Astrophotographer captures shot of the International Space Station as it passes across the sun 

Blink and you’ll miss it! Astrophotographer captures perfectly-timed shot of the International Space Station as it passes across the sun

  • Image was taken last week by an astrophotographer in Germany when the ISS passed overhead 
  • The photograph was three weeks in the planning and was successfully taken by Mehmet Ergun  
  • He has taken several images of the ISS in transit and posts them to his 14,000 followers on Instagram

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An amateur astrophotographer has taken an incredible image of the International Space Station (ISS) flying in front of the Sun. 

Mehmet Ergun took the photo on April 2 from his base in Germany and had been planning the photo for three weeks. 

He has now successfully taken several images of the ISS in transit and posts them to his Instagram, where he has more than 14,000 followers. 

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An amateur astrophotographer has taken an incredible image of the International Space Station (ISS) flying in front of the Sun

Mehmet Ergun took the photo on April 2 from his base in Germany and had been planning the photo for three weeks before successfully pulling it off

Mehmet Ergun took the photo on April 2 from his base in Germany and had been planning the photo for three weeks before successfully pulling it off 

The space fanatic captured the photo with a Lunt LS80 DSII solarscope, Rainbow RST-135 star tracker, a QHY5III174M camera, Hutech Hinode solar guider and a 2x Meade Series 5000 Barlow Lens.

It enabled him to photograph the ISS at the exact moment it passed 300 miles (500km) over his head in Alzey, Germany.

He said: ‘I planned the shot about three weeks ago and with a little luck I was able to take it.

‘This is my fourth ISS transit photo, and every time I am fascinated and excited at the same time.

‘NASA also shared my photo on Instagram Story. A lot of things have to be suitable for such photos. Weather, seeing, equipment, location, time and some know-how.

‘Preparations can start weeks in advance, but photography takes less than one second.’   

Mr Ergun He has now successfully taken several images of the ISS in transit and posts them to his Instagram, where he has more than 14,000 followers

Mr Ergun He has now successfully taken several images of the ISS in transit and posts them to his Instagram, where he has more than 14,000 followers

In April last year he captured high definition images tracking the space station's journey in front of the Sun. The ISS is the largest object ever put into space by humans and measures 357 feet long

In April last year he captured high definition images tracking the space station’s journey in front of the Sun. The ISS is the largest object ever put into space by humans and measures 357 feet long

The German astrophotographer says his photo was shared on the Instagram story of NASA. He has now captured the ISS in transit four times

The German astrophotographer says his photo was shared on the Instagram story of NASA. He has now captured the ISS in transit four times 

The space fanatic captured the photo with a Lunt LS80 DSII solarscope, Rainbow RST-135 star tracker, a QHY5III174M camera, Hutech Hinode solar guider and a 2x Meade Series 5000 Barlow Lens

The space fanatic captured the photo with a Lunt LS80 DSII solarscope, Rainbow RST-135 star tracker, a QHY5III174M camera, Hutech Hinode solar guider and a 2x Meade Series 5000 Barlow Lens

In April last year he captured high definition images tracking the space station’s journey in front of the Sun. 

The ISS is the largest object ever put into space by humans and measures 357 feet long. 

Ergün used a powerful telescope attached to a camera to capture 34 individual frames as the orbiting ISS crossed between planet Earth for less than one second. 

The images are then collated so the craft can be seen racing from one edge of the Sun to another in a short animation.

The tiny satellite-shaped spacecraft looks like a miniature model as it’s seen racing from one side of our glowing orange Sun to the other. 

‘The Sun moved very quickly because I use a high focal length and small sensor,’ Ergün said last year. 

‘Astrophotography is a compelling hobby inspired by all the beautiful objects the universe has to offer.’

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH

The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (£80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. 

Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen.

ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology.

The US space agency, Nasa, spends about $3 billion (£2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, a level of funding that is endorsed by the Trump administration and Congress.

A U.S. House of Representatives committee that oversees Nasa has begun looking at whether to extend the program beyond 2024.

Alternatively the money could be used to speed up planned human space initiatives to the moon and Mars.