Armenia has fantastic clear and starry sky. Ahead of the STARMUS VI festival, Astrophotography School is launched
The School of Astrophotography, launched prior to the STARMUS VI Festival, will reveal the secrets of the fine art of working with stars, practical skills and knowledge to the participants with the help of world-renowned astrophotographers.
ARMENPRESS reports on the first day of the school that started in Aghveran on August 31, the editor of Astronomy magazine, Michael Bakich, delivered a lecture entitled “What Astronomy magazine wants”, presenting the problems the magazine solves, the topics it covers and how to present the cosmic and the celestial in one photo.
“There is one thing that we like to do very much – collecting and publishing photos taken from all over the world, so that other people can see that beauty and learn how to do it. Here is why we are here. The magazine has a scientific section where specialists present the latest discoveries made in space. We also make publications about historical astronomy. And Armenia is simply full of astronomical events, it is simply wonderful. I have only been here for a day and I have already fallen in love with Armenia. It is simply indescribably beautiful here,” he said.
Michael Bakich mentioned that the other section of the magazine is mainly intended for beginner astronomers. “Here during the course, I will teach you what you will need for an astronomical magazine after you have mastered the technique and how to take photos for the magazine. As for cooperation with photographers of Armenian nationality, Oshin Zakarian of Armenian nationality has been taking photos for the magazine for almost 40 years. So, we have a great connection with Armenia,” emphasized Michael Bakich.
Armenian astrophotographer Oshin Zakarian presented the basics of astrophotography with a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR). He mentioned that on all three days of the event, from August 31 to September 2, practical trainings are scheduled at night hours in high places, targeting the starry sky and the Armenian nature.
“Astrophotography school is a unique event for photographing the space, intended for those who want to enter the depths of the sky with the darkest night images of the Earth with their own equipment. Astrophotography is sometimes called photographic astronomy. It is also a method of making star observations and pursues two purposes: research and art,” he said.
The astrophotographer mentioned that he takes pictures of the stars together with ground scenes, that is, he does not only take pictures of the sky, but together with the stars he takes pictures of old churches, nature and various sights.
He emphasized that Armenia is a wonderful place from the point of view of photographing the stars. “With very simple and inexpensive equipment, you can easily photograph the stars, especially in a country like Armenia, which has a fantastic clear sky, where stars can easily be seen,” said the astrophotographer.
On the second day of the astrophotography school, participants will first study the introduction to Planetary Imaging, then learn how to work in the terrain: location survey, composition and lighting.
On the third day, David Eicher, editor of Astronomy magazine, will talk about why it is necessary to photograph strange and obscure images, how using star trails can capture more details, obtaining unique and unrepeatable images. Renowned astrophotographer Christopher Go will present a hands-on workshop on his experience.
“Astronomy is one of the few sciences where even a novice photographer can make a great contribution,” Christopher Go, an astrophotographer who arrived in Armenia from the Philippines, said.
He emphasized that the latest technologies enable us to get excellent photos from space. According to him, competent photographs can become a very important research source.
