Space Station Crosses the Sun in Amazing Photo

Astrophotographer Dale Mayotte recently sent SPACE.com this spectacular composite photo of the International Space Station crossing the face of the sun.

While Mayotte only submitted the image recently, he actually took the 19 photos that were combined to create the stunning composite view of the International Space Stationand sun on June. 19 from his backyard in Clinton Twp., Mich. at 5:28 p.m.local time.

"I have been trying to get this photo opportunity for a couple of years, but it seems that every time I would get the chance it was either cloudy or the orbit of the ISS would change by a tiny amount and the crossing was no longer in my area. It was either out in the middle of the Lake east of my location or further east into Canada," Mayotte wrote SPACE.com in an email. [Photos: Space Station and Other Spaceships Seen from Earth]

"This is the one and only time everything worked out perfectly and the wait was well worth it."

Mayotte used an 11-inch CelestronCPC telescope with a Baader white light solar filterand a Canon Rebel T1icamera with a yellow filter to give the sun a hint of the color we would see with our eyes. He used the websitesHeavens Abovefor the time andCalSkyto learn the path of crossing.

"It was a beautiful sight to see and was even more awesome knowing that six humans were aboard traveling 17,500 miles per hour (28,163 km/h) some 200 miles (321 km) above our tiny little world," Mayotte said.

Cosmic Quiz: Do You Know the International Space St...

The International Space Station is the largest structure in space ever built by humans. Let's see how much you know about the basics of this science laboratory in the sky.

0 of 10 questions complete

Cosmic Quiz: Do You Know the International Space St...

More:
Space Station Crosses the Sun in Amazing Photo