Skirting Helios: International Space Station transits the Sun
NASA photographer Bill Ingalls has made a habit of snapping incredible images of space-related events. From the launches at centers across the globe to NASA dignitaries presenting the latest news about on-going efforts – Ingalls has covered them all. One of his most recent efforts has caught the International Space Station as it passed in front of our home star.
The composite image was produced by combining five frames and featured the current home of the nine astronauts and cosmonauts currently residing on the orbiting laboratory. At the time the image was taken, the station was traveling at an estimated five miles per second.
Ingalls took the images that make up this photo on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, from Shenandoah National Park, Front Royal, VA.
The crew currently on board the ISS consists of the following: NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren; Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko, and Sergey Volkov; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui; Danish Astronaut Andreas Mogensen; and Kazakhstan Cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.
This composite image, made from five frames, shows the International Space Station – with a crew of nine aboard – in silhouette as it transits the Sun at roughly five miles per second on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, viewed from Shenandoah National Park, Front Royal, VA. On board the ISS are NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren, Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Volkov, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, Danish Astronaut Andreas Mogensen, and Kazakhstan Cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov. Photo Credit: Bill Ingalls / NASA
Jason Rhian
Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.
Three more arrived on the 3rd, so at the time the transit image was taken there was a crew of NINE aboard the ISS.