December 2006 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

RE: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera
by David Dunn 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

I have tried several places to print. They have all been good. It kind of depends on whether you want to print right now or if you have an hour to wait. You can take you memory stick or card into Kinkos or any of the stores like Walmart and put your pictures into a kiosk. At Kinkos, the photos will print in the kiosk and they you just pay for them and leave. At Walmart or Albertsons, you can go shopping and you photos will be ready in about an hour. The one I liked best for high volume was Costco. I uploaded my pictures on their website and then went to the store and picked them up the next day. They are .17 per 4 X 6 print. Dave

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ISS/Shuttle tonight ~1840
by Patrick Wiggins 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

We in northern Utah (sorry Rob) have a chance to see the docked ISS/ shuttle this evening. A bit over half way up the NW sky ~1842 to 1844. Aquilla to Cygnus. http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.asp? lat=40.761&lng=-111.890&alt=0&loc=Salt+Lake+City&TZ=MST&satid=25544 Another pass tomorrow evening a couple of hours after the two undock. Kind of low in the sky but it could be fun to watch ISS chasing shuttle across the sky. pw

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera
by astrodeb＠charter.net 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

Chuck, Here is a good reason to go with the Canon Rebel 350XT. Get a IDAS - Light Pollution Suppression Front Filter For Canon Rebel 300, 350D. You will need that for astrophotography. At a current price of $699 with the 18-55mm lens, it is a good buy right now. You might want to add on a remote shutter control and a couple of extra batteries. I hardly do any processing on my daylight photos. I need to experiment with Adobe Photoshop Elements but I haven't even installed it yet. For most photos I have Smith's do the prints. I do want to learn image processing more but I haven't found the time yet. I do like Micheal's exposure bracketing idea too. But, like Rob says, just have fun shooting and delete the pictures you don't like. You can always process them later which is what I plan on doing. By the way, for my hiking trips, I use a lighter and more compact Nikon Coolpix 4500. It fits in my hiking fannypack well. The Rebel is a bit heavy for hiking. Debbie ---- Michael Carnes <MichaelCarnes(a)earthlink.net> wrote: > Joe, I'd love to claim credit, but it's not my idea. Photoshop CS2 > has built in support. > > > Michael, what a great idea! -- Joe > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera
by Tyler Allred 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

Hi Chuck, Don't give up on the switch to digital photography just yet. Wait till I get in my 2-cents worth, then you can abandon the idea! :) I just want to say that I have used Nikon digital equipment and been very happy with it. I also have many friends who are equally happy with Canon equipment. In my opinion, both offer excellent equipment in a very competitive market, and I think you would be happy with either choice. I used my Nikon D100 for over 45,000 frames, most of which I trashed immediately upon viewing on the computer. But, within those 45,000 frames were some real gems, many of which I would never have taken if I were dealing with film. Digital equipment allows the user to shoot lots of frames with a variety of settings and choose the best of the best. Most cameras today have an exposure bracketing routine that works incredibly well. You simply invoke the routine on the camera (a few buttons) and the camera will take exposures on both sides of the "auto" setting. This makes it easy to ensure that you get a nice exposure, even when conditions are not ideal. It is really worth using this feature. Most importantly, I want to comment on the processing end of things. Some of the comments on this thread have made it sound like processing "requires" lots of time. That isn't necessarily the case. Most of the images that I have kept have never been printed. They simply reside on my hard disk or are backed up on DVD's. I and my family thoroughly enjoy just looking at these unprocessed images right on the computer. These images include photos from trips and family activities, and many other occasions. Only a small fraction of the images get printed, but that does not mean they are not enjoyed by all. Now, you will have many images that are worthy of printing, and most don't really require any processing.... just hit the print button. But you will have a few that are exceptional: images that deserve enlargement and framing, and those are the only ones I would target for in-depth processing. In those cases, a little extra time can really make the image POP! Don't be put off by worries about spending loads of time at the computer. Just get the camera and start shooting! OK - I've said it. Now you can throw my advice in the trash and do whatever you want. :) Cheers, and Clear Skies, Tyler PS - If you have any interest, you can look at a few of my digital images at: www.Nature-Smiles.com or www.Allred-Astro.com _____________________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces+tylerallred=earthlink.net(a)mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+tylerallred=earthlink.net@mailman.xmission.co m] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 9:47 PM To: Utah-Astro Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera After 35 years of avid emulsion-based photography, I'm about to take a serious digital plunge, something better than Webcam & camera-phone resolution. Trolling for suggestions, looking for a commercial camera that fills a similar niche to the classic 35mm SLR that I am used to. I want to use it for some astro-photography as well as terrestrial, family snapshots, etc. I suspect there will be some good deals after Christmas. I don't want to break the bank, can we keep it under say, $700? Suggestions? Thanks in advance. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera
by Tyler Allred 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

Michael, I use essentially the same approach for imaging astronomical objects with a wide dynamic range. It works great for that as well. Tyler _____________________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces+tylerallred=earthlink.net(a)mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+tylerallred=earthlink.net@mailman.xmission.co m] On Behalf Of Michael Carnes Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 2:32 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera Ok, I lied. One more comment. Exposure bracketing is incredibly useful when you're not too sure of the best exposure. But it's also mighty cool for one other thing--image stacking. There are a lot of beautiful places out here that are very hard to photograph because of the dynamic range. A typical desert shot has things in full sun and things in the shade. It's hard--and sometimes impossible--to get a single exposure that gets it all. Here comes bracketing to save the day. I'll set up a bracket that gives me three exposures. One's the 'optimal' exposure. Another is two stops up and the last is two stops down. So I'll typically get a shot that's a little underexposed and one that's a little overexposed. Photoshop combines these photos into a single high-dynamic-range image, throwing away the under/overexposed data. You can then bring this into a displayable/printable range. The results can be stunning. Obviously a good tripod is required, but you might be able to find one somewhere around the house. I've done stacks like this with as many a 9-10 exposures. It's way cool. MC

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera
by David Dunn 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

I haven't seen any fading in the prints that I have. I will check the prints from the science fair from a couple of years ago and see if they have faded. I had a lot of issues with my ink jet printers. I never liked any of the photos. They looked ok but when you go real close, you could tell that they were printed. Also, if you go them wet, even just a drop would wash off the picture. Dave -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces+david.dunn=albertsons.com(a)mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+david.dunn=albertsons.com@mailman.xmissio n.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 10:50 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Digital camera How is the long-term stability of commercial prints, Dave? Are they unfaded after a couple of years? --- David Dunn <david.dunn(a)albertsons.com> wrote: > I have tried several places to print. They have all > been good. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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New filter manufacturer
by Chuck Hards 18 Dec '06

18 Dec '06

Omega has entered the consumer filter market. Of particular interest is the Galaxy Contrast Enhancement filter: http://www.omegafiltersebuyer.com/servlet/the-GCE-Filters/Categories Anybody try one of these yet? I wonder if they are really all that much of an improvement over the typical Broadband filter- both pass and reject essentially the same wavelengths, the only improvement would be to tighten things up a bit and improve transmission slightly. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Oh good grief!
by Patrick Wiggins 17 Dec '06

17 Dec '06

Can you believe this?!? pw So, what's your sign? You crash here often? TORONTO, Dec 13 (Reuters Life!) - Never mind how careful you are behind the wheel or how long you've been driving, the signs of the zodiac may be bigger factors behind your ability to avoid car crashes -- or why you have too many. According to a study by InsuranceHotline.com, a Web site that quotes drivers on insurance rates, astrological signs are a significant factor in predicting car accidents. http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx? type=&storyid=2006-12-14T155659Z_01_NCD157394_RTRUKOC_0_US-ASTROLOGY- DRIVING1.xml&src=nl_usoddlyenough Or if that's too long try: http://tinyurl.com/y28rzw

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[Aurorawarn] Middle Latitude Auroral Activity Warning - 16-17 December
by bsi＠xmission.com 16 Dec '06

16 Dec '06

I think "they" are timing these to weather that we can't possibly see an aurora in. :) ----- Forwarded message from aurorawarn(a)spacew.com ----- Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 10:22:07 +0000 (GMT) From: Mid or Low Latitude Aurora Warnings <aurorawarn(a)spacew.com> Reply-To: Mid or Low Latitude Aurora Warnings <aurorawarn(a)spacew.com> Subject: [Aurorawarn] Middle Latitude Auroral Activity Warning - 16-17 December To: aurorawarn(a)spacew.com MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WARNING Issued: 17:25 UTC on 15 December 2006 Solar Terrestrial Dispatch www.spacew.com VALID BEGINNING AT: 18:00 UTC ON 16 DECEMBER VALID UNTIL: 24:00 UTC (5 pm EDT) ON 17 DECEMBER HIGH RISK PERIOD: 17 DECEMBER (UTC DAYS) MODERATE RISK PERIOD: 16 - 17 DECEMBER PREDICTED ACTIVITY INDICES: 20, 50, 20, 10 (16 - 19 DECEMBER) POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE TO HIGH POTENTIAL DURATION OF THIS ACTIVITY: MAIN BELT = 12 HOURS MINOR BELT = 12-24 HOURS ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR AND AFTER LOCAL MIDNIGHT EXPECTED LUNAR INTERFERENCE: MODERATE AFTER LOCAL MIDNIGHT OVERALL OPPORTUNITY FOR OBSERVATIONS FROM MIDDLE LATITUDES: FAIR TO GOOD AURORAL ACTIVITY *MAY* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... (THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR) OREGON TO SOUTHERN IDAHO TO WYOMING TO NORTHERN NEBRASKA TO IOWA TO ILLINOIS TO INDIANA TO OHIO TO DELAWARE. ACTIVITY *MAY* ALSO BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... (THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR) NORTHERN FRANCE TO CENTRAL GERMANY TO POLAND TO BELARUS TO CENTRAL RUSSIA. NEW ZELAND AND EXTREME SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA MAY ALSO SPOT PERIODS OF ACTIVITY MODERATE TO STRONG ACTIVITY. SYNOPSIS... A strong X-class flare observed on 15 December was associated with a coronal mass ejection that is expected to impact the Earth anytime after approximately 16:00 UTC on 16 December with a preferred impact time near 22:00 UTC on 16 December (or 5 pm EST over North America). This disturbance is not expected to be as strong as the one that impacted on the 14th. However, it should still be capable of producing periods of moderate to strong auroral storming over widespread mid-latitude regions. A similar morphology to the last disturbance is likely to be observed, with the strongest portion of the disturbance commencing several hours after the impact. This warning will remain valid through 24:00 UTC (5 pm EST) on 17 December. It will be updated or allowed to expire at that time. For updated information, visit: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forum.html. For real-time plots of current activity, visit: http://www.spacew.com/plots.html PLEASE REPORT VALID OBSERVATIONS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY TO: http://www.spacew.com/submitsighting.html ** End of Warning ** _______________________________________________ Aurorawarn mailing list Aurorawarn(a)spacew.com http://spacew.com/mailman/listinfo/aurorawarn ----- End forwarded message -----

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Oh good grief!
by Michael Carnes 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Too bad morons aren't an endangered species... > >Can you believe this?!? > >pw > >So, what's your sign? You crash here often? > >TORONTO, Dec 13 (Reuters Life!) - Never mind how careful you are >behind the wheel or how long you've been driving, the signs of the >zodiac may be bigger factors behind your ability to avoid car crashes >-- or why you have too many.

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