Shot of a lifetime: Stunning photo captures International Space Station over Cork Golf Club

Cian O’Regan produced the shot of a lifetime at Cork Golf Club earlier this month which was literally out of this world.
Shot of a lifetime: Stunning photo captures International Space Station over Cork Golf Club

The International Space station captured flying over Cork Golf Club on May 15 by photographer Cian O'Regan.
The International Space station captured flying over Cork Golf Club on May 15 by photographer Cian O'Regan.

Cian O’Regan produced the shot of a lifetime at Cork Golf Club earlier this month which was literally out of this world.

However the 10-handicapper’s effort was more about the snap than the swing as the keen amateur photographer’s moment of glory came with a camera, not a club.

Just after 1.20am on May 15, O’Regan captured this stunning image of the International Space Station orbiting the earth over the fifth hole of the famous Cork course.

He explained: “I've been a member of Cork Golf Club for 10 years but my other big passions are astronomy and photography and I wondered if I could merge all of them together.”

O’Regan began to ferment the idea of taking pictures from famous Irish golf clubs at night, capturing the courses and backdrops in a state which few people ever experience.

“The thought popped into my head in February but the lockdown came and that put an end to it. I’d often go down to Cork Golf Club in the evenings taking sunset pictures and landscape shots. Those experiences set me thinking of what it would be like to come back late at night to capture the course under starry skies.”

O’Regan got clearance from the golf club for his idea ("I wasn’t breaking any rules as I wasn’t playing any golf!") and began shooting after midnight with a headlamp aiding him to navigate his route around the 5th, 6th, and 7th holes.

“A star trail picture was my main objective. One of the big attractions shooting so late is the lack of any other lights, but Cork Golf Club is a bit of an exception with the factories nearby.

“That worked in my favour as the glow which they created produced this kind of supernatural feel … it reminds me a bit of the images in the film Field of Dreams.”

Because of this backdrop O’Regan set up his equipment on the 5th to undertake his final shots for the night. And then an unexpected visitor appeared in his frame.

“I’ve taken hundreds of shots of the space station over the years and I have an app which lets me know when it is passing over Cork. But on this occasion my focus was entirely on the golf club so I didn’t realise it was overhead until I had taken the shots.

“I was just trying to get the stars in focus with a few test shots when I saw this trail and realised that it was the space station. I activated the remote shutter and kept snapping for six of seven shots.

I was so lucky as the camera battery died a few minutes later.

The reaction to the shot has been "great" and has re-ignited O’Regan’s plans to resurrect his project on a national level.

“There has been great feedback to the picture here in Cork and in the wider golf community. When the restrictions are over I wouldn’t mind going around the country visiting Ireland’s most famous courses at night. Golf courses for the most part are often away from built-up areas so there is little light pollution. The shots of the night sky there would be amazing.”

For more details go to: www.cianoregan.com

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