THIS stunning shot of the space shuttle Discovery about to dock with the International Space Station was taken from a Cinderford back garden.

And amateur photographer Rob Bullen's amazing picture has been sent all round the world and is even featured on the NASA website – http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/iotd.html">www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/iotd.html

What makes the shot all the more remarkable is that the shot was taken with what Rob, 40, says is "bog standard" equipment – a Canon EOS 40D camera, using eyepiece projection through a hand-guided 20-year-old 8.5in Newton telescope. He also had to wait for a lucky break in cloud cover.

Committed shuttle-watcher Rob said on Monday: "With only two shuttle  flights left there may still be a chance to capture another Shuttle with the space Station before they are  all decommissioned. However, to get a  picture  like the other night may prove impossible from here. It will all depend on the exact timing of things.

"This evening I went  out  to take a final look at the shuttle and space station travelling together across  the sky, the shuttle having separated several hours before. 

"Although low in the sky and only viewed  with the naked eye it was  a lovely sight seeing  these two space craft drifting in close formation above the streetlights and roof­tops. Although the shuttle will not land until Wednesday the two will never be that close in the sky again."

For the technical, the space station is in orbit 200 miles above the earth and travelling at 17,500mph. "From here, it seems to be travelling about the same speed as a high-flying jet," he said. "Trying to fix on that with hand-guided equipment is not that easy."