3D comet image

[Tonk]

You can exploit the changing perspective of the view of a comet from Earth to construct a 3D image. This is my effort using 2 images of the comet taken 24 hours apart - the comet moved over 2 degrees against the background sky allowing the ion tail/dust tail angle to decrease by ~ 5 degrees. Its this change that provides the information your brain needs to see the ion tail stretch away into the distance

If you can stereo "free view" with relaxed eyes - use this image - - click this image

If you can stereo "free view" with crossed eyes - use this image - - click this image

If you have an optical stereo viewer that can be used to view a computer/notebook screen then use the relaxed eyes image pair. Something like an OWL viewer works.

The technical cards of both images give details of the comet registration method used to create the 3D effect.

 

Thanks for looking

[Tonk]

Forgot to add - If you can let me know which one works for you -relaxed eyes or crossed eyes - that would be helpful to survey if there is a general preference of one over the other. Thanks

[Paul M]

They both work with little effort by me.

But they are very different. The first one puts the comet well forward of the star but the second puts it slightly further away than the star!

The first one is more effective for me. Well done.

 

[Tonk]

Right Paul - I need to be more precise! By "works" I mean puts the comet in front of the stars. This means for you to get the comet in front of the stars you are actually relaxing your eyes (by focusing at infinity) to gain the correct 3D effect. The second presentation requires that you cross your eyes so your right eye focuses on the left image and visa versa. Some people naturally relax their eyes while other find it easier to do the crossed eyes approach (I can't). This is why 3D images should be presented in both forms for "free viewing" so everyone gets a chance to see them as intended. The difference between "relaxed" and "crossed"  is that the pairs of images are just swapped over.

Others have tried surveying with the result that cross eyed viewers appear to be far more frequent that relaxed eyes viewers. The Astrobin users testing my images seem to be 50:50 as of today (15 and 16 likes) but that is a rather small sample.

Thanks for the response Paul  - so here we have Relaxed 1 - Crossed 0

Any more takers?

[Pete Presland]

I cant comment on the 3D effect I have never been able to see it on any images. The images are fine images anyway with some excellent detail in the tail.

[Ruud]

Thanks Tonk,

The relaxed eye version works rather well, but as soon as I forget to ignore the other things things on the screen, around the comet image, the 3D splits into two. I can't keep the images merged for more than a few seconds.

Anaglyph 3Ds don't have this disadvantage! Could you make an anaglyph? I have both red-cyan and red-green glasses. The red-cyan are more popular these days. Many of us will have them lying around somewhere.

 

 

[StuartJPP]

Finally managed to render this in 3D despite being pretty good at stereograms in the late 80's, though the technique is slightly different. Love the way the tail disappears away from view. Very good effect.