The USSF-52 launch image sits a little apart from the deep-sky work, but it belongs in the same collection. It is still about watching light cross the night, just on a human timescale instead of a cosmic one.
The Falcon Heavy plume and trajectory bring spaceflight into the gallery without pretending it is an astronomical object. It works as a bridge between the equipment, the sky, and the human urge to keep reaching upward.
- What am I looking at?
- A terrestrial night launch against the sky
- Where is it in the sky?
- Launched from or viewed toward Earth orbit.
Capture summary
Launch in Earth orbit
Available light
Long lens capture
Winter target / wide composition
Detailed filter totals have not been entered for this image yet.
When to image this target
Launch in Earth orbit; best planned for December through February from New Jersey.
Winter targets reward clear, steady nights and usually climb well by late evening.
Assumes a New Jersey backyard horizon and evening imaging.
Visibility depends on launch schedule, trajectory, weather, and coastal horizon conditions.
Falcon Heavy is listed here in Earth orbit.
Current frame: Available light / Long lens capture.
Live altitude, moon, and filter guidance
Timing unavailable for this target type.
Use the full planner to enter a ZIP code, choose a date, and compare the target from your sky.
Based on the current time.
Green marks usable dark-sky altitude.
Next upper transit.
Approximate horizon crossing.
Moon phase and altitude.
Acquisition & processing notes
Filter channels, integration times, and capture dates for this frame. View on AstroBin.
Detailed acquisition breakdown has not been entered for this image yet. Check the Story tab for any notes included with the frame.
Equipment used for this frame
Telescope, camera, mount, filters, and software recorded for USSF-52 Launch. See the full gear page for the complete setup history.
- Lens
- Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
- Camera
- Canon EOS R6
- Software
- Adobe Photoshop
How I captured this
- Equipment used
- From my current rig
- Mount
- iOptron CEM60
- Telescope
- Explore Scientific FCD100 127mm Carbon Fiber Triplet APO
- Camera
- ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
- Filters
- Chroma 36mm Ha, OIII, SII, and LRGB (ZWO EFW 7×36mm)
- Focuser / rotator
- MoonLite NiteCrawler
- Reducer
- Starizona Apex ED 0.65×
- Guiding
- ZWO off-axis guider + ASI290MM Mini
- Control / power
- PrimaLuceLab Eagle 4S, Powerwerx PSU, Bioenno field battery, and MEGAbox
