ISS makes a lunar transit

The ISS is making a series of evening passes at this time and I note that one this evening is to transit the face of the Moon for those of us living here in Tralee.

Details on www.kerryastronomtclub.com web page.

It is clear now but what is the odds for this evening?

Michael Scully

Michael, Looks like you'll get a chance by 9pm....
Get that camera out!

Keith..

www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/today.asp?zipcode=Kerry

I hope the weather stays clear for you Michael. Think I'llkeep my binos on stand-by and estimate how close it gets to the Moon from Daingean/Tullamore! The opportunity for you would be a pretty neat one!

Seanie.

The clouds were comming and going but it stayed clear for the event. The ISS showed up in the west at about 19:04 a little later that predicted by heavens-above.com and disapeared as it reached its highest point in the sky. With binoculars it could be followed as it went through the coathanger just before it began to fade and then disapear.

Then it was on to the Moon. With the camera setup on one telescope, I watched through another telescope. The camera was set on continuous shooting mode where it takes about 4 images in the first second and about 2 a second after that. Then watching through the eyepiece I saw the ISS streak accross the face. The speed of it really took me by supprise with the transit lasting no more than half a second and the camera was of course between exposures.

I did however get some images of the Moon, (without the ISS) The webcam taking a video at 25 frames per second is certainly the best approach but the field of view is so small that getting it targeted would be the challange. Next time.....

So a visual sighting but no record.... yet.

Michael Scully

Good try Michael,
I just happened to be walking out to the observatory and saw this bright star in the west, I presumed it was the ISS due to its brightness.

Getting it in the camera is no mean feat !!!

Hard luck Michael!

I myself realised at about 19:11hrs that it happened a few minutes beforehand - but I was driving anyway!