ISS & The Moon

Another really good ISS pass tonight in LA, with the added bonus of it going very near the five-day-old crescent moon. (Which means that somewhere nearby it went right in front of the moon and could have been photographed like that, but you’ve got to be good, mobile, and very lucky.)

Tonight, rising at about the same place as last night (northwest) but heading to almost due south instead of to northeast…

First, a thirty-second exposure (with glare and lens flares from the omnipresent street lights) as ISS rises from the lower right and heads toward the moon, which is just above and to the left of the palm tree.

Then, in the three exposures below, all ten seconds each (so they didn’t get overexposed and washed out by the moon), all taken right after another, you can see ISS passing the moon.

Someone who will remain nameless (Jessie!) might have bumped the tripod for a second there…

Look at the blurred palm fronts at the top of the tree – the Santa Ana winds are blowing.

Then swing the camera around to the left and keep shooting ten-second exposures…

As predicted by the Heavens Above site, soon after ISS passes the moon it fades and flies into orbital night…

…and is gone.

In Los Angeles, there are more good sightings in the evening Saturday (17:46:30) and Monday (17:41:13). Check for your location, wave to the six onboard!