Our friend Adam Block from the University of Arizona astronomy department emailed us yesterday to let us know that his three day workshop “Making Every Pixel Count” will be kicking off at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter in late August. For those of you who don’t know Adam, he is recognized as one of the top astro-imagers and an expert in image processing techniques. Needless to say, the LightBuckets team (me and Alvin) immediately grabbed the first two seats.

Adam’s workshop can accommodate 20 attendees so if you’re interested in becoming an even better astrophotographer, I would highly recommend you sign up soon. The three day agenda is full of topics that will appeal to imagers of all skill levels. Here’s what’s on tap…



The workshop will take place in a renovated dome atop 9,157-foot Mount Lemmon, just outside of Tucson, Arizona. Inside the dome, attendees will find a 24” RC Optical Systems Ritchey-Chrétien ready to image the heavens. This is just a “loaner” instrument as Adam has a 32” RC on order which should be delivered in about 18 months. Here's a short YouTube video, featuring Adam, showing some of the things going on at the SkyCenter...

Lodging is also provided on the mountaintop in a very nicely renovated dormatory complete with a full kitchen and lecture hall. As a special bonus, before heading up the mountain, there will be a tour of the Steward Observatory’s Mirror Lab where the LSST’s (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) optics are currently being fabricated. It’s not often that you get to witness the largest telescopic mirror on the planet being made!



Adam’s workshop is part of a larger effort by the University of Arizona called the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter which endeavors to turn the mountaintop into a public learning center focused on astronomy, ecosystems, and the environment. Some of the planned programs include...

* SkyNights: An evening observing program that permits the public to peer beyond the blue horizons that adorn our southwestern skies and see the wonders that have fascinated people from time immemorial. Star charts, high-quality binoculars and our 24-inch RCOS telescope are just some of our resources.

* DiscoveryDays: Daytime programs that give the public access to the site.
A great way to escape the summer heat! Everything from programs on Lightning to Hummingbirds are presented on scheduled weekends beginning July 19th.

* SkyCamp: A program being developed now to accommodate kids and adults in lengthy stays atop the mountain.

This is a terrific public outreach program by the University of Arizona, one that I hope many of you will help support by attending Adam's workshop or other activities at Mount Lemmon.