Why do you image?

[lulu57]

Because I like taking photos of hats(?!)

Sorry!

[Catanonia]

Because i don't trust all the photo's out there and want to see and make them myself.

It is there, I love photography and it is an extension of 3 hobbies for me, computers, photography and science

Oh and because it drives me nuts when I miss something that takes ages to fix

Better than watching TV i spose.

[George]

With my light pollution imaging is the only way I get to see whats above my head , Did I mention the challenge? Also I'm an incessant fiddler and tinkerer, but the main reason I guess is the satisfaction of getting an image and knowing it will be unique in some small way and will be mine

[Herakles]

Only got few images that I am happy with , still learning this , at times , insane hobby.Def an expensive lark , no two ways about it. Frustrating for me at times , tracking, PA, getting TOA centered , then ya batteries are dead ,lol.

But ( I kow , bad grammer :-) ) when it all comes together, you grin like a Chesire Cat

Seeing the images here , they inspire me to try try again. Don't get me wrong , I do like a wee bit of visual now and then , but photons are not helpful to our eye's, the camera sorts that out and you have a record forever.

[661-pete]

I suppose there are two ways of interpreting this question.

The first is "why do you image in preference to visual?" Well in my case, it was because I wasn't doing too well at the eyepiece, I suspected that my by-no-means-100%-perfect eyes couldn't face up to the demand. I never got to grips with the averted-vision thing and resolving binaries or making out detail on Mars are always a challenge for me, etc. etc. So I happened to chance upon the UKAI forum (before here) and saw what was being posted up both in the experts and the beginners sections, and I thought, perhaps I can join that game...?

The second is "why do you image instead of just looking at other people's images?" Well, the bug which nags you to 'create' rather than just to absorb, is very potent. Many people write their own poetry (my wife amongst them) rather than just read Byron or Keats. Many people paint as well as walk around galleries staring at Rembrandt or Goya. You don't have to match the greats but you get the kick out of creating something.

And every single astro-image is unique. If I produce one of my, noisy and somewhat blurry, efforts, at least I can say "those are my 'very own' photons I captured, no-one else got them". No other image of the object can have the same set of pixel values....

[MrEd]

I used to sketch at the eyepiece and were never

any good at it.

Then when i heard about webcam technologies i took up

solar system imaging.

Now what ever i image lunar planetary wise i always submit to

the relevant bodies to aid with studies in that field.

I feel its a more rewarding task in astronomy.

Mind you if i had Paul Abels talents i may have never taken up imaging.

Ed

[RichieJarvis]

I think SteveL summed it up very nicely.... Being a geek, its perfect - computers, mechanics, skill, art - all rolled into one

For me, I would also add that when someone says 'its good', it makes it all worth while - thats just the needy side of me though!

[RobH]

It's the thrill of the chase....the hunting instinct I suppose.

To misquote Kennedy....'we do it not because it is easy, but because it is hard'

It satisfies both my technical side and artistic side, and I for one think that just because we have carp weather most of the time, that's no excuse for not being able to get just as good results as folks in other parts of the world with robotic scopes on mountains....what we lack in sky quality, we can make up for with patience and in processing....I suppose that's my rather strong competitive side coming through

Cheers

Rob

[Beyond_Vision]

I think SteveL has summed it up nicely. I also think it's nice to have a record of things that you have seen that you can then share with other people. I also love the technical side of the hobby as I am a electronics engineer.

It can be frustrating at times, but when things come right and you grab that special picture it is so rewarding.

It's amazing to think of the distance and time that these photons have travelled and that they have finally been converted to an electrical charge by your very own camera sensor.

Regards

Kevin

[AztecastroMcJ]

imaging for me as a beginner is a way of showing off

and proving to family n friends what u actually saw,

they may not be anywhere near the best quality images compared to NASA obviously but they are personal to person who took pics

also who knows what u may capture think Anthony Wesley

(i luckily managed to capture plane passing moon on my 1st video attempt

dont think anyone else managed this, that night, so it's quality doesnt matter)

think SteveL covered rest (like ur mask Steve LOL)

[Tim]

Steve and Kevin pretty much summed it up for me, except to say that I find imaging to be addictive.

Since starting I have taken literally thousands of photo's, gigabytes and gigabytes. And some of those photos, just a few, have had a magical something when you get them into photoshop. So it's probably the hunt and capture that feeds the habit for me. A bit like a pearl diver I suppose, or even the regular lottery player.

Another thing, as sublime as the Hubble pics are, they dont always reveal everything, I have noticed that with some targets the Hubble team will selectively choose not to enhance or process some elements of an object. It's nice to feel you can add a little something to them.

I might still have copies of your images somewhere Mike, from Lucksall, did you ever get round to stacking them? I might have a go!