The LodeStar Astronomy Center and The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS) are presenting and co-hosting the 3rd annual “Astro-Images of New Mexico: Portraits from the Foothills of Space” astrophotography contest and exhibition. The contest invites amateur photographers to submit their celestial images for an exhibition celebrating the beauty of New Mexico’s skies.
Images submitted for consideration must have been created in New Mexico. The four submission categories are: Land and Sky; Plate/Film/Digital; CCD (very light-sensitive digital imaging); and a new category this year, Photo Illustration. The contest deadline is August 31, 2004.
Up to 50 works will be selected for display at the LodeStar Astronomy Center, located in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. The exhibition will hang from October 2004 through February 2005.
Prizes will be awarded for Best of Show, and first and second place winners in each of the four categories. Winners will be announced at the TAAS monthly lecture on Saturday, October 2, at LodeStar.
Images chosen for exhibition and recognition will be selected by blind judging. The panel of five judges includes:
David Nelson Blair - past president of TAAS. An avid amateur astronomer and film photographer, he first photographed the stars in 1970.
John Fleck - science writer for The Albuquerque Journal. He has written prolifically about all aspects of science, from dinosaurs to black holes, supercomputers to supernovae.
Kirk Gittings - widely published and exhibited architectural photographer. His book “Chaco Body” with poet V.B. Price was critically acclaimed as a major contribution to regional art.
Laurel Ladwig - planetarium manager for LodeStar. She has interpreted the night sky for children and adults since 1982 in observatories and planetaria from Texas to New Mexico.
Gordon Pegue - past observatory director for TAAS. He has extensive knowledge of thousands of celestial objects, through visual observation and CCD imaging.
Business sponsors of the contest and exhibition are AP-T Camera Repair, Camera & Darkroom, Forms Plus, Kurt’s Camera Corral, and TJ’s Camera & 1 Hour Photo.
Entries must be postmarked or hand-delivered, by August 31, to Karen Keese, LodeStar Astronomy Center, 1801 Mountain Road N.W., Albuquerque N.M. 87104. Hand-carried entries will also be accepted and may be delivered to the security desk at the Museum of Natural History & Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW.
Contest rules and entry forms are available at and www.taas.org/astroimages.html.
Contacts: Karen Keese, (505) 841-5972 or Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821
Posted by scarr at July 22, 2004 01:31 PM