apod
06-04-08, 11:50 AM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/ISS_STS124_michelberger_800.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/ISS_STS124_michelberger.jpg) Chasing the ISS
Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply): Jürgen Michelberger (http://www.jmichelberger.de/)
Explanation: Bathed (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080524.html) in sunlight, theInternational Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html)(ISS) arcedthrough the evening sky above the town of Lauffen insouthern Germany on May 31st.The timing of thebright passage (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/help.html) was about 10 minutes afterthe launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on theSTS-124 mission (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html)from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the southeastern US. Of course, <ahref="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts124/multimedia/gallery/gallery-index.html">Discoverywas headed toward an orbital rendezvous with the ISS.In chasing after the space station, the shuttle also madea pass over Lauffen just 21 minutes after launch.With a camera fixed (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071208.html) to a tripod,astronomer Jürgen Michelberger recorded bothmagnificent machines (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070628.html) streaking overheadin two different time exposures, each about 2 minutes long,and merged them in this composite view.Parallax causes the paths of the ISS (right) and Discovery (near center)to seem to diverge as they were at very different altitudes.Stars (and bright planets) leave two, separated, short trails.The brief, flaring track of an Iridium (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991022.html)satellite and faint dottedtrail of a passing airplane are also visible.A close inspection will reveal a dim reddish track,the jettisoned externalfuel tank (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/basics/et/index.html), just left of Discovery.Placing your cursor over the picture should help identify some of thefeatures.
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080604.html)
Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply): Jürgen Michelberger (http://www.jmichelberger.de/)
Explanation: Bathed (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080524.html) in sunlight, theInternational Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html)(ISS) arcedthrough the evening sky above the town of Lauffen insouthern Germany on May 31st.The timing of thebright passage (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/help.html) was about 10 minutes afterthe launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on theSTS-124 mission (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html)from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the southeastern US. Of course, <ahref="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts124/multimedia/gallery/gallery-index.html">Discoverywas headed toward an orbital rendezvous with the ISS.In chasing after the space station, the shuttle also madea pass over Lauffen just 21 minutes after launch.With a camera fixed (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071208.html) to a tripod,astronomer Jürgen Michelberger recorded bothmagnificent machines (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070628.html) streaking overheadin two different time exposures, each about 2 minutes long,and merged them in this composite view.Parallax causes the paths of the ISS (right) and Discovery (near center)to seem to diverge as they were at very different altitudes.Stars (and bright planets) leave two, separated, short trails.The brief, flaring track of an Iridium (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991022.html)satellite and faint dottedtrail of a passing airplane are also visible.A close inspection will reveal a dim reddish track,the jettisoned externalfuel tank (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/basics/et/index.html), just left of Discovery.Placing your cursor over the picture should help identify some of thefeatures.
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080604.html)