There was a minor error in the time on the image. This is the corrected one: http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/4724/201103021949set.jpg Ralf From: Ralf Vandebergh Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2011 9:26 PM To: SeeSat-L@satobs.org Subject: Earth-based view of STS-133 Spacewalk 2 Earth based view of STS-133 EVA (Spacewalk) 2 After almost exactly 2 years, another opportunity appeared, to capture a spacewalking astronaut from the ground. In the years of experiences, I learned that a lot of factors are needed to have a chance to capture a spacewalker. Aside from a favorable pass, clear weather with acceptable seeing and so on, mainly location and lighting of the astronaut have to be favorable which means a question of luck. In the 2009 image, it was luck that the astronaut was in front of an open structure on the Earth-facing side. Now was the luck, the astronaut was mounted on the SSRMS or Canadarm 2 and was maneuvering in the direction of the Columbus Laboratory for tasks. On the ground-based image at left you can see the sunlight shining on the Japanese Kibo Lab, you see the same in the Helmet-cam view of spacewalker Bowen. Further obvious in the ground-based shot is that the Columbus Laboratory itself is during this pass almost completely invisible, and is probably hidden behind the shadow of the Shuttle or other big structure of the Station. You see that also in the Helmet-cam shot. With the Columbus Lab covered in shade, realize that an astronaut in combination with the thick end of the Canadarm is a considerably big object, and this must be the speck of light we see at the area pointed out. The screenshot from Bowens Helmet-cam was made just a few minutes before the pass over here. in the meantime, the astronaut has moved just a little closer to the Lab. http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4724/201103021949set.jpg The images are taken during an 84 degrees culmination Northern pass on March 2, 2011. That is exactly 10 degrees more culmination compared to the spacewalk images taken 2009; http://www.startje.be/vieuw.php?qid=335219 http://ralfvandebergh.startje.be/vieuw.php?qid=328303 Ralf Vandebergh -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/private/seesat-l/attachments/20110303/1bba45c1/attachment.html _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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