ISS Transits Sunspot Region: A Seattle Astrophotography Triumph

After weeks of dedicated planning, I'm thrilled to present what I believe is my best International Space Station (ISS) solar transit yet! Captured from the heart of Seattle, this image showcases the ISS silhouetted against our Sun, and incredibly, it passed directly over a significant flaring sunspot region.

At the moment these pictures were taken, the ISS was approximately 500 kilometers away, while the Sun stood at a vast 151 million kilometers. The journey to this vantage point was an adventure in itself. I had to strategically position myself in the inner city, coordinating with precise orbital data to ensure the alignment. With only about 90 seconds to spare, thanks to fortunate traffic conditions, I managed to reach the perfect spot to witness and record this celestial event.

This breathtaking shot was made possible using a Lunt 50mm telescope, an ASI174MM camera, and a Televue 2.5x Powermate. The subsequent processing involved a suite of powerful software, including Autostakkert, Registax6, and Adobe Lightroom, to bring out the intricate details of both the ISS and the dynamic solar activity.

While the planning was primarily focused on catching the transit with any visible sunspots, I certainly didn't anticipate encountering a sunspot region of this magnitude, nor one that was actively flaring so prominently. It's a fortunate coincidence that highlights the unpredictable beauty of our solar system.

This image is a testament to the meticulous planning and execution required for such rare astrophotographical opportunities, offering a unique perspective on our closest celestial neighbor and the marvels of human engineering in orbit.