Solar Flares off Large Solar Arrays and ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA)

On July 16, 2021, Philip Smith, an enthusiast astrophotographer in Manorville NY, has recorded through his telescope the International Space Station passing over his house.

Here is the story:

"I recorded and imaged a "SOLAR FLARE" on one of the ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) on the port 6 (P6) truss on 07-16-21 at 4:05am EST. The ISS max pass was 64° from N/W to S/E. The imaging all took place from my backyard observatory in Manorville NY, USA. After looking over my recorded ISS video, I was very happy to see I just imaged a part of ISS history that is now part of the new solar panel system."

"The ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) are lightweight, flexible. This new type of solar array provides much more energy than traditional solar arrays at much less mass. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet with the European Space Agency (ESA) completed a six-hour and 45-minute spacewalk on Friday (June 25), during which they install the second of six new International Space Station (ISS) Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA). My imaging configuration was an Edge HD 14" telescope with an Baader Red 610 nm Longpass Filter 1.25" on a ZWO ASI174MM (mono) camera at full sensorI 1936 x 1216 and Baader Planetarium Carl Zeiss 1-1/4" 2x Barlow Lens."

You can see more of Philip's images on his FaceBook page.

(Source: - Jul 24)