ISS passing Moon took only third of a second
ASTRONOMER David Le Conte has waited many years to capture an image of the International Space Station crossing the Moon.
And the one he took from La Societe Guernesiaise's observatory at 6.40pm on Tuesday was a rare split second moment as the ISS's pass in front of the Moon's disc could be seen from Guernsey.
The former Nasa scientist, who is PR officer for the astronomy section of La Societe, said the space station was due to be visible again this week.
'A high shutter speed and fast ISO were needed to "freeze" the space station in the image as, travelling at 19,000 miles per hour, it crossed the moon in less than a third of a second,' he said. 'The shape of the space station can be made out.
'I had waited for many years for such a moment.
'Although the space station is frequently visible from Guernsey, this is the first time that I am aware of that it had been forecast to pass in front of the Moon's disc.
'In addition to photographing it I observed it through a 5in. refracting telescope.
'I had only once before got a telescopic view of it – through the 16in. telescope – some years ago, when I could see its shape quite clearly.
'Since then the space station has grown, so it is now the size of a football pitch.'
