Astrophotography

Due to requests aand prodding *(you know who you are) I've added a fun piece on Kepler at the beginning. Also a little bit on DSLR/webcam imaging techniques.

It's Xmas time and we're looking for Santa Clause in the stars with Python aided by its modules, Numpy, Pyfits, PIL (Python Image Library).

Specifically we will be looking at FITS(Flexible Image Transport system) files used for packaging images in astrophotography and astronomy and other scientific data exchange mediums; how working with these files is made easier using above.

Coders may be interested but graphic designers/photographers will focus on the second half of the preso where we use Fits Liberator to "create colour images using raw observations from a range of telescopes, including the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, ESO’s Very Large Telescope and ESA’s XMM-Newton Telescope".

Sample Post editing of these files in their native FITS format turned to tiff will be done in Photoshop using Santa's Ring Nebula.

We hope to reveal glimpses of where Santa Clause came from using astrophotographical data and FITS.

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/4/a/event_179934602.jpeg