International Space Station ISS Transiting in front of the Sun´s Chromosphere visible in H-alpha Emission

The image shows the International Space Station (ISS) silhouette while crossing in front of the Sun´s disc at a distance of 441.54km from us and at a speed of about 7.31km/s. The ISS completes an entire orbit around Earth each 90 minutes. Carrying on board astronauts, the large artificial satellite orbiting our planet with a width of 108.5 meters had an angular diameter of 62.58″ seems although very small when compared with the Solar disc with an angular size of 31.6′ was actually 30.3 times larger than the ISS at the moment of the passage. Hard to see it even with a special telescope equipped with Ha filters, only the fast video camera from Player One Astronomy Apollo-M Max with a shutter set to an high speed frame rate of 109 images per second at 16Bits, could capture this rare moment that happens in a blink of an eye. Seen from Figueira da Foz, northern cost of Portugal, on June 2, 2024, at 13h18m51s (UT 12h18m51.35s) the transit had a total duration of only 0,54 seconds. Its interesting to recognise on the picture the ISS structure with the solar panels and main body elements well distinct. The image also shows in great detail spicules on the surface, a large gas filament and a large active region, as well as a few solar prominences around the Sun’s lilmb. With a diameter of 1,392,000 km, our Sun is composed of 73% Hydrogen, 25% Helium and 2% from heavier elements. The video shows a time lapse of 200 images captured over the course of around 2 seconds. Images were processed individually withouth being stack, I was impressed with a quality achieved only with single frames. The ISS is visible in white on the first sequence, because of the inversion technique for processing the chromosphere with more depth. Second sequence shows the ISS in black without this inversion visible.

PT: A imagem revela a silhueta da Estação Espacial Internacional (ISS) atravessando o sol a uma distância de 441.54km de nós e uma velocidade média de cerca de 7.31km/s. A ISS completa uma órbita em torno da Terra a cada 90 minutos. Transportando a bordo vários astronautas, este grande satélite artificial com uma envergadura de 108,5 metros parece muito pequeno quando comparado com o disco solar com um tamanho angular de 31,6′ encontrava-se na verdade cerca de 30,3 vezes maior do que a ISS no momento da passagem. Difícil de observá-la mesmo com um telescópio especial equipado com filtros de protecção H-alfa, só uma câmara muito rápida como a Player One Astronomy Apollo-M Max com o obturador a captar 109 images por segundo a 16 Bits, teria a capacidade de eternizar este momento raro que acontece num um piscar de olhos, com a curta duração de apenas 0.54 segundos. Visto a partir da Figueira da Foz, na costa norte de Portugal, a 2 de junho de 2024, às 13h18m51s (UT 12h18m51s ). Na fotografia é possível reconhecer a estrutura da ISS com os seus painéis solares e os elementos que compõem o corpo principal. A imagem também mostra em grande detalhe espículas na superfície, um grande filamento de gás e uma grande região activa extensa, bem como algumas proeminências solares ao redor do limbo solar. Com um diâmetro de 1.392.000 km, o nosso Sol é composto por 73% de Hidrogénio, 25% de Hélio e 2% de elementos mais pesados. A imagem captada a partir do meu terraço, revela assim uma série de intensas protuberâncias  que se espalham à volta do limbo solar, na cromosfera. O vídeo mostra um time lapse de 200 imagens captadas durante  cerca de 2 segundos. As imagens foram processadas individualmente sem serem empilhadas (stack), pelo que fiquei bastante impressionado com a qualidade obtida apenas com quadros únicos. A ISS é visível em branco na primeira sequência, por causa da técnica de inversão para processar a cromosfera com mais profundidade. A segunda sequência mostra a ISS em preto sem essa inversão visível.

Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos

LUNT LS100T Ha | AZ-HEQ5GT | Player One Astronomy Apollo-M Max and Player One Saturn-M SQR |Figueira da Foz, northern cost of Portugal. 02/06/2024 13h18m51s.

Important Note | Nota Importante:  Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever.  PT: Nota Importante –  Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
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I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and if you still want to support my work as an independent artist, you can buy this image as a Fine Art Print, a piece of Art to bring some magic to your sweet home! I will be deeply grateful for your kind support. I have created a special limited Edition of this Print supplied with a signed & numbered Certificate of Authenticity, global delivery with tracked & insured shipping, in a carbon neutral sustainable production, packaging and shipping. Explore the size options and prices by clicking on my Print gallery. Meanwhile, you can sign-up my newsletter to get early access of future Print releases.

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