You are here: Home > Activities >Courses
AAV Logo

Astronomy and the Beauty
of the Swiss Alps

Alpine Astrovillage Lue-Stailas

A Center for Astrophotography in the Alps  Lunar phase 
Val Muestair / Graubuenden
7534 Lue, Switzerland


DeutschEnglish                                 Home     Contact us
 

Become an AAV shareholder

Photo-Gallery
Astronomy
Nature
Regional themes
Photocontests

Local interest
Links

AAV Construction

Sponsoring
Why a sponsorship
Categories
Become a sponsor
Our sponsors

Comments
SURVEY
Questions/Suggestions
View guestbook
Sign guestbook

Advisory board
AB members

The founders
General info
Scientific papers
 

Course cycle: How to explore the sky with a telescope

The 4 courses in this cycle introduce the participants into the chosen topic and should simplify and stimulate own deeper-going studies of the visual and photographic exploration of the night sky. All courses contain theoretical and practical parts taking place in the afternoon (2x45 min, with a coffee break) and in the evening or at night (begin 1 hr before dusk, duration 2-3 hrs)

  • The course schedule and prices can be found here
  • For further information, click here

Course 1: The telescope and direct (visual) observation

Duration: 3 days
  • The telescope and its parts
  • The horizontal and the equatorial coordinate systems           
  • Die alt/az and the equatorial mount               
  • The planisphere and the most important constellations
  • Which telescope for visual observations?
  • Selected celestial objects for direct observation

RefraktorSchmidt-Cassegrain

 ...

 

Orion-vis

The Orion nebula (visual impression; compare to the DSLR image in Course 2 below)

Course 2: Introduction to DSLR astrophotography

Duration: 5 days
  • Photography versus direct observation
  • The cameras
  • The telescopes
  • Mounts and guiding
  • Accessories for the telescope/camera setup
  • Computer and "Image Plus" software
  • The first exposures: raw and calibration frames
  • Digital data processing: IP and Photoshop
  • Which setup (and budget...) for DSLR astro-photography?
  • Selected objects for DSLR astrophotography

DSLR-Kamera

 ...

Orion-DSLR
Orion nebula, DSLR image
(Brightness 4.0 mag, size 85‘x60’)

Course 3: Introduction to astrophotography with an astronomical CCD camera

Duration: 5 days
  • The cooled astronomical CCD camera
  • Imaging scale and how to choose the best camera/telescope combination
  • The mount and the required guiding precision
  • Software: The Sky, MaximDL, CCDSoft
  • The first exposures: raw and calibration frames
  • Digital data processing: MaximDL, Photoshop, others
  • Which setup (and budget...) for astronomical CCD imaging?
  • Selected objects to start with

AstroCCD-Kamera

 .....

Adlernebel-AstroCCDThe Eagle nebula imaged with an astronomical CCD camera (brightness 6.0 mag, size 7‘)

Course 4: The robotic telescope and remote (online) astrophotography

Duration: 5 days
  • An introductory story
  • Basics of running a remote observatory
  • Computer and communication (internet, electric power, visual control)
  • The telescope and its remote control system (mount, guiding, temperature control)
  • The camera and its remote control system (focus, camera rotation, filter wheel, adaptive optics, exposure)
  • The dome and its remote control system (Open/close, synchronization to the mount)
  • Examples of setupsMultiLink-System
 .....

Robotisches Teleskop bei AAVAAV Dome 1: A Mewlon300 Dall-Kirkham telescope on a Paramount ME

 

Course schedule:

Course schedule

 

Important course information:

Rabates

  • Groups of 8 persons and more profit from a special 10% discount on course and accommodation costs.
  • Participants taking more than one course receive a 20% discount on the second and all subsequent courses in this cycle.

Place

  • AAV Lue-Stailas.

Time

  • Each day : Theory – 2x 45 min in the afternoon, practice at the telescope - 2-3 hrs in the evening/night.
  • If anyhow possible, the practice will occur under the skies; if not, we will use - as much as possible - screen simulations.

Participants

  • 4-10 persons per course.
  • Age limit 12 years.

Necessary materials

  • All material necessary for the course will be provided. In Course 2, participants should, if possible, use their own DSLR camera (adapters for Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax cameras will be provided).
  • Price includes also a star atlas and handouts with the course content.

Languages

  • German, Swiss German, English, French, and Czech

 

Related pages:     Amenities   Accommodation   Reservations   Rates   Intrumentation   Activities   Guidelines
 
Home     Site map     Contact us    Tell a friend    
© Jitka & Václav Ourednik
All rights reserved