Members Evening

[Fay]

Could anyone do a quick talk on how to apply FITS information to an image & can it  be useful to the imagers in the society.

Thanks

Fay

[Ian]

I'm not too sure what you're asking there Fay.

A fits file generally has image data together with a text portion with a number of mandatory and optional fields for storing pertinent information regarding the image. It is pretty much the same as the EXIF info that normal digital cameras add to JPG files.

The header (the text bit) is usually populated by the software that creates the FITS certainly in the case of MaximDL for example, and it uses values that are configured in the preferences such as instrument, location, time and co-ordinates. When you posted the FITS header in the gallery, where did that info come from? If it came from the app, and you used some sort of display FITS header option, then saving the image as a FITS should see that information added to the image. This site has a useful list of header fields, but as I say, a proper FITS file should have some of them in already.

[Rick]

...and the horse's mouth is here: http://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/fits_documentation.html

That site's the kind of barrel-of-fun which either answers all your questions or sends you away gibbering. 

[Fay]

Thanks, Ian...............dddddddddddgibbberbbbbbbbbgibbrt!

[Fay]

Good job that was sorted before members evening, Ian, I could have been shot!!!

[Mike]

I think we should arrange to shoot you anyway. It's the only humane thing to do (for us not you).

[Fay]

Thanks for your kind thoughts, Mike!

[Ian]

Fay,

think yourself lucky it's not valentines. Mike gets really soppy then...

[Fay]

I don't know about that, Ian. Have you heard of the "St. Valentines Day Massacre"?

[Fay]

Thanks to Mike, Tony & Mark for their very interesting & well presented talks, a good evening.

Fay

[Ian]

I agree. One of the best evenings we've had for a while.

Shame about the hecklers though...

[mickw]

Yep, great evening .
Thanks again to Tony, Mark and Mike, all very interesting and informative.

[JohnP]

Sorry I missed this one... Mark - did you present on Powerpoint - If so is there any chance of making your presentation available - I'd be very interested in having a look.

Cheers,  John

[Mike]

Shame you weren't there John your image of M57 was 'Image of the Month'.

[Carole]

Yes, very interesting meeting.  Thanks Tony, Mark and Mike.  It's great having a couple of evenings a year for members to present interesting topics.

I particularly enjoy ones about practical things like using equipment and software etc as this is something we can all learn from when doing our own observing/photography.

Also I like the way Mike is presenting challenges and results at the beginning and end of the month, also members images for the month, as this does encourage.  OK, so I know I got my first moon images shown this time, so I would say that. 
But I would have said it anyway - honest!

Unfortunately the evening was oversubscribed and Ken had prepared a talk and was asked to step down which is a shame. Perhaps Ken can have a slot at the next members evening.

Carole

[Ian]

are you sure that Ken's not been put of by the heckling?

[Mike]

I agree that there weer too many speakers. It was originally only supposed to be myself and Mark but it looks liek Tony booked two otehrs in as well. he obviously presumed mark and I were only going to talk for 10 minutes! It was a shame as Mark had to cut his talk short and I felt I had to rush mine a bit.

And someone (not mentioning any names) said that it was difficult to fill members Evenings with speakers !!! 

[JohnP]

Shame you weren't there John your image of M57 was 'Image of the Month'.

Oh... doubly disappointed then... Thks anyway - I look forwad to receiving the cheque - or is it a case of beer....

[Ian]

I believe it's case of buy your own beer...

[Mike]

..actually you win a slap in the eye with a wet haddock.

[Tony G]

Who were the hecklers??? and what did they heckle???

Tony G

[Jim]

Ken had prepared a longer talk and kindly agreed to delay this until the next members meet in Sept, so we can look forward to it then.  I thought it was an excellent meeting, all the talks were well presented, succinct and interesting. We really needed more time for discussion. The range of interest of our members is fantastic and it's good of them to take time to share it.

[MarkS]

John,

My presentation is 20Meg of Powerpoint (lots of pictures in there).  I can put it on a CD for you ...

Mark

[Mac]

As quite a few people have now asked for powerpoint copies of some of the talks,

Can all of the talks (where available) be made available in behind the scenes as downloads,

There own page perhaps.

There are a few that i would like to see again.

Although we might have to get permission off of the previous talkers, copyright ect.

Just a thought.

Mac.

[Ian]

this question has come up before. I would not expect external speakers to be too happy about this, but I'd defer to Tony Sizer, seeing as he's the current meetings secretary.

For internal talks, I think that'd be useful. We've got a general area in the gallery, although i don't think that's the best place. Moderators can post files here, or they could be added to the main website.

[Rick]

For talks which make use of illustrations from elsewhere (as both Tony's amd Mike's did), copyright could be an issue.

For internal talks where the slides are the speaker's original work and we have the speaker's permission, copyright shouldn't be too much of a problem. If there is a problem it's likely to be with the file size.

Also, in my experience, a set of slides doesn't always make much sense unless it has the talk to go with it.

[Rick]

Can all of the talks (where available) be made available in behind the scenes as downloads

The technology exists, but I don't think I'd be in favour of this. The slides (whatever format) are usually prepared to help illustrate a talk, and without the talk they're just a string of pictures. Also, talks are by their nature ephemeral. If you ask a speaker to give the same talk a few months later the content will probably have changed to some degree.

There are pages on our main website for reports on talks (and special events). Usually I end up writing them. I try to write enough to remind folks who were there what the talk was about, and if speakers give web links I try to remember to include those too, but I'm sure I miss plenty of stuff, especially if I stop by the pub aferwards. I would welcome additional reports on talks from other authors for the website (and TOAST).

...and on a related note, there's plenty of room for sections on the website about (say) astrophotography and observing techniques...