Agenda
Friday Evening,
November 5
7:00 - 9:00
p.m.: Reception and early conference check-in
Saturday,
November 6
8:00 - 8:30:
Conference check-in
8:30 - 8:45:
Opening remarks:
Steve Mandel
8:45-9:30:
Ken
Crawford/Don Goldman: NGC 6946: Color Processing Options
What is
"correct" color. We will process NGC6946 based upon G2V weights,
compare the results with other posted images and then balance the final
histograms to achieve what we feel is a correct color image. As an
aside a special sharpening method using Photoshop’s High Pass filter will
also be described.
9:30 - 10:15:
Tony
Hallas:
Color
and Going to Print
My talk
will center on the easy way to judge color, the psychological impact of
image elements, and a way to make a custom profile using a grayscale and
PS. Getting the print from the computer to the printer, and getting good
results, necessitates the use of a profile, whether "canned" from the manufacturer,
or "custom" as I will show you how to do. This session will necessitate
a basic knowledge of PS on the part of the attendee.
10:15 -
10:30: Break
10:30 -
12:00: Panel: Russ Croman
– Bill McLaughlin - Volker Wendel:
Processing
Tips from the Pros
Some of
today's top imagers will share their secrets of how they produce those
amazing images. Bill McLaughlin will discuss bringing large images
to the web. Russ Croman, using his images to illustrate, will discuss
a number of considerations that guide his image acquisition and processing.
Volker Vendel, from the German imaging team of Spiegelteam Astrofotographie
will discuss techniques used to produce his stunning images.
12:00 –
1:00: Lunch - Included with registration
1:00 - 2:15:
Ron
Wodaski:
Beyond
the Zone:
Advanced
Processing Tricks
This presentation
will cover the basics of the Zone system and will include a tour around
the histogram. Various "histogram tweaks" will be presented including
how to get micro-contrast and firmer stars. Various techniques in
PS will discuss star fix-ups, using inverted histograms, gradient removal
and dealing with color noise.
2:15 - 2:30:
Break
2:30 – 3:15:
Dr.
Travis Rector: Processing Images from Professional Telescopes
A number
of technical advancements have made it easier to produce stunning astronomical
images in color. And, in many ways it has led to a new philosophy
towards how to create them. Powerful image processing programs, such
as Photoshop and The GIMP, use a layering metaphor that allows for an unlimited
number of astronomical data sets to be combined in any desired color scheme.
A detailed description of how the data are obtained, calibrated and projected
into color images will be given. Numerous examples of images, created
with data from optical and non-optical telescopes, will also be presented.
3:15 – 4:00:
John
Smith:
Concepts
in Image Acquisition
Starting
with a brief presentation on the Signal-to-Noise Ratio equation, various
image acquisition strategies will be developed. Using a simple test
exposure and data from your camera, alternative sub-exposure duration considerations
will be developed, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
The effect of alternative sub-exposure duration's and dithering will be
discussed. Finally, a software package that automates many of these
acquisition techniques using mainstream camera and telescope control programs
will be described.
4:00 – 4:45:
Michael
Barber:
The
Future of CCD Imaging
This presentation
takes a look at where we've been and where we are going with CCD camera
hardware. Advances in technology have revolutionized the art and
science of imaging. What might be next? An insider's peek at
the latest developments at SBIG and some speculation about the future.
Sean Walker from
Sky&Telescope magazine
will be present.
5:00 - 6:00:
Reception
in vendor area
6:00: -
7:00: Dinner - Included with registration
7:00
- 9:00: Vendor demos in main conference
room - and remote imaging demo from Star Shadow Remote Observatory at NM
Skies (weather permitting).
