Want to put your image editing skills to the test? Now you can, with the RASC Robotic Telescope image editing contest.
In collaboration with SkyNews, each month the RASC Robotic Telescope team will release the data for an image for the public to edit. Judges from the team will pick a winner out of those submitted.
August’s image is Messier 82, also known as NGC 3034 or the Cigar Galaxy. According to NASA, the magnificent starburst galaxy sees young stars that are being born in its centre 10 times faster than they are inside our entire Milky Way Galaxy. This creates a huge concentration of young stars and a fierce galactic superwind.
How to enter
To be eligible, submissions must be received by August 31, 2020. One entry per person. The RASC Robotic Telescope team will choose the best submission and publish the winning image.
There are no entry fees.
To enter, send your image by e-mail to photo+rtscope@skynews.ca. Be sure to include your name, contact information, and the processing details.
This contest is open to residents of Canada only.
The files
If you’ve read the rules and you’re all set to go, here’s the link to the Google Drive where the data files are stored.
Here you find that package that includes Ha and LRGB lights, flats and the data sheet, as well as the the darks and bias calibration files.
The prize

The winner of the August competition will get one-year access to all the RASC Robotic Telescope data, once the program becomes available.
They will also receive a super-awesome RASC fanny pack.