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astro_pettit OP t1_irmna48 wrote

Large Magellanic Cloud taken from ISS during my first mission, Expedition 6 in 2003. This was taken when Space Station was flying XPOP attitude, a solar inertial attitude that allowed the solar panels to point towards the sun without tracking. Essentially, the station itself was the tracking mechanism. A solar inertial attitude is about one degree per day different from a stellar inertial attitude thus for 30 second time exposures the stars remain as pinpoints. Since about 2006, ISS has flown LVLH attitude, where one side remains pointed nadir towards Earth at all times and time exposures yield stars that are arcing trails.

This photo is a four image stack, taken with a Kodak-Nikon 760 (an early professional digital camera, a Nikon body with a Kodak FX-sized sensor), Nikkor 58mm f1.2 lens, ISO 800, with each exposure of 30 sec.

More astrophotography can be found on my Instagram and Twitter. Please let me know if you would like to see more here for Reddit!

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BobWheelerJr t1_irmoe5l wrote

Ho

Leeee

Crappppp...

  1. That's an amazing image.

  2. It's made doubly so by knowing it was taken from the ISS... a picture OF space, taken FROM space.

  3. I can't believe a legit astronaut took the time to come here and post it.

This has quite literally positively impacted my mood and my day. Thank you!!!!

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astro_pettit OP t1_irmp8fo wrote

Thanks for kind words; happy to share

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Macr0Penis t1_irmuvxw wrote

Even better, he can now legit say he has communicated with an actual astronaut! The internet is amazing, and yeah, would love to see more of your photos! Thank you.

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tribblydribbly t1_irn3fqp wrote

If you wind up doing like a little presentation like you had mentioned a couple comments up I would be thrilled to listen. Beautiful pictures thank you for taking the time to share them with us.

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PlutoMyBeloved t1_irmtnvr wrote

astrophotography from the ISS
w h o a
thanks for coming here to post this! :D

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Whoudini13 t1_irmv2xh wrote

This is probably a stupid question but...Do they have some sort of backyard type telescope they play around with?

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astro_pettit OP t1_iroy6bg wrote

Your question is good; we have 400mm f2.8 and 1200mm f8 Nikon telephoto lenses on ISS and these in effect can be used as a refractor telescope.

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Whoudini13 t1_irp2lxp wrote

Kool ..I know there's all kinds of digital equipment to use..but a mirror telescope to me is just...like comparing digital music to analog music...and from space

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TheCallousBitch t1_irnejb1 wrote

You are a hero.

I am completely in awe of the achievements and hard work that led to you becoming an astronaut.

I’m deeply appreciative of the sacrifices you have made to continue exploration and scientific advancement.

I’m floored by your photography and feel like there is hope for the future… despite all the horrors of current day politics and the economy.

Thank you for sharing this amazing image. It provides so much more than just “ooh, pretty!”

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nickkohrn t1_irmrtef wrote

Dang, I’ve been wanting to head to the Atacama from the northern USA to capture this target with my 80mm refractor. I can’t imagine capturing this from space.

Thanks for sharing! 🤩

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thejml2000 t1_irmx1eu wrote

First off, this is an awesome photo! I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I thank you for posting today!

Reading your explanation, does this mean we can no longer take these exposures since it’s LVLH? Is there/could there be a mount on the station to allow a camera to track for 30s exposures again, or is the station moving too fast in its orbit for that to be viable? Are there windows that face outward still?

Also, for this photo, we’re you able to mount the camera or strap it to a wall or the like? Or did you actually hand hold for 30s exposures? (Which is super challenging here on earth, I can only imagine it’s even more impossible when floating in the ISS!)

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astro_pettit OP t1_iroxuth wrote

I use Bogen arms as camera mounts to hold the camera in the position to make the wanted composition. In weightlessness, two Bagen arms can be connected together to make a very flexible positioning system. Now that ISS is flying LVLH attitude, making star field exposures longer that 2 seconds with a 24mm f1.4 lens gives stars as streaks.

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mysticalfruit t1_irmsknl wrote

I've been told the ISS is loud. Do you have to deal with vibration issues as well taking a 30s explosure?

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Danobing t1_irp0r6k wrote

Aside from the iss vibration isolation is huge in space photography

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zeeblecroid t1_iroxgo3 wrote

> This was taken when Space Station was flying XPOP attitude, a solar inertial attitude that allowed the solar panels to point towards the sun without tracking. Essentially, the station itself was the tracking mechanism.

... Well, this is me, never again complaining about how much a tracking equatorial mount costs.

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anchoriteburan t1_iro14be wrote

I used to use similar Kodak digital cameras (Canon bodies) when I worked in an electron microscopy lab in the early 2000s.

Kodak had an early lead working with both Nikon (yours) and Canon (ours) and squandered it thinking they could just keep their film cash cow going.

A friend whose family came from Rochester and worked for Kodak told me that Fuji was a forbidden word in their house! (As if it’s Fuji’s fault that Kodak made bad choices).

Now even the SLR is going away in favour of mirrorless bodies and phone cameras.

I feel old.

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Few_Carpenter_9185 t1_iroezsi wrote

That is great! And the raw images must have been very good to only need a stack of four to produce that final result.

I believe I understand what the ISS maintaining "XPOP or solar inertial attitude" is, and how a constant orientation to the sun produces only about 1°/day of change in the visible starfield through a specific viewport. Because the only significant change is one additional day of movement of the Earth in its around the Sun.

An "LVLH" Earth fixed orientation for the ISS instead, would cause almost 2° of movement in a 30 second exposure. Assuming a 91 minute 30 second orbital period rough average between boosts.The LMC covers about 10° of the sky, so... Smeeeeearrr.

Is there any additional equipment that held the camera steady during the 1/2 minute exposures? And are there challenges with internal reflections in the viewport?

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astro_pettit OP t1_iroyh3p wrote

you got the math right; ISS now pitches at 4 degrees per minute, 16X faster than Sidereal rates.

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eaglekineagle t1_irpo4b1 wrote

Sir, I don't care what anyone else says. I think you are truly a hero. I understand this is your job, your mission, but take a moment to consider everyone who sees what you have accomplished and shared. It's uplifting, awe inspiring, impactful, and truly a gift to humanity.

You're an inspiration to us all, thank you for everything.

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Ardtay t1_irp1mef wrote

Thanks for the tracking info, I was wondering how that was done on something orbiting at mach 25.

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surfzz318 t1_irp4ure wrote

Question. How much of space/ stars/ galaxy are visible to the naked eye from space compared to night on earth?

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