NASA captures spectacular images of ISS cross the sun
04 Jan 2017
NASA has captured a spectacular image of the International Space Station (ISS) traversing a path against the sun at a speed of about 28,968 kilometres per hour.
The images were captured by Noel Kowsky, a lensman for NASA as the space station was about to make a transit in front of the solar body on 17 December.
Kowsky captured a number of images of the event, 10 of which together make a single composite view of the ISS.
The ISS, the largest man-made structure built in space is seen transiting the sun in the photographs.
According to Tech Times, capturing a photo of such solar transits was no small feat as it took meticulous planning.
The ISS orbits the earth at an altitude of about 330 to 435 kilometres and it is very difficult to see it directly without the help of a high-powered telescope at times.
There was also the challenge of knowing where the space station would be relative to earth and at what time. Stargazers often used a tracker to find out the location of the ISS.
The ISS crossed the sun at a speed of about 28,968 kilometres per hour.