SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENES
Lightning Bugs, 2012
Photographic Process: Multiple long (20 second exposures) taken from fixed mount in ISS cupola. Photo editing software used to layer (composite) 6 images into a single frame. Photographer edited individual elements from selected layers for visual impact and artistic effect. Colors are meant to reflect viewing experience.
Physics in the Photo:
• Space Station Rotation – ISS cupola points nadir (toward earth) as it orbits the earth. It is turning on its own axis as it orbits.
• Orbital speed
• Low earth orbit
Elements to Identify:
• stars• lightning • city lights • atmosphere on edge
Points to Ponder:
• Why are streaks different colors?
• What makes the atmosphere appear green?
• Star trails are curved, which direction was the photographer looking? N - S - E - W
Black Spot Sun June 5, 2012
Photographic Process:
Physics in the Photo:
Elements to Identify:
Points to Ponder:
Planet Venus moves across the face of the sun about once every hundred years transiting two times within about an 8 to 10 year period. You Venus is making in eclipse of the sun, but because it is so small in diameter compared to the sun it appears as a small black spot moving across the face of the sun.
A solar filter was used to take pictures of the sun and record this a once-in-a-lifetime event. Here is Venus transiting across the sun as a perfect black circle. Blurry smaller dark areas are sunspots. A 1200 mm telephoto lens was used, with the camera hands held. Many practice shots were taken in advance to prepare for this event.
Black Marble, 2012
The Black Marble. This photograph was taken in the cupola with a super-wide fisheye lens showing 5 of the 6 side windows of and the circular window which points nadir (toward earth). You see a big Mother Earth view. This effect is a result of the fisheye lens which gives the impression you are seeing all of the sphere of earth. The original image is Kodachrome® level with saturated colors. There are blue oceans and tiny technical details in red. It really looks spectacular.
People are accustomed to seeing space imagery in this saturated, vivid color. Converting the photo to black and white allows your eyes are drawn to different details without the overlay of color.
Composite Photograph 4-5 exposures
30 minute exposure
Lightning appears as white dots
Soyuz spacecraft in foreground
Progress transport spacecraft in background
Solar arrays on both spacecraft
Green glow is aurora
Sunrise in distance
Purple hue of earthglow 75 miles above Earth