Jayanne English's Homepage

New! The images from this workshop have their own website.

Visualizaton for Phys 1830 Winter 2015

Welcome to the site for the astronomy visualization workshops by Jayanne English for Phys 1830 (Perspective on the Universe). This will be do a hands-on workshop where you actually make an image. Please bring your laptop if you can. It is best to work in 2s or 3s so if you don't mind, please invite people who don't have laptops to create with you during the workshop component. Below are items you will need for this component of the course. (Material presented at these workshop classes will be on the tests.)

Abstract: From Cosmos to Canvas: Tensions between Art and Science in Astronomy Images.
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 would like to promote content produced by astronomers - professional and amateurs. Bold colour images from telescopes act as extraordinary ambassadors for astronomers because they pique the public's curiosity. Unfortunately attempts by scientists to represent their discoveries can tend to all but drown out the conventions of visual literacy. This can dilute the impact of an image. This session is to help you render your astronomy images in the most effective manner possible. The workshops will help you to learn how to make outstanding, striking electronic images to support your science stories in accurate, compelling ways. Bring your laptop and learn techniques of the professionals. (Information about want you should load your laptop with will be available at http://www.physics.umanitoba.ca/~english/2015winterphys1830/bwimaging/

Date: B & W Feb 2, 2015; Colour TBA

• 10:30 - 11:30am
  Location Wallace 223
  
  
• Needed for the Black and White Workshop Component:

  If you have your own data, please bring totally processed black & white jpeg files. It would be helpful to have at least 3 different images that you wish to combine.

  • Please download all 4 of the files in this directory onto your laptop.
    1. Radio 74 cm
    2. Radio 21 cm
    3. FIR 60 microns
    4. FIR 25 microns

    We will manipulate these images to show detail. Later we will convert these into colour images using GIMP or PhotoShop during the colour workshop.

  
  
  
  • GIMP:
    If you do not have an image manipulation package on your computer e.g. PhotoShop), the Gnu Image Manipulation Package is free, easy to install, and works on Linux as well as Microsoft. You can use PhotoShop if you have it AND (1) if you are a PhotoShop expert (i.e. know how to use layers) AND (2) if the version you have has the screen algorithm when working in layers.

    I tested this on my MAC AIR and following the instructions worked like a charm. Attached here is a list of steps. Here's my notes on how to do it.

    (If you are using Mac with Lion, then you should be using GIMP for Leopard. See this YouTube video ... you may also need to install X11.)

  ---

  Date for Colour Workshop to be announced.

  • 10:30 - 11:30am
    Location Wallace 223
    
    
  • Needed for the Colour Workshop Component:
    1. Stretched Black and White Images:

       I have stretched the Black and White data from the Chimney Nebula. Download these 5 jpeg images listed in the B&W workshop to your laptop. Alternatively You can use the black and whites that you stretched the last class.

    2. GIMP:
       
       If you do not have an image manipulation package on your computer e.g. PhotoShop), the Gnu Image Manipulation Package is free, easy to install, and works on Linux as well as Microsoft. You can use PhotoShop if you have it AND (1) if you are a PhotoShop expert (i.e.know how to use layers) AND (2) if the version you have has the screen algorithm when working in layers.

       (If you are using Mac with Lion, then you should be using GIMP for Leopard. See this YouTube video ... you may also need to install X11.)

Other Useful Links for Cosmos versus Canvas Experiments:

Making Images from A to Z:
If you are interested in creating more images see the visualization page at http://www.physics.umanitoba.ca/~english/viz2009/. There are video tutorials at this site.

Working on full resolution images:

• The larger sized FITS versions of HST data are available at the Hubble Legacy Archive at http://hla.stsci.edu/

  This is for the enthusiast, not required for class.

• Click on Advanced for your Search. Then input
  1. first box: NGC 2070 (or your favourite object)
  2. data product: combined (level 2)
  3. proposal id: 6122
• This should give a table with files called NGC2070-NW-SHELL. You can see the filter numbers.
• Retrieve the fits files.
• Stretch the FITS files in kvis in KARMA or in PhotoShop using FITSLiberator. GIMP also does FITS files but it is more awkward. (For galaxies try a log stretch; for nebulae try a square root stretch.)
• Save the stretched greyscale images as .ppm or .tiff images.
• Play in PhotoShop or GIMP :-)

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