I captured this lightning-filled star trail from the International Space Station. More details in comments!astro_pettit OP t1_jbv8j2q wrote
Chain lightning depicted as discrete flashes in a timelapse. Seen here is the history of an electrical storm, city lights streaking by on Earth, and star trails. The star trails form straight lines in the orbital forward direction but circular arcs left and right of your orbit. The atmosphere on edge is yellowish due to the soon to rise sun. Above that is the atmosphere f-region, glowing in the red from solar radiation on the residual atmospheric oxygen.
Taken during Expedition-31, Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4 lens, ISO 800, 25 minute time lapse assembled from sequential 30 second exposures, 2012.
More orbital astrophotography can be found on my twitter and Instagram profiles.
stalkingyouisfun t1_jbvmuhs wrote
Do you ever find the radiation interfering with consumer electronics?
astro_pettit OP t1_jbxk38b wrote
Our laptop computers will periodically lock up due to cosmic rays; we call this Single Event Upsets ; SEU
pseudopad t1_jbz4e7z wrote
Can this be alleviated with ECC memory? Or are you already using that in your computers up there?
[deleted] t1_jbvtg1o wrote
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The_Phreak t1_jbwfx3w wrote
This was one of the most era defining photographs for me when it came out. It just made things seem that much closer to us.
switch8000 t1_jbw0yzq wrote
That’s beautiful. I just finished rewatching interstellar and getting some crazy black hole vibes from the photo.
Love the star trails!
DragonWhsiperer t1_jbwnef1 wrote
Awesome shot, and i always find these pics of earth looking time lapse photo/videos fascinating. I wonder what is happening in the top left with the startrails? They just stop or seem to reverse or something?
astro_pettit OP t1_jbxkhjh wrote
The star trails move due to the ISS pitch axis which makes one rotation every orbit. If you look left or right of your trajectory, stars go in circles; look forwards and stars go in straight lines.
duck_of_d34th t1_jby26go wrote
Whoa. Now here's a question I've never considered: which way is the ISS going and/or facing? Is there a "front," or is that determined by the direction of travel?
You said pitch, so is the ISS kinda rolling(like a ball, not side to side tilting lol) around the planet?
MadMelvin t1_jbypdtq wrote
What are the other curves that seem to cross the star trails in the upper left? Is that a rotating panel of the station itself?
KristnSchaalisahorse t1_jbys4zs wrote
Yes, those are reflections from one of the station’s solar arrays, somewhat more clearly seen in this other star trail shot of his.
gavlang t1_jbyzu0b wrote
What are the little gaps/interruptions in the orange streaks?
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