Showcase Submissions Info

This page is to help you with your submissions to the MAS Showcase. Here is a field by field explanation.

General Notes

By submitting your image(s), you are granting the MAS permission to display the image here on the site, the Focal Point newsletter, MAS Facebook page, and our Instagram.  The copyright for your submitted images remain with the submitter.  Any requests for any other use of your image will be directed back to the submitter.  

Important: Your submission does not automatically go to the Showcase. The webmaster will review everything and make corrections as needed. Also, though no corrections/changes to your image will occur, it might be downsided a bit to save on server space. Plus, we will manually create the 300X300 pixel thumbnail. They will do this as quickly as practical.

 

Automatic Fields

To submit an image to the showcase you must be logged into the website and to do that you must be a current member. If you're logged in we automatically can get your name, email, and imager/processor code.

 

Your Imager/Processor Code

Your Imager/processor Code is a 2-4 character string assigned by the webmaster and unique to the submitter. Unless previously assigned, you will get this automatically as this code is how we identify users and their images.

 

The Required Fields

 

Primary Image Object

Identify the the primary image object by its official designation. Required. If this is the Sun or Moon, that is all you need. If it is a planet, the planet name.
If it is a deep sky object, the preferred order is: Messier designation, NGC, IC, SH2, etc.
For other objects, things can get tricky. We suggest you go to the next entry (Image Object Type) which has a dropdown menu and see what seems to fit the best. When in doubt, just go with your best guess.

 

Image Object Type

Identify the the image type. If there is more than one object, this is the primary. The dropdown box will list the choices. If nothing fits, choose Other/Misc.

 

Your Image Title

Enter the title you'd like for your image. Required. This will be displayed with your image.

 

Your Equip or MAS Equip

Specify if this image data was obtained with your own equipment or with observatory equipment. The dropdown will allow you to select either your own or specifically which MAS instrument.

 

Filtering Used

Basically we're looking for whether your image is Narrowband (Ha, SII, or OIII) or not. LRGB/White light includes DSLR's (Bayer Filter) and no filtering at all.

 

The Optional Fields

Though the following fields are all optional, you are encouraged to enter them so they can be displayed along with your image. There is no set format so you can do pretty much enter whatever you wish.

 

Date

This is the date or dates of your image. Optional. You may simply specify the month and year. No particular date format is required.

 

Scope/Lens

Specify the telescope used. Optional. If you used a camera such as a DSLR, specify the lens.

 

Camera

Specify the camera. Optional. You may also specify your guider as well.

 

Exposure

Enter the exposure information. Optional. If multiple images are taken, you should also specify the total integration time.

 

Software/Process

Specify the software utilized both for the data gathering and image processing. Optional.

 

Other

Specify any other information you'd like to include. Optional.

 

Secondary and Tertiary Objects

Many images will have multiple objects which may or may not be of special interest. We are interested in these when they are Messier objects or objects in different image categories. Below we give instances of multiple Messier objects. A conjunction is another good example. If you've captured Venus passing thru or very near the Pleiades, you would specify Venus or M45 as your primary, and list the other as the secondary. That way when users are searching for objects they are indexed so they can be found.

Again, these fields are not required and often the webmaster can determine whether these are of value and will then added them.

 

Secondary Object (if any)

Specify if you wish to identify a secondary object in the image. Optional. The nomenclature is the same as the primary.

 

Secondary Type

Identify the the secondary image type from the dropdown.

M81 / M82 is an example of a primary and secondary object in the same frame.

 

Tertiary Object (if any)

Specify if you wish to identify a tertiary object in the image. Optional. The nomenclature is the same as the primary and secondary.

 

Tertiary Type

Identify the the tertiary image type from the dropdown.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a good example of a primary (M31) / secondary (M32) / tertiary (M110).