Queensland Astrofest 2009

[firstlight]

I did notice the smell of smoke on occasion and I am not sure what to do about infringements.

One of the best things about the Asrofest is the Queensland lifestyle and attitude. While white light and uncovered computer screens are not acceptable (as is the flouting of the smoking rule), the thought of Storm Troopers descending on offenders is distasteful:fight:, especially as it will fall on the organisers to to do this. We are there to enjoy the event with everyone else , and don't want to be labeled fascists.

What sort of penalties can we impose that is acceptable for those who attend (decapitation is not concidered at this stage)? Suggestions gratefully accepted.

[firstlight]

I voted for your Crux Jeanette, I seriously didn't think I had a chance against your image(s).

[jjjnettie]

It's the peoples choice and they chose your picture Tony.
A deserved win.

[[1ponders]]

Tony, I spoke to Anne-Louise one afternoon about the possibility of an new competition. Maybe it could be brought up at tonight's meeting or at future planning meetings.


The idea was to have a processing competition. If an unprocessed image image was made available a period (3 months? ) before Astrofest for downloading from the Astrofest site, competitors could then process the image, print it out and submit it for selection by peoples choice as the best rendition of that object. Similar to the current setup for selecting submitted images. It would need to be a fairly small image to make download sizes manageable.


An alternative is to make the image available at the start of Astrofest (both at the site and online), competitors process the image during the week and then submit all versions on the last Saturday for showing at the astrofeast via data projector during the feast. People could then submit their vote on the night. Having it available online would allow those that are only coming for the final few days the opportunity to partake for the full week.

I'm more in favour of the first idea as data projectors are notorious for being poorly colour calibrated. And the amount of light in the dinning room would tend to wash out the images anyway.

[jjjnettie]

I think that's a great idea.
Everyone could get into this. You don't need an expensive imaging rig to join in the fun.

[[1ponders]]

Notch up another one to me.:D

:rofl:

[firstlight]

I think the idea has merit, Paul. I would think that a 2 meg file is not too big to download and still have a fair bit of detail to process, or even double the size? That's not too big is it? Contain enough info to process? Voting at the last minute is fraught with problems, some of them being counting the vote, trying to enjoy our dinner, present the awards, run the raffle, not spontaneously combust :scared:.

The images will have to be sent to the committee before the camp comences so we can put them up and have everyone at camp see them at some time, same as the astrophoto comp.

I've got it on my list (will need another display board to cart up though :sadeyes:)

[jjjnettie]

Leave the board at my place and I'll bring it up Tony. No problems.

[Davros]

As far as torches go i dont know how you can strike a balance. There were some bright lights getting around but on the other hand i had a couple of long exposures wasted due to people walking into the tripod.

[firstlight]

Just have to acquire one :).

[jjjnettie]

I could borrow a couple from the Art Society I belong to. Can't see a problem there.

[firstlight]

That sounds great Jeanette... we would probably need 2 to accommodate to re-process junkies out there :lol:... how big a file should be made available?

[firstlight]

How about volunteers to count the vote?

[[1ponders]]

Can the volunteers still be in the comp. ;)


I don't think 4-5meg is too big these days. It would be a fairly small tiff though, even zipped. Though a quarter frame 20D raw stack converted to TIFF is 12mb, winzipped @ 50% makes 6 meg which isn't too bad.

There are probably a few areas that need to be discussed, degree of difficulty for example; image type; neb, galaxy, star field all require different processing and combination of those there can be a real challenge, just to pick a couple of areas to be considered.

[firstlight]

My opinion is that those in the comp can count, they are not judging... conflict of interest etc.

A 6 meg zipped file should be alright to download... a lot of people now have broadband. As to if you want to have categories... concider the workload for counting and for just getting the images up for viewing in the first place.

I will take it to the committee and will let you know what the outcome is. The important thing is that a greater workload is not placed on the current committee. I take it there will be a number of people to assist in the putting up of images and the vote count on Saturday?

[[1ponders]]

I can put my hand up for the vote count, but I'd better not put my hand up for the putting up of images. I would hate to put the competitors images upside down. :P

[mozzie]

just one sugesstion for next year lets try to keep cars from driving through the camp in the middle of the night:screwy::doh::whistle:i dont know who it was but he was getting a mouthful from everyone
mozzie

[jjjnettie]

Count me in as a helper in this Tony.
You can hang them all sideways if you like Paul, if they're all the same image.

[[1ponders]]

But presentation is everything. :D

[firstlight]

Yeah, I went over to find out who it was and was a bit surprised to find Bill the manager returning home from an astronomy class with Jim Barclay :lol:.

He was very chagrined the next morning when he came over and apologized. I would like to repeat his apology for those who he disturbed that night.

A couple of years ago we pulled the chain across the driveway in the evening to stop such a thing happening, but we hadn't done it for a few years as everyone got the message that no-one enters after dark. We will enforce it in future.

[jjjnettie]

I honestly thought he was going to be drawn and quartered out there on the field. There were calls to hang him from the tallest Dob.

[firstlight]

OK

At the meeting last night, all around the table there was general concensus that the image process comp is a pretty good idea. We didn't sit down and work out full details as we had a lot to go over about how the Astrofest went and what needs to be improved.

I think that many feel that there is plenty of time to organise the event as we have almost a year, but it was agreed that the IIS fraternity (sorority?) can assist in organising the competition. The raw image needs to be chosen, display boards are required, assisatance in putting the images up, and counting the votes.

We feel that the comp can be opened online for an image to be downloaded from the website, a certain period for processing, and then images are submitted to the committee prior to the start of the Astrofest and voting closes by mid Saturday, same as the Astro-Photo Comp.

This will allow almost everyone who attends to see the work and vote... we only miss the stragglers which can't be helped. We talked about setting up a poll on the website, but it was felt that it is harder to track how votes are cast.

How does that set with everyone? A 8 to 16 mb file is not that large with broadband... I just downloaded a couple hunderd mb of podcasts i about 20 minutes/half an hour.

[astroron]

Yeah, I went over to find out who it was and was a bit surprised to find Bill the manager returning home from an astronomy class with Jim Barclay .
Poor fellow:whistle:
Some good ideas there Tony:D
Thanks to the team:)

[jjjnettie]

How exciting! Looking forward to being involved.

[[1ponders]]

Ok, I'll put my hand up. It's still early days yet, but 3 or 4 vollies should be enough for the job. As the time draws closer if we ask Mike nicely he might open a private forum for discussion and organising the process. Either that or we can skype it, though a forum would be good to keep track of the organising.

[acropolite]

I'd suggest that next year the committee attempt to coordinate with the RFA regarding burns.

I know that some victorian event organisers have had good co-operation from authorities when requesting no burns in the area for the event's duration.
The smoke from the burns is not only annoying, it's often laced with chemicals used to start the burn and quite corrosive.

[firstlight]

The RFS did not conduct any burns in the valley of the Astrofest. There was also a total fire ban during part of the Astrofest, certainly toward the end. Unfortunately the local landholders did not/do not always seek official sanction to conduct burns. The report from the Black Saturday fires came out during camp and the media jumped in with massive reporting that Queensland (amongst other states) will have a bad fire season. I think a lot of cockies threw matches out the window as they were passing along the road.

The rules apply to others and not to them it appears (climbing into my pulpit), in much the same way lifting of red gel from computer screens, failing to dim headlamps and not directing the light they do generate toward the ground instead of spotlighting across the field, down tubes and into lenses. :rolleyes: (How's that for hyjacking a thread? ;))

It is a good point to try and get in contact with the authorities and we will make the effort to do so, but the fact remains that people will burn regardless. I have just sent a message to through the the QRFS website regarding your comment and I hope to hear from them soon.

Are there any locals on this forum who might know someone in RFS or has some association with them? Jeanette, Chris?

BTW we were very fortunate that the Astrofest was not held a week later when half the hills around Kilkoy were torched... During the total fire ban! :shrug:

[Davros]

Another thing i thought of in a moment of temporary enlightenment was using head torches as a wrist torch rather than a head torch. Thus keeping the lights low but still useful for fiddling, walking (or fiddling while walking :P ) etc.

[[1ponders]]

You've been watching far too much Star Trek Mick. :lol:

[Davros]

Fascinating...........is there really such a thing. :P

[[1ponders]]

:lol: Of course you are correct. I should be taken out the back and soundly flogged for my stupidity. :lol: