Sky & Telescope Magazine December 2012 - TuLaTri.com

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Image-Processing Basics Shadows Midtones Highlights Left: Photoshop’s Curves tool allows you to boost the midrange in your image while keeping the highlights (usually stars) from becoming white splotches. Right: When stretching a color image, you should monitor the histogram of all three color channels to retain the color balance of the image. A good rule of thumb is to stretch the histogram of the red, green, and blue channels similarly to avoid introducing a color bias. The curve above helped to reveal the bluish outer arms in the image of edge-on galaxy NGC 4565 at top. 72 December 2012 sky & telescope often the result of light pollution, and appear as a linear brightening across an image. Most image-processing programs include tools for reducing gradients. Saturate Finally, it is rich color that makes the human brain think “Wow!” In astrophotography, we can use artistic license by boosting color saturation to an aesthetically stimulating level. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as dragging a slider to “More.” Advanced imagers devote a great deal of time to achieving good color balance. When you assemble red, green, and blue images into a chrominance photo, be careful to stretch them equally and to monitor the way these three channels relate to one another. Linear adjustments such as Photoshop’s Levels and Color Balance tools work well for subtle adjustments, and astronomy-specifi c programs such as PixInsight’s “ColorCalibration” tool is nothing short of brilliant. In truth, we have only begun to learn our ABCs. There is so much more to producing jaw-dropping images of the heavens, but beginning with these basic “S’s” will give you a head start to mastering the CCD alphabet. ✦ Warren Keller is author of the video tutorial series Image Processing for Astrophotography, available at www.ip4ap.com.
TM Cosmic Trails 6 PATAGONIA (SOUTH AMERICA) FEBRUARY 20TH – MARCH 5TH, 2013 http://InsightCruises.com/Sky-6 Explore the far horizons of science while rounding Cape Horn. Get the latest on astrobiology, SETI, the physics of Star Trek, and space travel with Sky & Telescope on the Cosmic Trails 6 cruise conference on Holland America’s Veendam, traveling from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Brand-new showroom . . . CST# 2065380-40 same great astronomics. Our new 4000 square foot telescope showroom may now be the largest in the U.S., but astronomics is still the same knowledgeable and friendly telescope store you’ve known and trusted for the past 33 years. Decades of experience using and selling telescopes; a big inventory that is actually in stock; free shipping; the right prices; and honest, accurate, advice – what more could you ask? You could ask for extra savings. You got it. Cloudy Nights members get extra discounts of up to 5% at astronomics. So do astronomy club members. Cloudy Nights – the largest, most informative, and friendliest astronomy gathering place in the world – has over 61,000 members and dozens of forums where you can get answers to your astronomy questions or just chat. Join Cloudy Nights for free online at www.cloudynights.com/register and you’ll save at astronomics. TM astronomics.com 110 East Main, Norman, OK 73069 (800) 422-7876 Store hours, plus telephone and live chat: 9am to 6pm CST Monday through Friday, Saturday 10am to 5pm CST. Our 33rd year. E-mail: questions@astronomics.com PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Discover. Pier-Tech Domes TM Dome Observatories All metal Galvalume and Aluminum construction with interlocking dome sheets, providing a strong watertight design able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Motors on upper shutter and azimuth rotation are included. Optional motorized lower shutter is available. Optional factory tested automation system with color touch screen. Automatic Slewing of dome with telescope. Cloud sensor input for automatic dome shut down in the event of inclement weather. Viewing range is from horizon to 15 degrees past zenith. Extra wide shutters. Our domes are pre-painted with Kynar 500® to your color choice. Available in 31 different colors warranted against peeling and fade. Full turnkey systems available with the inclusion of Pier, mount, telescope and accessories. 14 ½’ PTD2 in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa www.dome-observatories.com Or call 630-841-6848 Please visit our other websites to see other great products www.astrorollmatic.com for roll off roof observatories www.mobile-observatories.com www.pier-tech.com for height Adjustable Piers www.observatoryautomation.com Join in Iceland April 7 to 13, 2013 A great location and time to view the aurora borealis. Tour Iceland’s natural wonders, including an active geyser and spectacular waterfalls. Explore an interesting culture with both ancient roots and modern technologies. 800.688.8031 skyandtelescope.com/traveliceland m/ m/trav /trav / t elic l li eland l SkyandTelescope.com December 2012 73
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DECEMBER 2012 Remembering Neil Arms
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COVER STORY COVER: CASEY REED INSET
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Robert Naeye Spectrum Hed.GillSans.
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DESIGN. PERFORMANCE. QUALITY. Passi
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NASA / JPL-CALTECH / TIM PYLE News
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News Notes Continued from page 12 s
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MOLECULES: ALMA (ESO / NAOJ / NROA)
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Cosmic Relief David Grinspoon Life
Page 21 and 22: Cutting-Edge Cosmology Cosmic Colli
Page 23 and 24: greater than observations suggest
Page 25 and 26: uises, given how the theory and dat
Page 27 and 28: 70% off LIMITED TIME OFFER ORDER BY
Page 29 and 30: in Pairs? Michael Shepard FRANCK MA
Page 31 and 32: For links to sites with further inf
Page 33 and 34: J.-L. MARGOT / CORNELL UNIV. / SCIE
Page 35 and 36: domains, and it worked well through
Page 37 and 38: α Pazmino’s Cluster γ Algol PER
Page 39 and 40: (1890-1975). It’s by far the larg
Page 41 and 42: Exploration Age! Explorers of every
Page 43 and 44: 44 Sky at a Glance 44 Northern Hemi
Page 45 and 46: + 13 h + ° ° Facing h +60° +80°
Page 47 and 48: OBSERVING Northern Hemisphere’s S
Page 49 and 50: Fred Schaaf welcomes your comments
Page 51 and 52: One of the best-yet images of Ceres
Page 53 and 54: JPL / STEVE OSTRO Need help matchin
Page 55 and 56: To get a daily lunar fi x, visit co
Page 57 and 58: POSS-II / CALTECH / PALOMAR OBSERVA
Page 59 and 60: SkyandTelescope.com December 2012 5
Page 61 and 62: MX (July 2012, page 64) — that us
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Page 81 and 82: ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIES BOOKS EDWAR
Page 83 and 84: TELESCOPES TELESCOPES CLASSIFIEDS h
Page 85 and 86: Index to Advertisers Adorama . . .
Page 87 and 88: PARAMOUNT The Paramount MX goes whe
Page 89: Sky & Telescope Digital Extra AUGUS
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