• Introduction to CCD imaging (how CCD camera work, CCD vs DSLR, webcams, video camera)
• CCD equipment basics (telescopes for CCd imaging, CCD camera, one shot color, filter wheels, guide heads)
• Basics of taking CCD images (setting up a telescope, polar alignment, balancing, PC connect, focusing, GOTO software)
• Image Processing Basics (calibration, screen stretch, color processing, staking)
• FAQ - open form question period
  

Session 2 : Advanced CCD Imaging

• Advanced CCD equipment (filters, imaging moon, planets, specialized mounts
• Advanced imaging techniques (sky flats, dark frames bias frames, dust and scratches)
• Advanced image processing (how to get the most detail, narrow band imaging, removing ccd pixel artifacts, unsharp mask filters)
• FAQ - open form question period

Session 3 : Software Instruction

• Maxim DL using this software with a CCC camera, setup, telescope setup, observatory controls, focusing and guiding) processing images
• Photoshop image processing tips and tricks. clone tool, image resize, adjusting levels.
• Registax Freeware walk through
• Student-Instructor laboratory - class will attempt to process a complete set of FITS images using Maxim DL and Photoshop to create a completed image ready to publish

Session 4 : Practicum - held at a location in Vancouver

• Field work telescope set-up - class will setup one chosen telescope with a goto mount and work to locate the scope on the earth, balance the scope and correctly polar align the scope
• Field work camera setup - class will setup one chosen CCD camera onto the telescope, obtain accurate focus and connect the CCD camera to a laptop running planetarium software and Maxim DL
• Field work image capture - class will successfully download a series of in focus images to a laptop taking with the CCD camera, possible guide head tracking, and calibration frames - dark, bias, flat fields
• Lab work processing and final image - images taken in the field will be calibrated by the class to generate a final publish image to be loaded onto the Vancouver Telescope Center web page, CLASS of 2009