Emily LakdawallaOct 27, 2009

Request for input: Any interest in tutorials on space imaging?

I am toying with the idea of running a series of classes via Ustream on the basics of space image processing. I would have to do them at a time when I have child care (weekday mornings Pacific time), which would likely be a more convenient time for Europeans than Americans, but anybody who couldn't tune in live would be able to view the archived videos and/or download my slides and send me any questions by email, which I'd answer in the next broadcast. The kinds of topics I'm thinking of covering include:

  • Introduction to digital images (images are data; image histograms; file formats; RGB color)
  • Introduction to space cameras (vidicon vs CCD, framing vs pushbroom, color filters, etc.)
  • Getting started with space image data: "raw" image catalogs (MER and Cassini, basic types of image processing)
  • Introduction to the Planetary Data System (how to browse, search, open, and convert these images
  • And then probably some case-by-case processing exercises

But before I get started, I want to make sure that it will be worth the effort. Please send me an email to indicate if you're interested in embarking on learning how to process space image data!

From this...

Eleven raw images of Rhea's crescent
Eleven raw images of Rhea's crescent

To this!

Crescent Rhea
Crescent Rhea Cassini took this image of Rhea in a crescent phase on 30 August 2007 from a distance averaging about 60,000 kilometers. There are a total of eleven frames in this mosaic, which was composed of raw images.Image: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / mosaic by Emily Lakdawalla

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