ISS, just a thought.

[naked"I"]

this could be a top silly question .

Is it possible to track the ISS with a tacking capable scope setup?

or can it be programmed?

be nice with your answers please .

Dave

[barkis]

Not silly at all, in fact some great video has been done by members on SGL, and the ISS is plainly visible, and no mistaking it's cofiguration. I believe the Meade LX 200 SCT has a satellite tracking ability, but don't quote me on that. I think following the track would be easier done with an Alt Azimuth mount, as the target flies in a straight line. It would be difficult manipulating an equatorial mount to manually track the satellite. Of course having a programmed mount would be a better proposition.

I'm sure you will get some better Info. on this from someone who has actually don e this kind of Imaging.

Ron.

[jgs001]

There is a module for eqmod that can track satellites, I tried it the once but had something setup slightly wrong and was a degree or two behind the ISS for the entire pass. Sat tracker I think it's called. It uses the same software Ron mentioned with an lx200 emulator in the middle.

[Glen]

here's the link to the yahoo group for ya

satellitetracker : Satellite Tracker Software

its a challenge but can be done

[Dave]

Like this you mean?

Space Hardware - Eagleseye

This was manually tracked, but if If you saw the original webcam movie, it looked nothing like the finished product. The ISS just shot into the frame every so often and I had to adjust each image that I did capture to produce the movie.

I have got EQMOD configured so that it tracks satellites, but I have never tried it in anger yet on the ISS.

Dave

[chrisshillito]

I put together a video tutorial on how to do EQMOD satellite tracking that might be of interest.

Chris.

[Psychobilly]

Thanks for that Chris very useful

I have been using the fork mounted CPC on a wedge with Sattracker as there's no Meridian Flip to worry about...

Billy...

[Dangerous-Dave]

Like this you mean?

Space Hardware - Eagleseye

This was manually tracked, but if If you saw the original webcam movie, it looked nothing like the finished product. The ISS just shot into the frame every so often and I had to adjust each image that I did capture to produce the movie.

I have got EQMOD configured so that it tracks satellites, but I have never tried it in anger yet on the ISS.

Dave

These are superb Dave. I had a bash last night, with my Megrez 90, 3x Barlow and DMK but only about 12 out of 5000 images had anything on and all except 4 of those were badly motion trailed.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5336720246_a230f50510_o.jpg

What exposure length did you use? I'm guessing a thousandth or lower?

[keithatrochdale]

Can Stellarium track it?

[Psychobilly]

Couple if things to watch (baut its a while since i tried this)

Make sure you have the latest TLE's ( I use Space-track) especially if they have made any orbit corrections to the ISS and that your clocks are synced to a decent time standard... update the TLE's about a half hour before and resync the clock minutes before the pass... well in adavance of the imaging pass use the facility in Sattracker to advance the "time" and do some dry runs...

A joypad is very handy for making tracking corrections start at a lower FL and get the hang of keeping the ISS in the center of the FOV it is really easy to overcorrect the tracking...

Billy...

[naked"I"]

Thanks guys, I think im a long way off attempting any of this just yet. but now I know it is possible.

[Dave]

With the speed of the ISS, especially at its closest, and my wobbling trying to keep it in the centre, you need a fast shutter speed to freeze the movement. I use 1/1500 of a sec. I use a Bahtinov Mask to focus on Polaris and I set the exposure so Jupiter is just over bright, enough to be washed out.