better and obviously a bit brighter, and your original looks like what I saw in my re-worked one at work!

Now my re-worked one looks absolutely horrible with patchy bits all over the place!

Sorry about that, I need to calibrate both monitors so that they look the same from both home and work, because at times I do a bit of image processing from both locations whereever I get time..

eww my version just looks horrible on this monitor.

Mick (Michael) · #6 08-11-2004, 09:24 PM

That's alright Ice

that's why I don't do much more than remove some of the noise. Sometimes processing of a digital image makes me wonder whether they are images or art.

rumples riot · #7 09-11-2004, 12:00 AM

Never tried imaging satellites before, but have seen shots of the ISS by Wes at CN, great shots. Must give that a go before long.

Paul

beren · #8 10-11-2004, 02:47 AM

Paul have you tried the Intercept mode on your LX, pretty cool feature . You get satellite pass details either from the autostar data base or update and the scope works out the point in the sky to lock on and your ready to rock . You can even set it up before the pass where the scope has a coutdown alarm and does a auto pilot to intercept .....

iceman (Mike) · #9 10-11-2004, 06:31 AM

Wow that's really cool..

Takes a *little* bit of the fun out of finding it yourself, but I'd still love one of those mounts/scopes

rumples riot · #10 10-11-2004, 10:53 AM

No I have not tried that yet, so many features to the Lx200 that I am still learning about after 5 months. Have not done an Autostar update yet. Probably should, but am of the thinking that if it ar'nt broke don't fix it.

Still would like to give the ISS a try at some point in time, but think that it rarely comes our way.

Paul