International Space Station flying by the Pleiades, Mars and into Taurus, early evening of April 6, 2019.

This photograph captures two celestial visitors in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. The International Space Station is seen as a streak of light during the 78-second exposure, as it moved upward from the northwestern horizon. The other visitor to this starry scene is the planet Mars, the bright, ruddy colored object about half-way between the Pleiades and the bright, orange star, Aldebaran.

The use of a diffusion filter in front of the lens accentuates the various colors of the stars, and the ruddy hue of Mars. The colors of the stars are dependent on their temperatures; blue stars (such as the Pleiades) are hot, while orange stars are much cooler.

Mars has since moved away from Taurus, all the way into the constellation of Sagittarius, and is now visible in the early morning sky. However, this part of the sky will soon be host to another celestial – when brilliant Venus will be seen among the stars of the Pleiades during the early evenings of April 2nd through 4th, 2020. This will be a stunning sight in binoculars.

Equipment: Nikon Df, 50mm lens with a diffusion filter, mounted a star tracking platform.