View Full Version : Why aren't there any photos of stars from space?
rockchick
15-Nov-08, 00:15
With all the space shuttle photographs out there, new space tourists etc. why are there NO photographs of our starry skies from space? Without the atmostphere to distort the view there should be myriads of stars in photos. Surely if amateur astronomers can photograph stars from Earth the pros who make it to space should be able to provide at least ONE photo...?!
With all the space shuttle photographs out there, new space tourists etc. why are there NO photographs of our starry skies from space? Without the atmostphere to distort the view there should be myriads of stars in photos. Surely if amateur astronomers can photograph stars from Earth the pros who make it to space should be able to provide at least ONE photo...?!
No one has been into space.
It's all a conspiracy dating back to the cold war.[para]
northener
15-Nov-08, 00:22
Nah, they have been into space...they just daren't show us the photos of what's really out there.
There are photo's from Hubble (http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/star_collection/pr2006017c/)...
Actually, it's a co-incidence you're asking this right now Rockchick, as I was already in the process of searching the net for pics of the stars for WeeBurdie - she's got a fascination with them just now! :)
Nah, they have been into space...they just daren't show us the photos of what's really out there.That's an even bigger conspiracy than I meant but perhaps you have a point, They are coming here you know, only a matter of time.[para]
here you go
pics from space
fox fur nebula!
http://badcontrol.com/?p=1305
That's an even bigger conspiracy than I meant but perhaps you have a point, They are coming here you know, only a matter of time.[para]
Well good luck to them is all I can say! :~(
Wifie keeps inferring that her real name is zaphod beeblebrox.:eek:
Wifie keeps inferring that her real name is zaphod beeblebrox.:eek:
Indeed? [disgust]
Indeed? [disgust]Now she is talking like Teal'c.:eek:
aha !
found this!
Can You See Stars in Space?
Is it true that in space a person is not able to see stars all around them like we do here on Earth?
No, I hear that in space the stars look wonderful, bright (although not twinkling) and very clear. What has probably caused some of this confusion is that in the typical photo or video image from space, there aren't any stars. This is because the stars are much dimmer than the astronaut, Moon, space station, or whatever the image is been taken of. It is extremely hard to get the exposure correct to show the stars. Luckily, the human eye handles the different light levels much better than a camera does.
Dr. Eric Christian
(July 2001)
northener
15-Nov-08, 00:49
Just been on the Hubble site via the link on Weeburds' post.
Absolutely stunning images...I've now got the Eagle Nebula as my background on the PC.
Wifie keeps inferring that her real name is zaphod beeblebrox.:eek:
She swore us to secrecy. Zxikinki how could you betray her confidence.
rockchick
15-Nov-08, 09:29
aha !
found this!
Can You See Stars in Space?
Is it true that in space a person is not able to see stars all around them like we do here on Earth?
No, I hear that in space the stars look wonderful, bright (although not twinkling) and very clear. What has probably caused some of this confusion is that in the typical photo or video image from space, there aren't any stars. This is because the stars are much dimmer than the astronaut, Moon, space station, or whatever the image is been taken of. It is extremely hard to get the exposure correct to show the stars. Luckily, the human eye handles the different light levels much better than a camera does.
Dr. Eric Christian
(July 2001)
I'd heard this explanation, but it doesn't hold water if you think that they could just point the camera away from the sun/moon/space station and just take a photo of what must be an amazing bank of stars. I've seen photos taken from the tops of the Andes, where the Milky Way is so brilliant and star-infused that star-charts are based on dark areas where there are no stars, rather than our constellations of collections of visible stars.
Just thinking that if I were to go into space this would be one of the first photo shots I would take! I don't want to get into the conspiracy theory stuff, but surely I can't be the only one that feels this way? What would you photograph if you got into space?
I listened to an interview with an astronaut on the radio during the week. He spoke about the blackness of space. No stars. He also spoke about the earth. How theres a faint glow surrounding the planet as seen from space. This is the atmosphere that enables life.
Perhaps the light from stars needs the earths atmosphere to become visible?
northener
15-Nov-08, 09:59
I'd heard this explanation, but it doesn't hold water if you think that they could just point the camera away from the sun/moon/space station and just take a photo of what must be an amazing bank of stars. I've seen photos taken from the tops of the Andes, where the Milky Way is so brilliant and star-infused that star-charts are based on dark areas where there are no stars, rather than our constellations of collections of visible stars.
Just thinking that if I were to go into space this would be one of the first photo shots I would take! I don't want to get into the conspiracy theory stuff, but surely I can't be the only one that feels this way? What would you photograph if you got into space?
I hope this doesn't sound patronising, Rockchick and my apologies if you already know this. But by your post, maybe you missed the information from Weeburd.
The Hubble telescope is a satellite telescope, so it is taking photos of space from space.
There are hunners of photos from various satellites/probe missions knockin about
Neil Howie
15-Nov-08, 13:09
Why aren't there any photos of stars from space?
Congratulations, you win the stupidest post of the month prize.
The reason you can't see stars in photos produced by astronauts is because they often take their pictures during the day. Our sky is bright because the atmosphere diffuses the light. In space there is no atmosphere to diffuse the light so it looks black but there just as many light photons passing a square inch of the space shuttle as there are hitting our planet.
Having said that I would assume if the shuttle or space station entered the shadow of the earth or moon it should be possible to take a photo that would show the starts. Why they haven't done that I don't know.
rockchick
15-Nov-08, 19:26
Why aren't there any photos of stars from space?
Congratulations, you win the stupidest post of the month prize.
No, I think that award goes to yourself. Haven't you heard that the only stupid questions are those that go unasked?
I am aware of the Hubble telescope - my question refers to more mundane photo sources, such as astronauts on the space shuttle. Tristan has provided the best explanation so far...but if one was facing away from the sun and in on the dark (night) side of the earth to eliminate earthshine, you should be able to photograph an amazing starshow.
I suppose I could pay the £37million or whatever it costs to become a space tourist to find out for myself!
In fairness, the majority of the amateur photos taken of the stars, are still taken through some form of magnification in order to achieve the clarity they do - have any Orgers had much success by simply pointing the camera up there and clicking? I know I haven't.
Incidentally, the post inspired me to get ootside with my binocs last night, lol! Did anyone see any of the meteroids on the go? I saw a cracker leaving a spectacular trail as it streaked across the sky about 11:45, absolutely stunning. There were also several less significant blighters on the go - aim for the area between Orion and Casseopia and you can't go wrong! They should be showing for a few nights yet, so if you see a break in the clouds, get yourselves out there... :)
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