• The used instrument is a high quality optics, lightweight constructional 10 inch (0.25m) Newtonian reflecting telescope.
• Tracking of objects is accomplished fully manually using an attached smaller secondary scope at a low magnification.
• Imaging technique and setup is standardised, and the object paths across the sky are prepared for manual alignment.
• Best results occur when lighting angle, viewing angle, seeing, distance and other factors of objects are favorable.
• Original images are mostly taken in color to obtain the maximum possible information of the objects.
• Imaging technique & equipment, a clear short explanation:   http://www.startje.be//vieuw.php?qid=382021
• Written observing experiences & images:  http://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/author/ralf-vandebergh/   
• New observations, additional experiences and visual satellite sightings are regularly reported on:
• twitter.com/ralfvandebergh________________________________________________________________________

 Latest Images Phobos-Grunt, Jan 16, 2011: UPDATE:   http://tinyurl.com/23x9yjq   new!

 Latest ISS & Shuttle images:  http://www.startje.be//vieuw.php?qid=347203 new!

 Latest Satellite/Rocket images: http://www.startje.be/vieuw.php?qid=357824 new!

 Sample of Ralf Vandebergh's  PLANETARY  work  

 Mars Volcanic Region Alba Patera 2005 new!

 _______________________________________________________________

March 2011: STS-133 Astronaut in Spacewalk (EVA-2)! ~ Ground-Based Images

March 2009: STS-119 Astronaut in Spacewalk (EVA-2)! ~ Ground-Based Images

ISS with Robot Dextre and KU-band Antenna, Dec 15, 2009:

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/5921/iss091215dextre2.jpg

Close-up ISS with Destiny, Quest Airlock, Dextre, Dec 15, 2009:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/a6174fda8a0c988fe0988647a6cb0a4d.jpg

ISS, Dec 15, 2009, Sun at -3° (special illumination truss structure)

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/ba4e1c3eda1eeba07be1b16c207e09db.jpg new!

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/7190c8a0fc1a091bf68e342afd9e8521.jpg new!

ISS, Dec 15, 2009, lower observing angle, good view ELM-PS:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/4a11238309b06a7f0bc0add32ae3c108.jpg

Close-up ISS-JEM (with Exposed Facility JEF), Dec 15, 09:

STS-129, newly added ELC-2 & temp. HiPr Ox GasTank, Nov 22, 09:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5492/sts129elc22009111922ct.jpg

ISS detail central part (Ku-Band Antenna, PMA-3, ESP-2) , Sept 19, 2009:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/d365d3c01a931a18261fcc40e4d64de9.jpg

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/2cd48a3432187e65565dd917447cc97a.jpg

ISS overview image with Progress 34 (M-67), Sept 19, 2009:

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/443/iss090919205807t1.jpg

H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-1) approaches ISS, Sept 17, 09:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/387/imagee03e4e69cc41.jpg (click for full resolution)

Movie: HTV-1 close to ISS during approach, Sept 17, 2009:

H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-1), taken 3 days after launch, Sept 13, 09:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6283/htv120090913212858triot.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1630/o090913a3.jpg

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/8629/o090913a4.jpg

The ISS in 2008, still under construction, with a very special angle of illumination. Note the Columbus module (right from the mid) yet without company of the Kibo module)

STS-128 Discovery & Cockpit seen from 394km, Aug 30, 2009:

ISS new additions STS-127 Japanese Exposed Facility:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8666/issjef20090830c.jpg

ISS, April 29, 2009, nice viewing & lighting angle:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/80381e6ab32afeac2adcdf3dd3201155.jpg new!

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/c04868dab99539528cba44cf42d6014a.jpg new!

STS-119 Discovery solo after undock, March 27, 2009:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/3e78ac52ffc1a9a58d5d6592c38b1767.jpg

STS-119 Discovery docked, empty Payload Bay, March 20, 09:

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4791/sts11920090320b5.jpg

STS-119 & ISS: first Earth-based image new S6 Solar Panel:

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/999/iss20090320news6panel.jpg

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk09/o090320a4.jpg

STS-119 Discovery seen from 622 km! March 17, 09:

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5328/sts119090317t2.jpg

ISS, good view Zvezda Lira antenna, Jan 29, 2009:

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk09/o090129a4.jpg

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk09/o090129a1.jpg

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/6656/o090129a2.jpg

ISS, Russian modules, retracted Zarya solar panels:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9695/o090125a1.jpg

Reflections of Earth (presented on APOD):

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090116.html

Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), July 14, 2009:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/3fca7508781445c7311a05632abad4c7.jpg new!

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk09/o090714z.htm

ISS and (solo) Progress M-66 (P32) and Progress M-02M (P33):

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/63da4e2bd82bb125a518b3e7b1086b45.jpg

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/43e625ff5e57f8b01ff53e557e759dba.jpg

ISS, Dec 29, 2008 & labelled truss structure:

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/5793/o081229a1.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2843/o081229a2.jpg

Close-up of the ISS central part taken in 2009, with below the completed Kibo lab (left) and Columbus lab (right). Note the tilted S1 radiators at the right side

ISS, nice view solar panels and colors, Dec 27, 2008:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/9f784a4608975e987aabfe215d49473b.jpg (so far best color image)

ISS & Soyuz TMA-11 & good view SSRMS, Febr 4, 2008:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/9e74e781f3618bef29804024d97f9688.jpg

animation: http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080204a2.gif

STS-126 Endeavour solo, 1 day before landing, Nov 29, 2008;

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/55a233f4db632329f663f3eb7e837999.jpg

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/1349/sts126081129.jpg

ISS: Nov 4, 2008 (nice detail Integrated Truss Structure):

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1200/o081104a3copy.jpg

Tiros 2; Oldest spacecraft in low Earth orbit! :

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080929z.htm

48 years of spaceflight imaged (presented on APOD):

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081016.html

ATV-1 Jules Verne, 1 day before de-orbit, Sept 28, 08:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7973/o080928a2.jpg

ATV-1, 2 days before de-orbit (& movie) Sept 27, 08:

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6689/atv120080927t.jpg 

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/10/o080927a2.gif

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5917/atv120080927.jpg 

ISS, Sept 25 , 2008 (good view of radiators):

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8404/o080925a2tcopy.jpg

Progress M-65 (P30) docked to ISS, (aft end Zvezda):

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/0e3a128fe6ccf7a251ad3e48e7f2f1cb.jpg

ISS, Sept 25, 2008 Detail image Quest Joint Airlock:

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4508/o080925a7.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/9471/o080909a2.jpg

USA-182 (Lacrosse 5) spacecraft, September 19, 2008:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/097bc8e3bd32512cb6373be5ab36c826.jpg

ISS & European ATV-1 Jules Verne July 30, 2008:

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080730a3.jpg

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080713a2.jpg

Unlisted satellite & comparison to Epsilon Lyrae, July 5, 08:

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6479/unlistedsat20080705.jpg

Seasat spacecraft observations, (launched 1978), June 21, 08:

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080621z.htm

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080611a2.jpg

Bigelow Aerospace Genesis 1 spacecraft, June 11, 2008:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/440617acd0a767bd6a5e873ab3758da7.jpg

STS-124 Discovery docked to ISS, (long distance):

movie: http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080603a2.gif

Cosmos 1093 Rocket stage (Vostok 8A92M), May 23, 2008

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/a868b332ca6c80a0d36146b00e27cd3a.jpg

ISS May 12 , 2008 (good view P3 / P4 truss):

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/c47840d1838c77ecd66b1c9d49de2643.jpg (very nice illumination)

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/3177618dff7194743deb76b9e33e32b4.jpg

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/5358/iss20080512trussdetail1.jpg

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/1f4df8fe58c33cf13c9bf395cb088930.jpg (very detailed view of P-trusses)

Progress M-62 (P27) longer stay in orbit for experiments:

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3514/p2720080211.jpg

STS-122 Atlantis docked to ISS Febr 10, 2008:

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/8900/sts12220080210t.jpg

solo: http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk08/o080208a5.jpg

______________________________________________________________

ISS after STS-120, Harmony Node, 2 days after reloc, Nov 16, 07

(movie): http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1011/o071116a3.gif

STS-118 Endeavour docked to ISS, Aug 13, 2007:

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk07/o070813a2.jpg

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk07/o070813a4.gif

STS-118 Endeavour docked to ISS, Aug 11, 2007:

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk07/o070811a3.gif

http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk07/o070811a2.gif

STS-117 Atlantis docked & Progress M-60, June 13, 07:

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/2397/sts11720070613ret.jpg

STS-117, new S3/S4 truss and solar arrays, June 11-13/07:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3033/sts11707061113.jpg

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/7029/sts11720070613clt.jpg

ISS, June 3, 2007, early movie: http://tinyurl.com/yh8te2k

ISS, May 30, 2007, early movie: http://tinyurl.com/yl75o6r

ISS, April 19, 2007, early movie: http://tinyurl.com/ygn8y55

ISS, April 17, 2007, early movie: http://tinyurl.com/ylhw8cw

2 satellites in formation along with Mercury transit Sun May 7, 2003:

http://freeimagehosting.nl/pics/a01c08ef6e7d3a98521f8a891e54766b.jpg new!

Test image of Plane flying at cruise level (10-11km altitude):

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2014/20081015093012b.jpg new!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact info:

e-mail:    ralf.vandebergh@home.nl  

Twitter: @ralfvandebergh

 Unless indicated differently, all work on this site:  copyright  © Ralf Vandebergh