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Making Beautiful Deep-Sky Images

Astrophotography with Affordable Equipment and Software

  • Book
  • © 2007

Overview

Authors:
  1. Greg Parker

    1. School of Electronics & Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, SO17 1BJ UK

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  • Describes how to take “Hubble class” deep-sky images from your back garden
  • Explains how to process digital astronomical images
  • Explains how to create your own awe-inspiring astronomical posters
  • Describes how to put together an astronomical imaging system using commercial equipment for deep-sky photography

Part of the book series: The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series (PATRICKMOORE)

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XIII
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  2. How did I start?

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 1-13

  3. The Beginning – and a Serious Health~Warning!

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 15-17

  4. Assembling your Imaging System

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 19-37

  5. Computational Considerations – Data Acquisition and Image Processing

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 39-43

  6. A Permanent Setup

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 45-48

  7. First Light – Choosing your Objects

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 49-56

  8. First Light – your First Objects

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 57-60

  9. Hyperstar Imaging

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 61-67

  10. Wide-Field Imaging with a Short Focal Length Refractor

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 69-71

  11. Basic Image Processing

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 73-93

  12. The Deep-Sky Images

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 95-138

  13. Differentiating your Work

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 139-145

  14. Your Largest Resource

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 147-151

  15. Book Recommendations

    • Greg Parker
    Pages 153-155

  16. Back Matter

    Pages 156-177
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Keywords

About this book

I have recently discovered the most satisfying hobby so far, and to be frank, I have pursued quite a few hobbies in my time! This one encompasses computers, optics, precision mechanics, digital image processing and artistic appreciation, and it therefore satisfies just about every major interest I have in one go. The hobby is taking photographic images of the deep-sky. I have not met anyone, so far, that has not been moved, sometimes to a great extent, by the images you will find within the pages of this book. Some people will actually admit to being frightened by the vastness of space that these images depict. I am not frightened by these images, but I am certainly awe-struck by them, and they do make me feel rather insignificant regarding the grand scale of things. I am also still firmly in the grip of being totally amazed that the capability to take such awe-inspiring images is now available to anyone with sufficient time and effort to dedicate to this most rewarding of hobbies. This book has two aims. The first is to show you the richness, wonder, and beauty of deep-sky objects. The second is to show you how you can take these images for yourself, using readily available commercial equipment.

Reviews

From the reviews:

"This is not a guide to deep sky imaging in general, but more a journey of one man’s embarkation into this exciting topic. … What I found most impressive was that the topics are kept simple and to the point. … I believe this book has a wealth of information for anybody who wishes to pursue astrophotography as a hobby … . Would I recommend it? Well the simple answer is yes, there is a lot of inspiration to be gained and put into practice." (Ed Sampson, Astronomy Now, June, 2008)

"Parker’s book is comprised of fourteen chapters spanning 155 pages and two appendices which make up a further six pages. … provides a list of 14 books which give a broad perspective on astronomy and can open doors to the newcomer with general information on astronomy as well as potential targets. … the book provides a good introduction to astrophotography that would be ideally suited to someone contemplating this addictive aspect of amateur astronomy." (Anthony Ayiomamitis, The Observatory, Vol. 128 (1205), August, 2008)

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Electronics & Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, SO17 1BJ UK

    Greg Parker

About the author

Professor Greg Parker is Head of the Nanoscale Systems Integration Group at Southampton University in Southern England. His deep sky astronomical images have been published in Astronomy Now and Sky at Night magazines. He is the author of Introductory Semiconductor Device Physics (IOP, ISBN 0750310219), and has written many scientific papers and articles, mostly in the area of photonics and optoelectronics, as well as a chapter (Guided-wave Optical Communications: Materials) in Elsevier’s Encyclopaedia of Materials: Science & Technology.

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