There are currently thousands of amateur astronomers around the world engaged in astrophotography at increasingly sophisticated levels. Their ranks far outnumber professional astronomers doing the same and their contributions both technically and artistically are the dominant drivers of progress in the field today. This book is a unique collaboration of individuals, all world-renowned in their particular area, and covers in detail each of the major sub-disciplines of astrophotography. This approach offers the reader the greatest opportunity to learn the most current information and the latest techniques directly from the foremost innovators in the field today.

The book as a whole covers all types of astronomical image processing, including processing of eclipses and solar phenomena, extracting detail from deep-sky, planetary, and widefield images, and offers solutions to some of the most challenging and vexing problems in astronomical image processing. Recognized chapter authors include deep sky experts such as JAY GABANY, TONY HALLAS, ROBERT GENDLER, KEN CRAWFORD, high-resolution planetary expert DAMIAN PEACH, and the founder of The World at Night BABAK A. TAFRESHI, among other luminaries in the field of astronomical image processing.

A large number of quality illustrations help explain the critical concepts and complex techniques the modern astrophotographer will need to achieve the highest level of quality in their astronomical images.

Autorentext
Robert Gendler is an amateur astrophotographer whose astrophotography has earned him international acclaim. He was featured in the PBS documentary Seeing in the Dark by Timothy Ferris, who called Gendler "one of the greatest astrophotographers in all of history." Robert is known among fellow astrophotographers as a pioneer always exploring ways to push the available technology beyond its limits. He has published two books on astrophotography. The first, A Year in the Life of the Universe (Voyageur Press, 2006), was published in four languages (English, Spanish, Polish, and Greek). He is the author of astrophotography books including Capturing the Stars: Astrophotography by the Masters (Voyageur Press, 2009) and Treasures of the Southern Sky (Springer, 2012) highlights the work of the most accomplished astronomical imagers in the world. Gendler received the Hubble Prize for contributions to astrophotography at the Advanced Imaging Conference at San Jose, California in 2007. Robert lives in Avon, Connecticut with his wife and two children. His work can be viewed at www.robgendlerastropics.com

Inhalt

Theory of Astronomical Imaging.- Bringing Out Small Scale Structure.- Color Amplification.- Wide-field Constellation Imaging and Bringing Out Faint Large Scale Structure.- Narrowband Imaging.- Wide-field Imaging Strategies for Processing Light Contaminated Data.- High Resolution Planetary and Lunar Imaging.- Deep-Sky Imaging Workflow 1.- Deep-Sky Imaging Workflow 2.- Nightscape Imaging.- Deep-Sky Imaging Workflow 3.- Eclipse Imaging and Processing of the Solar Corona.- Solar Imaging.- Aesthetics and Composition in Deep Sky Imaging.- ** High Dynamic Range Processing.- Cosmetics: Noise Reduction and Blemish Repair.- Hybrid Imaging.