International Space Station last night

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Stewart
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There was a very bright pass of the International Space Station yesterday evening, and the sky was clear for once, and I managed to photograph it. I've used an interactive 3D visualisation of the ISS to try to interpret what I saw - I haven't manged to get the orientation in the visualisation quite right, but I think it's close enough to see broadly what's what.

18002-1491550788-bedd4cd42c39dc33c45642d0d6be15d1.jpg
 
Can you give us a clue as to the kit you used, please, Stewart. Having updated the X-T2 and 100-400's firmware, it now works much better with the 2x converter so gives me a useable 1200mm EFL, albeit at f/11. Weather looks hopeful for tonight's pass at 20:54...
 
Excellent, well done indeed (y)
 
Can you give us a clue as to the kit you used, please, Stewart
Canon EF 600mm f/4 L IS II USM with EF Extender 2x III on a Canon 7D Mk II.
Actual focal length 1200mm f/8, equivalent focal length 1920mm.
ISO 2000, 1/2000th at f/8.
 
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Cheers for that, Stewart. Can't match the reach and failed dismally to pick the ISS up, even by zooming back to 100 (200) to catch it then zooming in once I've got it in view. Did manage to catch a bird flying across the moon but that was pure luck! Might try again this evening if I'm awake enough!
 
... failed dismally to pick the ISS up, even by zooming back to 100 (200) to catch it then zooming in once I've got it in view.
Locating the wretched thing in the first place can be hard with a big lens. Personally I don't think zooming is a good idea because it gives you too much work to do. With my setup the ISS traverses the entire field of view in 1/2 a second, so as soon as I find it I need to start tracking; I think the combination of zooming and tracking is too difficult, plus of course handling the rig any more than is strictly necessary risks jogging it off target.

I like to pick up the ISS as it's rising almost vertically in the west, because that's relatively easy, and then try to track it continuously. Last night I sneezed and lost it as it climbed to a high altitude, and it took me ages to get it back again.
 
I hand hold for it (and the moon). I was managing to pick up a star (or possibly planet) while practising and have managed the ISS in the past but couldn't get it last night! The plan was to take a load of shots as it passed almost directly overhead to reduce the distance the light needed to pass through the atmosphere but as with most best laid plans, it gang agley!
 
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