Document Type
Paper
Abstract
When it comes to astrophotography, there is a lot more going on ‘under the hood’ than meets the eye. The images we have come to know and love, are not what is truly captured by telescopes – the data they collect must be post-processed to facilitate human interpretation. Filtering out aberrations, adjusting for Doppler shifting, contrast stretching, dark signal subtraction, multiple-image compositions, and utilizing general color correction are all examples of the post-processing work that go into creating the final-product photos the general population sees. On the other hand, numerical methods are also applied to reduce error and optimize images using regression methods, among others, allowing for systematic development of image profiles. Telescopes capture non-visual data as well, such as x-ray and infrared wavelengths, which can be adapted to color profiles perceivable by the human eye; each wavelength category has a characteristic appearance, the source of which is often overlooked. These images are able to tell us more about the history of the universe, as the light captured can be up to 100 million years old. The James Webb Space Telescope is an excellent example of an upcoming investigation, which will portray exoplanets and their characteristics in a ‘new light,’ as well as delve into the early development of stars. The chronology and processes from the data captured to the final image is akin to those used in all forms of photography. Images from telescopes have become the standard for how we visualize the world past the bounds of Earth, extending deep into the cosmos. Astronomers do the heavy lifting in processing raw data collected by telescopes using color correction, aberration elimination, compositions, and more in order to generate an image which portrays the data collected in a manner that speaks to all of the people who see it. Astrophotography is able to demystify the reality outside the planet we call home, and answer questions about our past – even those we may not have thought to ask – through the viewing lense of a telescope.
Trust the Process: An Investigation into Astrophotography
When it comes to astrophotography, there is a lot more going on ‘under the hood’ than meets the eye. The images we have come to know and love, are not what is truly captured by telescopes – the data they collect must be post-processed to facilitate human interpretation. Filtering out aberrations, adjusting for Doppler shifting, contrast stretching, dark signal subtraction, multiple-image compositions, and utilizing general color correction are all examples of the post-processing work that go into creating the final-product photos the general population sees. On the other hand, numerical methods are also applied to reduce error and optimize images using regression methods, among others, allowing for systematic development of image profiles. Telescopes capture non-visual data as well, such as x-ray and infrared wavelengths, which can be adapted to color profiles perceivable by the human eye; each wavelength category has a characteristic appearance, the source of which is often overlooked. These images are able to tell us more about the history of the universe, as the light captured can be up to 100 million years old. The James Webb Space Telescope is an excellent example of an upcoming investigation, which will portray exoplanets and their characteristics in a ‘new light,’ as well as delve into the early development of stars. The chronology and processes from the data captured to the final image is akin to those used in all forms of photography. Images from telescopes have become the standard for how we visualize the world past the bounds of Earth, extending deep into the cosmos. Astronomers do the heavy lifting in processing raw data collected by telescopes using color correction, aberration elimination, compositions, and more in order to generate an image which portrays the data collected in a manner that speaks to all of the people who see it. Astrophotography is able to demystify the reality outside the planet we call home, and answer questions about our past – even those we may not have thought to ask – through the viewing lense of a telescope.
