STS-125

[simking]

I like these type of missions..intresting to see them work...hummm hint hint nudge nudge what a great Mission for us to do here..

[RMS Driver]

OT: I re-did STS-103 last night. I had forgotten how much fun the RMS and EVA work is!

Does anyone have any updates on what the warnings were about during the launch?

[uri_ba]

now that is the most impressive Shuttle Picture I've seen

http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2009/14may09/Thierry-Legault2.jpg

and look closely on the "sunspot" on the bottom left of the sun in this image
http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2009/14may09/Thierry-Legault1.jpg?PHPSESSID=mj5fpudmv0dtjghmmm3o0omn16

[sgi]

About the first image, I report that the photographer made this image using a solar-filtered Takahashi 5-inch refracting telescope and a Canon 5D Mark II digital camera. The telescope is very expensive...but look at the result!

[sgi]

About the second image, it was taken the day after, before the grapple of HST: yes, the small spot is HST! Exposition time was 1/8000, Thierry Legault shooted 16 consecutive images.

[uri_ba]

so did the second image...
when the second image was taken the shuttle crossed the sun in less then a second. it was definitely a lucky catch

and I don't know how expensive is the telescope, I'm more fond of the camera end of the thing, unfortunately it's too expensive and made by the wrong company

[sgi]

Not exactly a lucky catch, Uri, if you read my second post... About costs, Thierry is a professional photographer..

[uri_ba]

professional or not.. catching a shot of an event lasting only 0.8 seconds when your camera give you "only" 4FPS. that is a challenge
I guess he started the sequence two seconds before the crossing and held it for an extra 2 seconds.. question is how to sync yourself on the correct time.

[Greggy_D]

professional or not.. catching a shot of an event lasting only 0.8 seconds when your camera give you "only" 4FPS. that is a challenge
I guess he started the sequence two seconds before the crossing and held it for an extra 2 seconds.. question is how to sync yourself on the correct time.

I agree.  Quite an amazing feat (mixed in with a little luck).

[sgi]

question is how to sync yourself on the correct time.
[/quote]

Not a great question, after all. In astronomical observation of lunar occultations and solar eclipses a perfect timing is essential, but today there are many ways to obtain perfection.
Before GPS the true problem was to have geographical co-ordinates with an error +/- 10 meters, now is very simple, so ephemerides are ever reliable.

[davidrobinsonjr]

Great shots from STS 125.


Feustel,on the RMS, and Grunsfeld durring 3rd EVA.

[simking]

Any reason why the solar panels are white covers?,don't remember noting about that

[RMS Driver]

They replaced the solar panels with smaller, more efficient ones during STS-109.

[Spacewalker]

Any reason why the solar panels are white covers?,don't remember noting about that

These are not covers. It's just the backside of the solar panels. The surface with the photovoltaic cells is on the other side, facing to the Shuttle's aft. (The panels can be rotated around one axis.)

[simking]

Any reason why the solar panels are white covers?,don't remember noting about that

These are not covers. It's just the backside of the solar panels. The surface with the photovoltaic cells is on the other side, facing to the Shuttle's aft. (The panels can be rotated around one axis.)

Ahh I thought they were the same on both sides..thanks