Observing the ISS with a scope

Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with folks
at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...
Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with folks
at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

Given that the ISS is only visible for a few minutes each pass, and given
it's relative brightness, I don't think that you need a scope to make it a
feature of public events. Tell people roughly where to look and when, and
they will be happy!

"OG" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...
Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with
folks at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

Given that the ISS is only visible for a few minutes each pass, and given
it's relative brightness, I don't think that you need a scope to make it a
feature of public events. Tell people roughly where to look and when, and
they will be happy!


This we already do. My question pertains to seeing the ISS with some
shape/detail by observing it telescopically.

Dennis

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...

"OG" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...
Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with
folks at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

Given that the ISS is only visible for a few minutes each pass, and given
it's relative brightness, I don't think that you need a scope to make it
a feature of public events. Tell people roughly where to look and when,
and they will be happy!


This we already do. My question pertains to seeing the ISS with some
shape/detail by observing it telescopically.


Fair enough, but how many of the public would you expect to see the ISS
through a scope in each pass? If you have a big screen and
some kind of CCTV you may be able to 'show' at a public event, but otherwise
you may be better with 'stock photos' of the ISS.

"OG" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...

"OG" wrote in message
...

"Dennis Woos" wrote in message
...
Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so,
what software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in
my club with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit
with folks at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

Given that the ISS is only visible for a few minutes each pass, and
given it's relative brightness, I don't think that you need a scope to
make it a feature of public events. Tell people roughly where to look
and when, and they will be happy!


This we already do. My question pertains to seeing the ISS with some
shape/detail by observing it telescopically.


Fair enough, but how many of the public would you expect to see the ISS
through a scope in each pass? If you have a big screen and
some kind of CCTV you may be able to 'show' at a public event, but
otherwise you may be better with 'stock photos' of the ISS.


It isn't either/or. Some folks can observe it naked eye, and some can get a
peek at it through one or more scopes. I know we could image it and display
video on a laptop, which would allow more folks to view it simultaneously.
However, and even though we often do small groups, I don't think it is
important that everyone gets a look. Anyone who doesn't will certainly get
to observe other stuff equally interesting.

Dennis

Yes, it is possible to observe it telescopically, but it takes some
doing to track it well by hand. It does show some shape at only about
50x if the pass is fairly close and the seeing is good. A couple of
weeks ago, I could see a couple of the solar panels as faint spike-like
projections from the brighter lumpy bar of the station, but it was tough
to keep it in view to see more than this. However, it is not exactly
easy to make out this detail, so ISS isn't really a good telescopic
object for the public. One possibility is to download one of the
on-line movies of the passes taken with satellite tracking Meade LX-200
telescopes and then play it back for the public during the pass. Some
of the movies do show some noticeable detail. However, it would be
difficult for most people to look into a rapidly moving telescope for a
"live" view and see anything unless a TV camera were used and the output
sent to a large monitor. For most public observing sessions, ISS should
just be a naked-eye object which you can announce and point out to
people. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 14th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 15th-20th, 2007, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

Couple years ago I caught a solar transit of the ISS in my 13" scope,
30x. I could clearly see solar panels, main bodies, and the
shuttle.docked. Use calsky.com to get the next predicted transit in
your area...Dennis


"David Knisely" wrote in message
...
Yes, it is possible to observe it telescopically, but it takes some
doing to track it well by hand. It does show some shape at only about
50x if the pass is fairly close and the seeing is good. A couple of
weeks ago, I could see a couple of the solar panels as faint
spike-like projections from the brighter lumpy bar of the station, but
it was tough to keep it in view to see more than this. However, it is
not exactly easy to make out this detail, so ISS isn't really a good
telescopic object for the public. One possibility is to download one
of the on-line movies of the passes taken with satellite tracking
Meade LX-200 telescopes and then play it back for the public during
the pass. Some of the movies do show some noticeable detail.
However, it would be difficult for most people to look into a rapidly
moving telescope for a "live" view and see anything unless a TV camera
were used and the output sent to a large monitor. For most public
observing sessions, ISS should just be a naked-eye object which you
can announce and point out to people. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 14th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 15th-20th, 2007, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

And before somebody says something, yes my scope had a solar
filter...Dennis

"Dennis Allen" wrote in message
om...
Couple years ago I caught a solar transit of the ISS in my 13" scope,
30x. I could clearly see solar panels, main bodies, and the
shuttle.docked. Use calsky.com to get the next predicted transit in
your area...Dennis


"David Knisely" wrote in message
...
Yes, it is possible to observe it telescopically, but it takes some
doing to track it well by hand. It does show some shape at only
about 50x if the pass is fairly close and the seeing is good. A
couple of weeks ago, I could see a couple of the solar panels as
faint spike-like projections from the brighter lumpy bar of the
station, but it was tough to keep it in view to see more than this.
However, it is not exactly easy to make out this detail, so ISS isn't
really a good telescopic object for the public. One possibility is
to download one of the on-line movies of the passes taken with
satellite tracking Meade LX-200 telescopes and then play it back for
the public during the pass. Some of the movies do show some
noticeable detail. However, it would be difficult for most people to
look into a rapidly moving telescope for a "live" view and see
anything unless a TV camera were used and the output sent to a large
monitor. For most public observing sessions, ISS should just be a
naked-eye object which you can announce and point out to people.
Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 14th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 15th-20th, 2007, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

On Jun 20, 5:05 pm, "Dennis Woos" wrote:
Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with folks
at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

Dennis

This is the software that will drive your LX200 fast enough to track
the ISS and keep it in the eyepiece:

Improvements to the LX200GPS telescope interface.

Brent Boshart
P.O. Box 125
Atwood, Ontario
Canada N0G 1B0

Web Site: http://www.heavenscape.com
Email:

It really works too, and it is feasable to connect a low light level
video camera to your telescope so everybody can see.

Matthew Ota
Orange County Astronomers
Mount Wilson Observatory
Mount Wilson Observatory Association

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:05:51 -0400, "Dennis Woos"
wrote:

Anybody have any experience observing the ISS with a scope? If so, what
software do you use to track, what magnification, etc. A guy in my club
with an 8" lx200 and I are wondering if this would be a big hit with folks
at public events. schools, etc. Thanks.

I haven't tried at a public event, but I've followed the ISS with my
LX200 (with tracking software). I find it fairly difficult to move my
head with the eyepiece well enough to catch detail. I think the
logistics of getting one or two people to the scope during a pass,
dealing with eye position and focus issues, and explaining what they are
seeing would be problematic in a group setting.

I agree with what others have said: use a video camera on the scope so
that everybody can see the enlarged ISS, and otherwise let them follow
the event visually.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com