Some really neat news today on Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy blog. Apparently, a fellow named Ralf Vandebergh has taken a photo of the International Space Station and the docked space shuttle Discovery, from Earth, using readily available amateur equipment: a 25cm telescope and a digital video camera.

Apparently, using the video camera is a bit easier, because the fluid distortion caused by our atmosphere makes it difficult to capture a good single still shot. As you can see, the image is pretty fuzzy. A 3D rendering of the station and shuttle on the Bad Astronomy site helps you see the physical configuration of the two spacecraft.

Regardless, I find it absolutely fascinating that you could see a manmade orbiting object from the ground using everyday equipment. It reminds me of the scene in First Contact where Geordi shows Zefram Chochrane the orbiting Enterprise through a telescope. Seeing is believing: we're UP there.

Now, who wants to go out and try it?