Digital Astrophotography--New from Rocky Nook

For Immediate Release
For more information, a review copy, cover art, or interview with the
author, contact:
Mary Rotman  (707) 827-7119 or rockynookpr@oreilly.com
Joan Dixon (805) 687-8727 or joan@rockynook.com

Digital Astrophotography--New from Rocky Nook
A Guide to Capturing the Cosmos

Santa Barbara, CA-- At first glance, the challenge of astrophotography may
appear daunting. But spectacular results are not only possible; they are
easy to learn with the step-by-step approach of "Digital Astrophotography:
A Guide to Capturing the Cosmos." Amateurs today can produce images that
only 20 years ago a large professional observatory would have been proud
of-and this book shows you how. 

Learn how to:
- Set up your camera for optimal results
- Focus your camera for razor-sharp images
- Take beautiful night shots with a simple compact digital camera, a
tripod, and a telescope
- Use a DSLR camera to shoot the Sun, Moon, stars, and more
- Get brilliant images of planets with a webcam
- Capture remote galaxies with a CCD camera just like a pro

Also learn to:
- Shoot RAW format images and improve them with calibration frames
- Take short exposures of faint deep-sky objects and combine them into a
longer exposure
- Perform brightness, contrast, and color correction
- Make corrections for vignetting & uneven field illumination
- Process your images for stunning results

Equipment requirements for astrophotography range from a simple camera and
tripod to a multi-thousand dollar computer-controlled telescope equipped
with a CCD auto-guider and separate guide-scope. Seip helps you sort out
which cameras are best for the various celestial subjects, what to look
for when buying a camera, and what accessories you really need.

As the author says, "The rewards of this fascinating hobby grant you
unforgettable hours under the night sky… It is exciting!"

In his foreword, nationally renowned astronomer and artist, Robert Gendler
tells us, "I can't think of anyone better [than Stefan Seip] to bring the
new technologies of astrophotography to those who are eager to learn
them."

About the author:

Currently living in Stuttgart, Germany, Stefan Seip works as a
professional fine art photographer, an IT consultant, and a science
writer. His enthusiasm for the activities and objects of the cosmos dates
back to his early adolescence. Driven by his innate desire to capture
beauty in images, it was only natural to combine his two loves-astronomy
and photography.  

It was decades later that Stefan started to grasp what he had gotten
himself into. Although, he still enjoys visual astronomy, astrophotography
has gained the upper hand, requiring his full commitment. He said that,
"Had I foreseen the amount of time, perseverance, technology, know-how,
and (in the end) money would be necessary in order to produce first-class
images, I would have had second thoughts about it-only to pursue the same
path again!"

Astrophotography grants Stefan many unforgettable hours under the night
sky while allowing him to produce aesthetically rewarding and lasting
results. His love for this challenging craft is evident in his many
spectacular images.

To learn more about Stefan Seip, and to see his stunning astrophotos and
fine art images, visit his website at http://www.photomeeting.de.

For more information about the book, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781933952161/

Digital Astrophotography: A Guide to Capturing the Cosmos
ISBN: 1-933952-16-4, 168 pages, $29.95 US, $32.95 CAN
order@oreilly.com
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About Rocky Nook
Rocky Nook's books are distributed internationally by O'Reilly Media.

Rocky Nook was founded in early 2006 in Santa Barbara, California, and is
closely associated with dpunkt.verlag, a leading publisher of books on
technology based in Heidelberg, Germany. The focus of Rocky Nook's
publications is on digital photography and computing.

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