tried recording ISS

Wanted to try a video-capture of the International Space Station later in the evening...The 9:55 flyover.

8:35 PM, Fri 14 Aug 2015. Tried some simulated ISS runs with the Paramount. Set the time manually in TheSky 6. Went to Zosma.

Elaine popped into the Warm Room.

I started gathering camera gear and cables.

8:42 PM. Stopped the test.

Sue popped into the Warm Room.

Opened the roof.

Just over one hour away from the event.

Connected the camera via the ethernet-USB extender. Headed to Arcturus to focus. Turned on the camera. Wasn't sure if I was on the star. Quit the EOS Utility; launched Backyard (Premium Edition 3.1.4). Used the Tele Vue to centre, as the pointing was off a bit. Used the Motion Control to draw it in. Fired up the Optec focusing software. Double-checked the COM port: 8. It protested. Some sort of connection issue.

Donaldson popped into the Warm Room.

Oops. Found the handbox in Auto mode; switched to Manual/PC. Set the step to 100. Watched the FWHM in BYE. Down to 6.1. Then 6.0. Switched to 50 steps. Continued to Out focus. 5.5. Switched to 10 units. Then In focus. Focuser was at 3925. Got 5.4. Good.

8:55. All set.

Wheelband popped into the Warm Room. Looking for the Assistant Site Supervisor (aka ASS). Updated him on my activities. He didn't know the Paramount could track the ISS. He wanted to show off Saturn. I said I could show it, no problem, with the Live View. We could view other stuff until a few minutes before the pass...

Acquired Saturn and shot some video.

9:49. Readied the 'scope. Pointed to the west.

9:51. Fine-tuned the position. It started rising over the horizon.

Chris M and Kelly popped into the Warm Room.

I advised the group on the Observing Pad that it was over the horizon. Explained how TLE data was necessary.

I spotted it in the Tele Vue (with the 10mm, so 54x). An H-shape. Gold panels, white central structure. A nice image. Offered others the view to Chris and Kelly.

9:56. Checked the Canon image. Nothing. I stopped the tracking run as the mount reached the meridian no-fly zone.

Tried a rapid meridian flip. Ian W popped in. He thought the ISS bright. I told him I had no luck capturing it. The view in the refractor Kelly thought was "awesome."

Started tracking again. We watched it fade out.

No joy. It was off-centred in the TV101 so I knew it would not be in the camera field. Oh well. I expected this. And that I will have to keep trying.

10:02. Dismounted the camera.

§

Checked the distance. The ISS was about a ¼ field away from centre. SkyTools said that was about 15 to 16 arc-minutes.