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Special Interest Forums => Science, Space & Technology => Topic started by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 29, 2009, 09:52:54 pm



Title: ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY captures a KIWI in the MILKY WAY
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 29, 2009, 09:52:54 pm

A 100% PURE KIWI in a DARK SKY

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY captures a KIWI in the MILKY WAY

Mount John Earth & Sky Observatory (http://www.earthandsky.co.nz) | Thursday, 24 September 2009

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix/EarthSky_Kiwi_Shape_24Sep09.jpg)

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix/EarthSky_Kiwi_Outlined_24Sep09.jpg)

A Kiwi visible in the centre of the Milky Way, with the second image showing the Kiwi outlined.
 — FRASER GUNN/Mount John Earth & Sky Observatory.


With With the recent addition of astrophotography as part of Earth & Sky's Stargazing Tours (http://www.earthandsky.co.nz/mt_john_tours/mt_john_tours.html), experienced photographer Fraser Gunn (http://www.laketekapo.cc) has captured incredible images of a kiwi in the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy.

When viewing this region with the naked eye it is difficult to locate the bird, whereas the images produced with Fraser’s camera allow greater light and colour into the image giving the kiwi more definition as seen in the accompanying photographs (note the kiwi outlined in the second image).

This is such a great discovery for Lake Tekapo, which is bidding to become one of the first World Heritage Starlight Reserves in the world. How appropriate that a kiwi stands in amongst the stars that Lake Tekapo is striving to protect and that it has been discovered from Mount John.

Astrophotography has been offered as an extra activity with the stargazing tours for six weeks and the response has been outstanding. For customers who have an SLR-type camera it means that with hands-on instruction they can obtain their own starlight pictures, including the recently discovered kiwi.

Earth & Sky, which has been operating educational Stargazing Tours for the past five years, is noticing a considerable increase in activity and awareness of the public, both locally and internationally. Visitors keen to discover the wonders of the southern night sky are finding Mount John an ideal location, regarded world-wide as one of the most beautiful, easily accessible observatories in the world.


http://www.earthandsky.co.nz/press_release/press_release.html (http://www.earthandsky.co.nz/press_release/press_release.html)