Cosmotography News


16 November, 2019

Cosmotography receives Advanced Imaging Conference 2019 Hubble Award


R, Jay GaBany, the author of Cosmotography, has been selected to receive the 2019 Hubble Award from the Advanced Imaging Conference during its San Jose, California meeting from November 15-17, 2019.

According to the conference directory:

"R. Jay GaBany has the reputation for producing some of the finest deep-sky photography in the world. His images have been featured and published countless times in magazines, books, movies, and of course Astronomy Picture of the Day.

His many contributions to the astrophotography community are vase. Best known for his work with an international team of astrophysicists, led by Dr. David Martinez-Delgado, he helped pioneer the use of modest sized telescope using off-the-shelf equipment to produce long exposure images that revealed ancient galactic merger remnants in the form of star streams surrounding near-by galaxies that were previously undetected. His long exposures and special processing methods managed to capture details not seen in professional images.

GaBany's scientific collaboration with professional astronomers has resulted in his participation as co-author of 16 peer-reviewed papers. His writings include over 50 published articles in numerous popular astronomy magazines, books and on-line blogs. GaBany was awarded the 2010 American Astronomical Society (AAS) Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award. Time magazine included GaBany with their compilation of the 25 most Influential People in Space and Parade magazine included Jay in their list of 10 most influential People in Space.

Jay also served as a board member and President of AIC, helping to plan conferences, writing code for registration, creating the AIC website and producing the newsletter. Jay retired from AIC in December 2018 and is currently living in San Jose with his wife, Anne" 		 



5 October, 2018

Cosmotography Image Appears in the 5 October, 2018 Issue of the Journal Science





The Stellar Ring around NGC5907
Eric Hand is a deputy editor responsible for physical sciences news coverage with the Journal Science. In the October 5, 2018 issue, he writes that stellar streams are like necklaces of stars. They stretch across the Milky Way's halo, a sparse and roughly spherical region of stars that envelops the galaxy's whirling disk like a snow globe. They are the filamentous remains of neighboring small galaxies and star clusters that have been disemboweled as they fall into the galaxy's gravitational grasp. And their study is now entering a golden age, with astronomical surveys like the European Space Agency's Gaia pushing into the far reaches of the Milky Way's halo. Even before Gaia, astronomers were finding streams in data from ground-based observing campaigns such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Dark Energy Survey. Now, their number is exploding. In just the past 2 years, the count has more than doubled, passing 60.

The streams are particularly useful for what astronomers call galactic archaeology—rewinding the cosmic clock to reconstruct the assembly of the Milky Way. They also are being used as exquisitely sensitive scales to measure the galaxy's mass. The third possible application for stellar streams is perhaps the most intriguing. Patrolling the outskirts of the galaxy's halo, the streams are well-positioned to reveal the presence of dark matter, the unseen stuff thought to dominate ordinary matter by a ratio of nearly six to one. Because the streams are so fragile, theorists say, collisions with marauding clumps of dark matter could leave telltale scars, potential clues to its nature.

The article is illustrated by the 2011 Cosmotography image capturing the incredibly faint rings of stellar rivers that surround galaxy NGC5907 for the first time. 		 



30 December, 2015

Tidal Streams in the Local Group and Beyond



A New Book


Cosmotography.com announces the publication of Tidal Streams in the Local Group and Beyond. The book includes a chapter, titled "Stellar Tidal Streams in External Galaxies", co-authored by Jeffrey L. Carlin, Rachael L. Beaton, David Martínez-Delgado and R. Jay GaBany.

According to the publisher: This book is written by leading scientists in the field, who review the current state of our knowledge of tidal streams in the Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, and in other nearby galaxies. The cosmological origins of dwarf galaxies and the physical processes by which they are tidally disrupted into streams and incorporated into galaxy halos are discussed. The techniques that have been used to identify tidal streams are presented and will be useful to researchers who would like to find substructures in the next generation of optical sky surveys, including Pan-STARRS and LSST.

The methods that are currently under development to constrain both large scale distribution of dark matter in the Milky Way and the (small scale) lumpiness of the dark matter distribution are also explained. The authors also provide motivation for future spectroscopic surveys of Milky Way halo stars, which will aid both in the identification of tidal streams and the constraint of dark matter properties.

This volume is aimed at graduate students who are beginning this field of research, but is also a resource for researchers who study tidal streams and related fields. In addition to presenting the physical processes by which tidal streams are created, it also reviews the current state of the observations and the progress towards utilizing these observations to constrain the distribution of dark matter in the Milky Way.

The book will introduce anyone with a background in astrophysics to the field of tidal streams.



 



15, October, 2015

Breakthrough-100 Astronomical Images that Changed the World



A New Book


Cosmotography.com announces the publication of Breakthrough-100 Astronomical Images that Changed the World. Co-authored by R. Jay GaBany and noted astrophotographer Dr. Robert Gendler, the book explores the history of astrophotography through the lens of 100 ground breaking images that altered humanity’s perception of its place in the universe.

According to the publisher: This unique volume by two renowned astrophotographers unveils the science and history behind 100 of the most significant astronomical images of all time. The authors have carefully selected their list of images from across time and technology to bring to the reader the most relevant photographic images spanning all eras of modern astronomical history.

Based on scientific evidence today we have a basic notion of how Earth and the universe came to be. The road to this knowledge was paved with 175 years of astronomical images acquired by the coupling of two revolutionary technologies – the camera and telescope. With ingenuity and determination humankind would quickly embrace these technologies to tell the story of the cosmos and unravel its mysteries.

This book presents in pictures and words a photographic chronology of our aspiration to understand the universe. From the first fledgling attempts to photograph the Moon, planets, and stars to the marvels of orbiting observatories that record the cosmos at energies beyond the range of human vision, astronomers have always relied on images to "break through" to the next level of understanding. A subset of these breakthrough images has profound significance in documenting some of the greatest milestones in modern astronomy.

    "This is not a book about astrophoto techniques. Rather, the text describes the scientific background of each image, and so there is quite a lot of astronomical history to be read here. This is a really different and special book. I think anyone interested in how we got to know what we do about the universe will be a happy reader of this delightful volume. "
    Dave Eicher, Editor Astronomy magazine


 



1, February, 2015

Ciel & Espace February 2015



Cosmotography image of NGC 4449 featured on February 2015 cover of Ciel & Espace


Ciel & Espace, France's largest selling monthly astronomy publication, has selected NGC 4449, as seen on Cosmotography.com, to grace its February 2015 cover.

 



1, July, 2014

AstronomyNow July 2014



Cosmotography image of Lagoon Nebula featured on July 2014 cover of AstronomyNow


AstronomyNow, the UK's largest selling monthly astronomy publication, has selected the Lagoon Nebula, as seen on Cosmotography.com, to grace its July 2014 cover. A second wide field image stretching from the Lagoon to the Trifid nebula was also included in the same issue on pages 54-55. 		 



1, July, 2014
W. M. Keck Observatory press release published

Merging Galaxies Illuminate the Cosmic Food Chain


(from the W. M. Keck Observatory web site) MAUNA KEA, HAWAII- Scientists studying a ‘twin’ of the Milky Way have used the W. M. Keck Observatory and Subaru Observatory to accurately model how it is swallowing another, smaller galaxy. Their findings have opened the way to a better understanding of how structure forms in the universe and are being published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society this week.

The present work is a follow-up to a 2010 study, led by Dr. David Martínez-Delgado (University of Heidelberg), which used small robotic telescopes to image eight isolated spiral galaxies, and found the signs of mergers- shells, clouds and arcs of tidal debris- in six of them. Read more... 		 



1, July, 2014
Australian Astronomical Observatory press release published

Distant ‘cannibal twin’ shows how galaxies grow


(from the Australian Astronomical Observatory web site) A distant ‘twin’ of the Milky Way that is swallowing another galaxy has opened the way to a better understanding of how galaxies grow.

A team led by Dr Caroline Foster of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) has been studying the Umbrella galaxy, so called because of its ‘parasol’ of stars- the remains of a smaller galaxy it’s consuming.

The Umbrella (NGC 4651) lies 62 million light-years away, in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices.

Twenty years ago, astronomers using AAT identified a new ‘dwarf’ galaxy, the Sagittarius dwarf, being engulfed by our own Milky Way Galaxy.

This was the first sign that the Milky Way had fattened up- acquired stars- by snacking on other, smaller, galaxies. Since then, astronomers have spotted stellar streams in other galaxies. Read more... 		 



1, September, 2013
Lessons From the Masters

Cosmotography author joins world's leading astrophotographers to explain techniques


(From the publisher) There are currently thousands of amateur astronomers around the world engaged in astrophotography at a sophisticated level. Their ranks far outnumber professional astronomers doing the same and their contributions both technically and artistically are the dominant drivers of progress in the field today. This book is a unique collaboration of individuals world-renowned in their particular area and covers in detail each of the major sub-disciplines of astrophotography. This approach offers the reader the greatest opportunity to learn the most current information and the latest techniques directly from the foremost innovators in the field today.

Lessons from the Masters includes a brilliant body of recognized leaders in astronomical imaging, assembled by Robert Gendler, who delivers the most current, sophisticated and useful information on digital enhancement techniques in astrophotography available today. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique, but the book as a whole covers all types of astronomical image processing, including processing of events such as eclipses, using DSLRs, and deep-sky, planetary, widefield, and high resolution astronomical image processing. Recognized contributors include deep-sky experts such as R. Jay GaBany, Tony Hallas, and Ken Crawford, high-resolution planetary expert Damian Peach, and the founder of TWAN (The World at Night) Babak A. Tafreshi.

A large number of illustrations (150, 75 in color) present the challenges and accomplishments involved in the processing of astronomical images by enthusiasts.

 





1, August, 2013
Astronomy Magazine August 2013 Issue

A Backyard Imager Advances Science


An article in the Astronomy Magazine August 2013 issue shines a spotlight on Cosmotography author's collaboration with professional astronomers that has advanced our understanding about the Universe.

Read the article here 		 


8, July, 2013

Swallowed by a Black Hole



Scientific collaboration featured on BBC2 Horizon Broadcast



Recent research into the core of the Perseus galaxy cluster conducted by Dr. Andrew C. Fabian ( Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK) and an international team of astronomers has been featured in the 2013 BBC2 Horizon program titled "Swallowed by a Black Hole". A deep white light and narrowband image (left) of the Perseus galaxy cluster produced by and first released on Cosmotography.com was used in this research and featured in the BBC program (seen approximately 47:00 minutes into the program).

"Swallowed by a Black Hole" has also been in rotation on the Science Channel (USA).

About Swallowed by a Black Hole:
Duration: 59 minutes

Not so long ago, black holes were regarded as the destroyers of the universe: a dark force from which nothing escapes; only recently have we come to understand they may be a key part of a universe's creation.

During summer 2013, the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way is getting ready to feast.

A gas cloud three times the size of our planet has strayed within the gravitational reach of our nearest supermassive black hole. And across the globe, telescopes are being trained on the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, some 27,000 light years from Earth, in the expectation of observing this unique cosmic spectacle.

For cosmic detectives across the Earth, it is a unique opportunity. For the first time in the history of science, they hope to observe in action the awesome spectacle of a feeding supermassive black hole.

Watch the program here. 		 



16, July, 2013
Parade Magazine

Parade Magazine Names Cosmotography Author One of the 10 Most Influential People in Space:



From the editor's at Parade:

R. Jay GaBany: Stellar Shutterbug

Gigantic observatories and orbiting space telescopes don’t own astronomy. Not entirely. Smaller can sometimes be better, as astrophotographer R. Jay GaBany has proven. The galactic mergers that produce spiral galaxies like the Milky Way leave behind faint relics called stellar tidal streams. But because these cosmic fossils are so large, viewing them requires wider views and longer exposure times than are possible at major observatories. With a half-meter telescope located under the dark skies in the mountains of New Mexico, GaBany patiently produces unmatched images of stellar streams. Though officially an amateur, GaBany collaborates with the pros as a peer, earning scientific respect and accolades in the process.

Read the article.

 



15, June, 2013
TIME Cover

TIME Selects Cosmotography Image for Book Cover,
Cites Cosmotography Author one of the 25 Most Inflential People in Space in 2013:
New Frontiers of SPACE, TIME Books, published July 16, 2013


The editors of TIME have selected the massive, 75 mega-pixel mosaic image of the Lagoon Nebula composited with a full color, true to scale image of the gibbous moon to stretch across the front and back cover of a new book released on July 16, 2013.

About New Frontiers of Space:

Authored by Jeffrey Kluger and Michael D. Lemonick, featuring articles by Daniel Cray, Alex Perry, Andrew Chaikin and David Bjerklie, New Frontiers of SPACE examines what's new in the universe.

Journey with the editors of TIME as they explore the latest scientific discoveries within our solar system and beyond.

Recent advances in technology have helped astronomers put to rest centuries-old debates about space and the universe, but they have also raised newer, more intriguing questions:
  • What is the nature of dark matter and what does it tell us about the origins of the universe?
  • Does new data strongly suggest that microbial life exists beyond Earth-in our own solar system?
  • How does the discovery of far more exo-planets than scientists once estimated impact the odds that advanced life may exist elsewhere in the universe?
  • Are space tourism and commercial asteroid mining feasible?
TIME explores these topics and more in a stunning view of the final frontier.

Browse the book.



Read the article available from Harvard University Department of Astronomy.

See the full cover


Book reviews:
  • Space.com
  • Universe Today


    • Image Gallery:
  • Space.com
    		•  



    1, March, 2013
    The Current in the Tide

    Interview with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado and R. Jay GaBany published in Germany's Sterne und Weltraum (Stars and Space) Magazine, March 2013


    (from: The Current in the Tide, Sterne und Weltraum, March 2013)

    Looking for stellar tidal currents close to the spiral galaxies, astrophysicist David Martínez-Delgado and the amateur astrophotographer R. Jay GaBany are on the prowl. Together they combine the best observation techniques with current computer models.

    Read the press release     		 



    21, September, 2012
    25 Most Influential People in Space

    Leading News Magazine Special Edition Shines a Light on R. Jay GaBany


    (from: 25 Most Influential People in Space, Time Books, 2012)

    As frontiers of space expand, so do the opportunities for its explorers: to pilot spacecraft, spot planets, search for aliens and share their passion.

    Gigantic observatories and orbiting space telescopes don't own astronomy. Not entirely. Smaller can sometimes be better, as astrophotographer R. Jay GaBany has proven. Read the article...

    On sale now through December 14, 2012 where ever magazines are sold.

    		 



    23, August, 2012
    CNN iReport Facebook Event

    R. Jay GaBany Hosts CNN iReport Facebook Event


    Join Light Years and CNN iReport on Facebook August 23, 2012 at 2:30 p.m. ET for a chat with R. Jay GaBany, one of the world’s leading amateur astrophotographers.

    Jay will answer your questions about celestial photography and share his tips for how to get the best brag-worthy snapshots of meteor showers, the Milky Way and the night sky using minimal equipment.

    Read the comments     		 



    10, May, 2012
    NGC 5907 featured on cover of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, February 2012, vol. 538, A121

    Loops formed by tidal tails as fossil records of a major merger


    (from the Astronomy & Astrophysics press release) NGC 5907 is a spiral galaxy lying in the Dragon constellation, showing extraordinary large loops and currents of stars in its surrounding halo. According to researchers, it could have been formed through a gigantic collision of galaxies, 8 to 9 billion years ago. Six scientists of the Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Astronomical Observatories of China and Aix-Marseille Université propose this scenario on the basis of simulations with 200,000 to 6 million particles.

  • Read the Observatoire de Paris press release
  • Download the Observatoire de Paris press release
  • Read the Astronomy & Astrophysics abstract.
    		•   



    8, February, 2012
    Max-Planck-Gesellschaft research news article published

    Tiny galaxy with a huge appetite


    (from the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft web site) From small to large- this motto also applies in space. Tiny galaxies can merge into formidable Milky Way systems. But how do dwarf galaxies grow? Apparently, in a similar manner- through cosmic cannibalism. Two research groups including MPIA researchers David Martínez-Delgado and Michelle Collins from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg have found a mini galaxy which is just in the process of devouring another.

  • Read the article.
  • Read additional information.
    		•   



    8, February, 2012
    University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) press release published

    New images capture 'stealth merger' of dwarf galaxies


    (from the UCSC web site) New images of a nearby dwarf galaxy have revealed a dense stream of stars in its outer regions, the remains of an even smaller companion galaxy in the process of merging with its host. The host galaxy, known as NGC 4449, is the smallest primary galaxy in which a stellar stream from an ongoing merger has been identified and studied in detail.

  • Read the press release.
  • Read more information about this research.
    		•   



    8, February, 2012
    National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) press release published

    Subaru Telescope Captures Images of the "Stealth Merger" of Dwarf Galaxies


    (from the NAOJ web site) Research by an international team of scientists has revealed a "stealth merger" of dwarf galaxies, where an in-falling satellite galaxy is nearly undetectable by conventional means yet has a substantial influence on its host galaxy. The Subaru Telescope captured high-resolution images of individual stars in a dense stream of stars in the outer regions of a nearby dwarf galaxy (NGC 4449); these outlying stars are the remains of an even smaller companion galaxy in the process of merging with its host.

  • Read the press release.
  • Read more information about this research.
    		•   



    8, February, 2012
    Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy press release issued

    Watching a tiny galaxy grow


    (from the Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy web site) For the first time, astronomers have caught a so-called dwarf galaxy in the process of swallowing another, even smaller galaxy. Whether such mergers are important for the evolution of the tiniest galaxies has been the subject of debate among theoreticians. Now, thanks to research by two independent groups including MPIA researchers David Martínez-Delgado and Michelle Collins, there is empirical evidence that such mergers occur. The analyses draw on deep images from modestly sized telescopes, in an example for successful collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers.

    Read the more about this project here and an article that provides background information about dwarf galaxies here. Read the press release here.

    		 



    1, February, 2012
    Article appears in February 2012 Sky and Space magazine

    Amateur astronomers hunt down dark matter


    (from the Ciel et Espace website) Another example of successful collaboration between amateurs and professionals! Photographers Jay GaBany and Ken Crawford embarked on the trail of the dark matter , along with an international scientific team, by Raphaël Chevrier. (Ciel et Espace, February 2012, pages 28-31)     		 



    29, December, 2011
    M106 Makes Cover of Ovaldsen's 2012 Calendar Handbook

    2012 Heavenly Calendar, Astronomical Handbook and Almanac


    This picture of spiral galaxy M106 was selected for the cover of Jan-Erik Ovaldsen's 2012 Calendar, Handbook and Almanac. Jan-Erik is an acclaimed Norwegian astrophysicist, published author and astronomy evangelist.     		 



    9, December, 2011
    New scientific collaboration submitted to the Astrophysical Journal Letters

    Dwarfs gobbling dwarfs: a tidal star stream around NGC 4449


    We have mapped and analyzed a stellar stream in the halo of the nearby dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4449, detecting it in deep integrated-light images using the Black Bird II Observatory 0.5-meter telescope, and resolving it into a river of individual red giant branch stars using the 8.2-meter Subaru/Suprime-Cam (NAOJ). The properties of the stream imply a massive dwarf spheroidal progenitor, which will continue to disrupt and deposit an amount of stellar mass that is comparable to the existing stellar halo of the main galaxy. The ratio between luminosity or stellar-mass between the two galaxies represents a stealth major merger. This singular discovery also suggests that satellite accretion can play a significant role in building up the stellar halos of low-mass galaxies, and possibly in triggering their starbursts.

    Read the full .pdf documentation.     		 



    11, November, 2011
    New scientific collaboration published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

    The formation of shell galaxies similar to NGC 7600 in the cold dark matter cosmogony

    A new N-body simulation, demostrates the continuous accretion of stars and dark matter clumps can create a swath of diffuse circumgalactic structures. The disruption of a massive near-radial orbiting dark matter clump creates a complex system of transient concentric shells which bare a striking resemblance to those observed surrounding NGC 7600. With the aid of the simulation we interpret NGC 7600 in the context of the CDM model.

    Read the full .pdf documentation.     		 



    17, October, 2011
    Recent scientific collaboration published in the Astronomical Journal

    Discovery of a Stellar Tidal Stream in the Halo of Messier 63 (NGC 5055)


    The results of a collaboration spanning several years regarding the existance of a stellar stream surrounding Messier 63 (NGC 5055) has been published by the Astronomical Journal. Click here for the full pdf documentation.     		 



    3, October, 2011
    Astronomy Magazine Includes 4 Images in 100 Greatest PIctures of the Year 2011

    NGC 4651, the Umbrella galaxy
    NGC 4258, M106
    NGC 5055, M63, the Sunflower galaxy
    		NGC 6514, the Trifid nebula
    The November 2011 issue of Astronomy magazine selects the 100 Greatest Pictures of the Year and includes four images seen at Cosmotography.     		 

    1, October, 2011
    Wikipedia page released



    A page with my biography and modest contributions to astronomy has been released on Wikipedia.

    		 

    29, September, 2011
    NGC 3521 backdrops official ISS Expedition 30 crew portrait



    NASA selected this picture of NGC 3521 (the Bubble galaxy) as the backdrop image for the official crew portrait of Expedition 30 to the International Space Station.

    		 

    15, September, 2011
    NGC 5907 published in the journal Nature



    This image of NGC 5907 illustrated a News & Views article titled Rough Times in the Galactic Neighborhood by Curtis Struck (Vol 477 Number 7364, September 15, 2011, pages 286- 287) in the journal Nature.

    		 

    25, May, 2011
    New scientific collaboration submitted to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS)

    A wide Chandra view of the core of the Perseus cluster


    Download the PDF document.

    An international team of professional astronomers, led by Prof. Andrew C. Fabian ( Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK) has submitted a paper for publication featuring new Chandra images of X-ray emissions from the core of the Perseus galaxy cluster. This image and a description about its production were included.     		 

    15, May, 2011
    New scientific collaboration published

    Good Science with Modest Instruments

    Download the PDF document.

    Presented on May 23, 2011 at the Society of Astronomical Sciences Symposium in Big Bear Lake, California, this paper summarizes the benefits of conducting astronomical research with off the shelf equipment and a motivated team of professionals and amateurs. This paper was written in collaboration with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado, MPIA.     		 

    12, May, 2011
    Eta Carinae Makes the Cover of Astronomy Magazine's Spectacular Universe

    Cover Image


    This image of Eta Carinae was selected for the cover of Astronomy's Spectacular Universe special edition.

    Order a copy here.     		 

    21, April, 2011
    Article published in June 2011 Sky and Telescope

    Layering Image Contrast


    This article in the June issue of Sky and Telescope discusses a novel technique I use to exaggerate contrast and make structures more apparaent in astronomical images. See pages 72- 75.

    Read more information here.     		 

    1, March, 2011
    M83 makes the cover of the UK's AstronomyNow March 2011 edition

    Run the Messier Marathon


    This image of M83 was selected for the cover of the UK's largest selling astronomy magazine for the March 2011 issue.     		 

    10, January, 2011
    Award Recipient

    2010 AAS Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award


    I have the extreme honor of being named the recipient of the 2010 AAS Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award for my work with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado and his international team of professional astronomers!

    Read more information here.     		 

    2, January, 2011
    Article published in January 2011 issue of Astronomy Now

    Gearheads- Remote Viewing


    This article about remote observatory operation has been published in the January 2011 issue of Astronomy Now- pages 84- 85.     		 



    25, December, 2010
    M63 Collaboration featured on Official MPIA 2010 Christmas Card

    Season's Greeting and all the best for the New Year!


    This image from the recent collaborative investigation with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado (MPIA) was selected to adorn the front of the 2010 Official Christmas Card from the Max-Plank-Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg.     		 



    15, December, 2010
    NGC 5907 Makes Cover of Sweden's Populär Astronomi December 2010 issue

    Dark Secrets of the Smallest Galaxies


    Daniel Aden's article describes stellar streams and their signficance to galactic evolution. See pages 36 through 40.     		 



    10, November, 2010
    NGC 5907 Featured on Cover of Patrick Moore's 2011 Astronomy Yearbook




    This picture of NGC 5907 was selected for the cover of this popular book published in the UK.     		 



    30, October, 2010
    M63 Collaboration featured in Nature Physics

    Galactic Leftovers
       

    The results of a collaboration spanning several years regarding the existance of a stellar stream surrounding Messier 63 (NGC 5055) has been featured in Nature Physics October 2010 edition.     		 



    9, September, 2010
    New scientific collaboration submitted for publication

    Discovery of a Stellar Tidal Stream in the Halo of Messier 63 (NGC 5055)


    The results of a collaboration spanning several years regarding the existance of a stellar stream surrounding Messier 63 (NGC 5055) have been submitted for publication to the Astronomical Journal and can be previewed here.     		 



    7, September, 2010
    Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy

    Spirals eat dwarfs: Galactic tendrils shed light on evolution of spiral galaxies


    Read the press release here and news items based on the release that appear in National Geographic News, Universe Today and Space.com

    Read the article about this project here.     		 



    20, April, 2010
    AstroPhotography Tonight
    Interview

    I was recently interviewed by Ray Shore for an article that's now available at AstroPhotography Tonight.     		 



    10, April, 2010
    Astronomical Journal
    Scientific Paper

    Stellar Tidal Streams in Spiral Galaxies of the Local Volume: A Pilot Survey with Modest Aperture Telescopes

    A fifth scientific paper that includes my imaging contributions has been accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. Click here for the full text in PDF format.     		 



    26, March, 2010
    Astronomy & Astrophysics
    Scientific Paper

    A Multi-wavelength analysis of M81 (NGC3031): insight on the nature of Arp’s loop

    A fourth scientific paper that includes my imaging contributions has been published by Astronomy & Astrophysics. Click here for the full text in PDF format.     		 



    15, December, 2009
    Horsehead Makes Cover of Ovaldsen's 2010 Calendar Handbook

    Heavenly Calendar, Astronomical Handbook and Almanac


    This picture of the Horsehead Nebula was selected for the cover of Jan-Erik Ovaldsen's 2010 Calendar Handbook. Jan-Erik is an acclaimed Norwegian astrophysicist, published author and astronomy evangelist.     		 



    1, December, 2009
    Article published in Sky & Telescope's Beautiful Universe 2010

    The Art of Science


    The 2010 edition of Sky & Telescope's Beautiful Universe includes two images and an article I wrote introducing the amateur section for deep space and planetary images. Titled The Art of Science, the article discussed my long held belief that astrophotography is an form of art in service to science. It was a singular honor to be a contributor to this annual special edition. See pages 38- 39.

    Buy a copy!     		 



    10, October, 2009
    Astrophysical Journal
    Scientific paper

    Unveiling the Nature of M94’s Outer Region: a Panchromatic Perspective

    A third scientific paper that includes my imaging contributions has been published in the Astrophysical Journal. Click here for the full text in PDF format.

    		 



    9, June, 2009
    Instituto Cervantes, Madrid, Spain

    Image exhibition


    Surprises of the Cosmos

    The Instituto Cervantes presents the spectacular images of the project Surprises of the Cosmos.

    The exhibition, organized by the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, the Canary Government and the Instituto Cervantes, includes spectacular large format photographs showing planets, nebulas, galaxies and stars, starting from a ‘scan’ of the universe from its beginning. The opening will take place the 22nd of July, at 6:30 pm, and will include a brief presentation of the exhibition held by Annia Domènech, journalist in science and curator of the project Surprises of the Cosmos.

    The objective of this exhibition is to present abroad the astrophysics investigation studies that are carried out in Spain, a country that counts important observatories in its territory, coinciding with the celebration of the Year International of Astronomy in 2009. Many of the most remarkable international observatories are in Spanish speaking countries: Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and Spain, with the Roque de los muchachos observatory, (La Palma) and the Teide observatory (Tenerife) both belonging to the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands.

    These thirty spectacular astronomic photographs show planets, nebulas, galaxies, and stars, starting from a ‘scan’ of the universe from its beginning. The four stages of the journey are: up to the borders of the Milky Way; our galaxy, the Milky Way; the Solar System.

    Surprises of the Cosmos has been touring since April 2009, showing in various international branches of the Instituto Cervantes including those in Madrid, Lisbon, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Utrecht, London, New Delhi, Sydney.

    Two of my images are part of an exhibition. Included are NGC 5907 and NGC 891    		  



    5, June, 2009
    NGC 5709 published in June 2009 issue of the journal Science

    The Tales Told by Lonely Galaxies


    This image of NGC 5907 has been published in the journal Science..

    (from the Science website)To what extent are a galaxy's properties determined by its inner workings or through interactions with its surroundings? To solve that puzzle, some astronomers are searching for rare galaxies well isolated from their neighbors. By comparing these loners to their more-gregarious brethren, researchers hope to tease apart the inherent inner workings of galaxies and the effects of interactions. Last month, 120 researchers gathered in Granada, Spain, to discuss such efforts. Article by Adrian Cho     		 



    1, June, 2009
    Capturing the Stars: Astrophotography by the Masters (Hardcover)

    Book publication


    Several images have been published in a new book by master astrophotographer Robert Gendler. Images include:The Iris Nebula (my personal favorite picture), The Horsehead Nebula, The Crab Nebula and others. Robert included a short, but exceedingly generous, introduction to the section of this book featuring my collection of images.

    Book description: Galaxies, star clusters, nebulae, and other deep-sky treasures fill the pages of this beautiful volume of space photography from ten of the most accomplished astrophotographers in the world. Along with the marvels of the night sky--the Andromeda and Whirlpool galaxies, the Pleiades and the Praesepe, the Orion and Crab nebulae, and many more--each section features a profile of the photographer’s work, techniques, philosophy, and experiences. Compiled by the world's leading amateur astrophotographer, with an introduction to the history of space photography, this spectacular volume is an essential for every stargazer’s bookshelf.

    Buy the book!    		  



    1, June, 2009
    The Heavens Proclaim: Astronomy and the Vatican
    Book publication



    My image of NGC 5907 has been included in a new book by Guy Consolmagno that has been published by the Vatican Observatory Publications.

    For more than 100 years, the Vatican has supported an astronomical observatory. But that should come as no surprise; from even before the Gregorian Reform of the Calendar in 1582, indeed dating back to the invention of the University (where studying astronomy was a requirement for anyone wanting a doctorate in philosophy or theology!) the Church has not only supported astronomical research...it has seen the study of the Heavens as a way of getting to know the Creator!

    In honor of the International Year of Astronomy, the Vatican and its Observatory is delighted to present this small expression of support, filled with beautiful images from the Vatican's telescopes and wisdom from the Popes, to show that indeed.

    Buy the book!    		  



    15, March, 2009
    Discover the Universe 2009- Norway
    Image Exhibition

    At the invitation of Jan-Erik Ovaldsen, the acclaimed Norwegian astrophysicist, author and astronomy evangelist, and with the permission of the Subaru Observatory on Maua Kea, Hawaii, I prepared an updated rendtion of the Subaru Deep Field image, produced several years ago for the Norwegian celebration of Discover the Universe 2009.

    So far, the Subaru Deep Field project has generated over thirty scientific papers. To the delight of the original research team, one of the earliest findings announced the identification of one of the farthest known galaxies- an early star system 12.88 billion light years from Earth!

    This rendition, plus one or two other pictures, are being displayed on oversized, outdoor posters with photographs from professional observatories, orbiting space telescopes and several other independent astrophotographers in Oslo, Norway, from April through June 2009, in Sandefjord, Norway from August 1- 31, 2009 and Kristiansand, Norway, from mid-June through October 31, 2009.    		  



    1, March, 2009
    2009 Advanced Imaging Conference
    Speaking engagement

    I will be speaking at the 2009 Advanced Imaging Conference (AIC) this fall, October 30- November 1, in San Jose, California.

    My subject will be Making Eye Candy    		  



    20, February 2009
    Astrophysical Journal
    Scientific Paper release

    Discovery of a giant stellar tidal stream around the disk galaxy NGC 4013

    A second scientific paper has been published featuring my image of NGC 4013.
    		  



    30, January 2009
    Article published in the January 2009 issue of Sky and Telescope

    Galaxy Archeology with Amateurs


    An article co-authored with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado has been published in the January 2009 edition of Sky and Telescope discussing our research into stellar star streams around distanct galaxies. See pages 92- 98
    		 



    22, January 2009
    University of Michagan
    Image Exhibition

    The Universe- Yours to Discover: Out of this World Astronomical images
    My image of NGC 5907 is on display at the Harlan Hatcher Gallery January 22 through March 7, 2009
    		 



    15, December, 2009
    Horsehead Makes Cover of Dickinson & Dyer's Third Edition

    The Backyard Astronomer's Guide


    This picture of the Horsehead Nebula was selected for the cover of Terence Dickinson & Alan Dyer's third edtion of the Backyard Astronomer's Guide.

    Sky & Telescope said: "Guide books for amateur astronomers abound, but none is more up to date than the heavily illustrated third edition of Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer's The Backyard Astronomer's Guide. It's an indispensible aid for amateurs wading into the ocean of modern telescopes, eyepieces and accessories. And the section on astrophotography with digital cameras is among the finest we've seen..If you were to own only one book on amateur astronomy, this is it!"     		 



    10, December 2008
    Astrophysical Journal
    Scientific Paper release

    The ghost of a dwarf galaxy: fossils of the hierarchical formation of the nearby spiral galaxy ngc 5907

    First scientific paper has been published featuring my image of NGC 5907.
    		  



    4, April 2008
    News release

    Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC)
    News release

    (from the IAC web site) Gigantes corrientes estelares, surgidas tras la muerte de galaxias enanas, circundan las regiones exteriores de dos galaxias espirales

    Un equipo internacional de astrónomos ha identificado gigantescas corrientes de estrellas en la periferia de dos galaxias espirales próximas y, por primera vez, ha obtenido una visión panorámica de un fenómeno de canibalismo galáctico similar al de la galaxia enana de Sagitario en el entorno de la Vía Láctea
     
    Astrophysical Institute of the Canaries (IAC)
    News release
    (from the IAC web site) Huge star streams, resulting from the death of dwarf galaxies, surround the outer regions of two spiral galaxies.

    An international team of astronomers has identified huge star streams in the outskirts of two nearby spiral galaxies. For the first time, they have obtained a panoramic overview of an example of galactic cannibalism similar to that involving the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy in the vicinity of the Milky Way.



    4, April 2008
    Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos
    Public presentation

    Fantasmas de galaxias: el papel del astrónomo amateur en la arqueología galáctica

    Co-presentación con Dr. David Martinez-Delgado
     
    Museum Of Science and the Cosmos
    Ghost galaxies: The role of the amateur astronomer in the Galactic archeology

    Co-presentation with Dr. David Martinez-Delgado




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