Determining the Aesthetic Appeal of Astronomical Images

Christensen, Lars Lindberg; Pierce-Price, D.; Hainaut, Olivier

doi:10.1162/leon_a_00900

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Our hope is that the findings from this study will help to establish recommendations for standard practices to assist the understanding and perceptions of astronomical images. Recently, Christensen, Hainaut, and Pierce-Price (2014) offered guidelines for parameters that they argue affect aesthetic appeal of astronomical images. These six parameters: photogenic resolution, definition of content, color, composition, signal-to-noise ratio (depth), and removal of artifacts, are in agreement with many of the findings from our research, and provide a solid set of recommendations for future research in this area.…”

Section: Time To Boldly Go To Infinity and Beyondmentioning

confidence: 99%

The science and aesthetics of astronomical images.

Smith

2014

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

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This article emanated from being the recipient of the 2013 Rudolf Arhneim Award for Outstanding Achievement in Psychology and the Arts from Division 10. The Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. It summarizes some of the research that I have conducted as a founding member of the Aesthetics and Astronomy group (A&A), on how astronomical images are created, interpreted, and appreciated, both aesthetically and in an educational sense. In particular, it describes 4 studies that the A&A team has completed on the use of color, labels, expert-nonexpert comparisons, and mobile platforms, highlighting aesthetic interpretations and applications.

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Section: Time To Boldly Go To Infinity and Beyondmentioning

confidence: 99%

The science and aesthetics of astronomical images.

Smith

2014

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

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“…Astronomers may be more constrained than artists in what we can do, but we can nonetheless use insights from the art world to help us understand what makes for a good image. Rector et al (2007) and Christensen et al (2014) discuss several of the factors that affect the aesthetic quality of an image, at least for objects with a large angular size. Naturally, the quality of the data is important.…”

Section: Aesthetic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People often assume that HST's success lies simply in its high angular resolution. More important than resolution is the apparent "sharpness" of the image, which is simply the ratio of the FOV to the angular resolution, a ratio that Christensen et al (2014) call "photogenic resolution." For this reason, ground-based optical telescopes with wide-field cameras can actually compete favorably with HST in terms of sharpness.…”

Section: Aesthetic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Aesthetics of Astrophysics: How to Make Appealing Color-composite Images that Convey the Science

Rector

Levay

Frattare

et al. 2017

PASP

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Astronomy has a rich tradition of using color photography and imaging, for visualization in research as well as for sharing scientific discoveries in formal and informal education settings (i.e., for "public outreach.") In the modern era, astronomical research has benefitted tremendously from electronic cameras that allow data and images to be generated and analyzed in a purely digital form with a level of precision not previously possible. Advances in image-processing software have also enabled color-composite images to be made in ways much more complex than with darkroom techniques, not only at optical wavelengths but across the electromagnetic spectrum. And the internet has made it possible to rapidly disseminate these images to eager audiences. Alongside these technological advances, there have been gains in understanding how to make images that are scientifically illustrative as well as aesthetically pleasing. Studies have also given insights on how the public interprets astronomical images, and how that can be different than professional astronomers. An understanding of these differences will help in the creation of images that are meaningful to both groups. In this invited review we discuss the techniques behind making color-composite images as well as examine the factors one should consider when doing so, whether for data visualization or public consumption. We also provide a brief history of astronomical imaging with a focus on the origins of the "modern era" during which distribution of high-quality astronomical images to the public is a part of nearly every professional observatory's public outreach. We review relevant research into the expectations and misconceptions that often affect the public's interpretation of these images.

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Section: Perspective Of Cultural Theoristsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leonardo, the respected journal of the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology n , has published a version 41 of Lindberg Christensen et al (2014). 25 Two articles by art historians are of particular relevance to outreach image construction. Lee McKinnon's 'Toward an Algorithmic Realism: The Evolving Nature of Astronomical Knowledge in Representations of the Non-Visible', 42 notes that humans are only one of the many agents acting upon outreach images and that visual conventions are moving toward a realism influenced more by image-manipulation software than film photography.…”

Section: Perspective Of Cultural Theoristsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canvas and cosmos: Visual art techniques applied to astronomy data

English

2017

Int. J. Mod. Phys. D

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Bold colour images from telescopes act as extraordinary ambassadors for research astronomers because they pique the public's curiosity. But are they snapshots documenting physical reality? Or are we looking at artistic spacescapes created by digitally manipulating astronomy images? This paper provides a tour of how original black and white data, from all regimes of the electromagnetic spectrum, are converted into the colour images gracing popular magazines, numerous websites, and even clothing. The history and method of the technical construction of these images is outlined. However, the paper focuses on introducing the scientific reader to visual literacy (e.g. human perception) and techniques from art (e.g. composition, colour theory) since these techniques can produce not only striking but politically powerful public outreach images. When created by research astronomers, the cultures of science and visual art can be balanced and the image can illuminate scientific results sufficiently strongly that the images are also used in research publications. Included are reflections on how they could feedback into astronomy research endeavours and future forms of visualization as well as on the relevance of outreach images to visual art. (See the colour online version, in which figures can be enlarged, at http://xxxxxxx.)

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Determining the Aesthetic Appeal of Astronomical Images

Abstract: In the context of images used for astronomy education and outreach purposes, this paper describes a set of parameters that are key in determining the aesthetic appeal, or beauty -and therefore effectiveness-of an astronomical image.

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

The science and aesthetics of astronomical images.

The science and aesthetics of astronomical images.

The Aesthetics of Astrophysics: How to Make Appealing Color-composite Images that Convey the Science

Canvas and cosmos: Visual art techniques applied to astronomy data

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