Re: [APML]: Chuck Vaughn's Prints in S&T

[aa6g@aa6g.org (Chuck Vaughn)]

Frank LaHorgue wrote:

>I've been admiring the photos on pp98-99 in the October 1996 S&T.  I wonder
>how closely the printed magazine was able to replicate the original prints?

Thank-you. Actually they did a fairly good job in reproducing the tonal range.
The origianl prints had somewhat lighter backgrounds. I think this typically
happens in the magazines.

>What size were the original prints, or was some other means used to transfer
>the images to S&T?

They were all 8x10's. They are all smaller in the magazine, M101 very much so.
NGC6888 may be close. I didn't measure it.

>I appreciate the exposure times in the captions.

They got one wrong. The Pelican was 180 minutes not 90 minutes.

>Were darkroom procedures such as masking or stacking used?

There was no stacking or masking. I tried to burn in that defect on the
Pelican as much as possible. Something that complex is pretty hard in the
darkroom but I was able to completely eliminate it in Photoshop. S&T didn't
want the repaired version. I commonly burn the bright areas if they're blocked
up. On NGC6888 I also used "flashdown" which I describe on my web page in
detail.
>
>In other words, tell us all your secrets, Chuck!
>
If there are any secrets, it's a telescope than is able to deliver a good
image, a long exposure, good seeing and a dark sky - nothing that I think
everyone on this list doesn't already know!

Chuck  <aa6g@aa6g.org>

http://www.aa6g.org/astro.html