dear group,
...various reasons kept me from taking astro-images lately and here is some explanation for being out of the lop for such a long time.
for those who find time to read this:
1.) I have met and discussed with decision-makers of politics and economy, have them “embarque the boat” of light pollution campaigning. Also I have met the heads of the 3 largest public housing associations (being in charge of about 60.000 inhabs of Linz) and the advocate of environment and the president of federal government.
I have spoken at schools, universities and public educational environments about light pollution and astronomy per se.
I have collaborated with Thomas Posch, chair of the Austrian board of IYA 09 in all this matters, of whom I was privileged to represent at all those meetings.
As a consequence, the local and regional government have decided to pick up light pollution as a priority topic. Thes have commenced forming work-groups and they are about to think of ways, to decrease public illumination and make a change.
I was invited to lead the restoration of a very famous and renown school’s astronomical observatory (Petrinum). They now have Austria’s very best and highest sophisticated telescope in a 15 feet fully robotic dome with remote capability. (the scope is an 8 inch triple-apo f/9; TMB design, one of the very last on earth...).
2.) Last night we had the grand opening of the astronomy-exhibition at AEC, the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, which I coach as an advisor and counsellor in astronomy-projects.
http://aec.at/news_en.php?iNewsID=1183
15.000 visitors a month will now see
- moon-meteorits with microsurgical headmounted microscope (which I use in my day-job as a microsurgeon),
- mars meteorits
- steer around a mars-rover, and wear space-suits (provided by the Austrian Space Forum (Gernot Grömer))
- learn about ligh pollution, Apollo landing, Paolo Salucci's research in dark matter, see lots of HD-rendered 3d videos of the surface of Mars and the moon.
The ultimate feature but is the following:
- see the UNIVEW software application in 3d stereo presented in the “deep space-room” of the AEC: The technological heart of Deep Space consists of eight 1080p HD- and Active Stereo-capable Barco Galaxy NH12 projectors. The images are projected onto mammoth 16x9-meter displays mounted on the wall as well as in the floor. A great vantage-point view and a dizzying shift of perspective is available from the Deep Space Platform set up at an altitude of about five meters.
The technology installed in Deep Space makes it possible to produce uniform displays with a resolution measuring 2,160 pixels high and 3,840 pixel wide. Through the use of edge blending, the images projected next to each other on the wall and floor can be merged together pixel by pixel until the areas of overlapping are ultimately undetectable.
Uniview:
http://scalingtheuniverse.com/
By means of this unique application, we let our guests see the
- magnetosphere of earth in real time,
- let them take a bath in Saturn's rings,
- let the planets spin around the sun seen from different angles
- displayed the Oort cloud, the radio sphere, the constellations and change of shape when switching angle of view
- showed them the exoplanets
- the scientific probes yet started with their past, current and future position
- how far we earthlings can reach out with bare eyes,
- let them see our galaxy and far beyond,...
- see lots of ESA and NASA HD renderings of lunar and Mars’ surface, explanets, center of the galaxy with stars spinning around the black hole and much more.
AND all of this is presented in 3D STEREO (shutter glass technology) !!!
It was a tremendous show! I wish you could have been here to see for yourself.
At present, the AEC is the only place on earth, the uniview-show can ne watched in 3d stereo.
Also, we will celebrate the 40 year anniversary of manned lunar landing, having Shane Campell here in a skype-life-session for example.
3.) On the 3rd of September we will run a big star party on the main square of Linz, expecting some thousands of people come to peek at the stars, after the major of town will have switched off all lights at night. This way the major will be in charge to let his agreeing words follow deeds. But he has understood, it is a chance for the city of Linz to stride along new ways and become a very good example in Austria.
A life con. to the ISS, ESO and Kitt Peak shall become some further highlights to the event. Also Franz Viehböck (late Austrian kosmonaut) will come to speak about his enterprises in space.
By 10 p.m. the major will switch off the light and people will gaze into the night skies, looking through some dozens of telescopes, my amateur collegues will set up.
Also there are gonne take place work-shops for kids.
I am cooperating with UNESCO-schools and have their students come to the AEC and guide them through special shows, dedicated to kids.
This entire "star-party" event will take place with the grand opening of the Linzer “Klangwolke”.
http://www.aec.at/humannature/index_en.html
in case, you are intrested in seeing the 3d stereo show, drop me an e-mail, guys.
once my schedule opens a window for astro-imaging, I shall post such image here.
Meanwhile, I send you heartiest greetings from Austria,
Dietmar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dietmar Hager, F.R.A.S.
fellow of the royal astronomical society
local and remote astrophtography
counselor for astronomy projects
of the ars electronica center linz
contact@stargazer-observatory.com
www.stargazer-observatory.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
orthopedic trauma-, hand- and
microsurgeon - AKH linz
krankenhausstrasse 9; 4020
austria
well done 
