astronomy

Video astronomy

Video astronomy is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Video astronomy rather than just read about it. In short: Video astronomy (aka - Camera Assisted Astronomy, aka electronically-assisted astronomy or "EAA") is a branch of astronomy for near real-time observing of relatively faint astronomical objects using very sensitive CCD or CMOS cameras. Unlike lucky imaging, video astronomy does not discard unwanted frames, and image corrections such as dark subtraction are often not applied, however, the gathered data may be retained…

Key takeaways

Video astronomy belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Video astronomy to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Video astronomy from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Video astronomy (aka - Camera Assisted Astronomy, aka electronically-assisted astronomy or "EAA") is a branch of astronomy for near real-time observing of relatively faint astronomical objects using very sensitive CCD or CMOS cameras. Unlike lucky imaging, video astronomy does not discard unwanted frames, and image corrections such as dark subtraction are often not applied, however, the gathered data may be retained and processed in more traditional ways.. Although the field has a long history reaching back to 1928 with the inception of live television broadcasting of the planet Mars, it has largely been developed more recently by amateur enthusiasts and is characterized by the use of relatively inexpensive equipment, such as easily available sensitive security cameras, in contrast to the equipment used for advanced astrophotography. By using either method of rapid internally stacked images, or very short exposure times, and using a TV monitor (for analog cameras) or a computer with readily available software (for USB cameras), video astronomy allows observers to see colour and detail that would not register to the eye. Because the image can be displayed on a monitor or television screen it allows multiple people to share 'live' images; using the internet it is possible for a worldwide audience to share such images. Live broadcasting websites exist for sharing live video astronomy feeds. Video astronomy, combined with remote control of a telescope, allows anyone including disabled people to operate a telescope remotely, or observers in a light-polluted area to operate a telescope in another area, even another country. Other benefits of the highly sensitive cameras used in video astronomy are the ability to see through thin cloud, and the ability to see many faint objects in areas suffering from light pollution. The equipment used varies from webcams and basic security cameras to specialized video astronomy cameras. Recent growing interest in the video 'near-live' aspect of astronomy has brought about websites devoted purely to the practice and forums for users of the equipment

Further reading Joseph Ashley: Video Astronomy on the Go. Springer, New York 2017, ISBN 978-3-319-46935-5. Video Astronomy: Video Astronomy Website Skies & Scopes: Beginners’ Guide to Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) Camera Assisted Astronomy: Camera Assisted Astronomy Forum

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Video astronomy

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Video astronomy claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Video astronomy before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Video astronomy ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Video astronomy

In research: Video astronomy appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Video astronomy in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Video astronomy is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical imaging, Video, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Video astronomy outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Video astronomy in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Video astronomy means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Video astronomy out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Video astronomy in simple terms?

Why does Video astronomy matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Video astronomy?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Video astronomy.