Video Distraction: ISS Startrails

ISS Startrails - TRONized from Christoph Malin

"This Video was achived by "stacking" image sequences provided by NASA from the Crew at International Space Station. These "stacks" create the Star Trails, but furthermore make interesting patterns visible. For example lightning corridors within clouds, but they also show occasional satellite tracks (or Iridium Flashes) as well as meteors - patterns that interrupt the main Star Trails, and thus are immediately visible.

The many oversaturated hot pixels in some of the scenes are the inevitable result of high ISO settings the Nikon D3s in ISS-use are pushed to for keeping exposure times short (owed to the dramatic speed the ISS travels). As there are no dark frames or RAW data currently available, hot pixels are not easy to remove.

Thanks a lot to my favourite bad Astronomer, Phil at BadAstronomy for first posting the film.

Finally, please also be aware of Light Pollution one can see in many of these scenes! In the US join darksky.org for preserving the night skies for our children!!"