June 04, 2020, 7:00PM: June Novice Presentation - Via Zoom
“I Have This Scope and Want to do Astrophotography”
Speaker: Don Selle
Location: Online via Zoom with chat
Abstract – It is a statement we hear regularly from new astronomers and it’s usually followed by a flurry of how-to questions. Most times, it is difficult to answer these questions because it can be hard to know where to start. As one wag put it: ”Astrophotography is a wide river that runs deep. It has a steep and slippery slope to get to it, is full of twists and turns, and hides many snags along the way”.
The astrophotography we see today on the internet and in various publications is magnificent and inspiring. It is also very different from other types of inspiring photography. In addition to the photographic knowledge required to produce say an inspiring landscape photo, astrophotography requires the imager to learn and use equipment and processes not used in any other type of photography.
This presentation is meant as a starting point for answering this question, and to set reasonable expectations by providing insight into the various types of astrophotography, the equipment and software used for each, and a glimpse at the skills and time required to be a successful astro-imager.
Abstract – Over the past couple of years, Brian Cudnik has been directly involved in the development of a professional observatory at Prairie View A&M University, and he will share with us his experiences.
the state of Texas is in the process of “reopening” from the Corona Virus lock down. What is clear is that while we are far from being out of the woods yet, the situation in Texas was less severe than in other parts of the country and it is slowly improving. We still need to continue our social distancing and sanitary practices, and be very cognizant of the risk of infection.
As we approach the halfway point in what’s been a year unlike any I’ve experienced in my lifetime, I’m reminded that, despite all of the changes around us, we’re still doing the best we can with the hands we’re all dealt. We keep hearing things like “this is the new normal” or “things won’t be back to the way they were for a long time,” which is all true. But human beings are nothing if not resilient, and we tend to take comfort in our routines to compensate for all of the changes we’ve faced for months now.
I recently began a new project designed to get children actively involved in astronomy by observing with their own telescope. My idea is to find old telescopes that might need a little TLC, like a new coat of paint, add on a Telrad or something of that nature. My goal is to find some 6” – 10” telescopes with descent optics at a low cost. Rather than putting money into purchasing scopes, I wanted to spend the money making the telescope a personalized scope for a specific child. The child would choose the color, choose how to decorate it and choose a name for it. I feel this will really make it their own and instill a “pride of ownership” in the child. I also hope that if the children have their own telescopes, they would be more likely to want to get out with them to observe. In other words, I hope to light that spark of interest. The plan is to have the children actually do a lot of the work themselves. I also plan to work with the children, helping them learn how to be an observer.
This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network
Asterism: a grouping of stars that form a recognizable pattern.
This is the fourth installment of a series of columns primarily revolving around observing the Messier Catalogue. The intent is to provide the reader a small sampling of the Messier objects each month that are most visible in the time frame the column is published. Hence, these deep sky objects should be easily identifiable in and around the month of June. Late spring is galaxy time and June is no exception. Some months, like June, will have a special treat in addition to the Messier Objects. Check the trailer.
