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Understanding Astronomical Filters
Jim Thompson
Next CAS Meeting
Wednesday, June 3rd at 7 pm
At Leander McCormick Observatory -
Abstract:
In this talk titled "Understanding Astronomical Filters", Jim will describe all that he has learned about optical filters over the past 15 years. Starting from the basics of what filters actually do, the audience will gain a better appreciation of the types of filters that are available, and knowledge on how to use them most effectively. This talk will be presented from the perspective of both the visual observer and the EAA or astrophotography enthusiast. -
CV:
Jim graduated from Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada) in 1994 with a Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, and a Master's Degree in 1996. Since graduation Jim has worked for W.R. Davis Engineering Limited (Ottawa, Canada), specializing in infrared signature suppression including the EIRSS system employed by the U.S. Army on the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Since childhood Jim has had a keen interest in amateur astronomy which now consumes much of his spare time. Living in central Ottawa has forced Jim to become proficient in Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) and the use of optical filters to combat light pollution. He has developed his own rigorous filter test method and regularly posts detailed comparison test reports on ResearchGate regarding the various filters available to the amateur astronomer. Recently Jim has started moving his more than a decade of content onto the more accessible YouTube platform (search for "Abbey Road Observatory" or @jimthefilterguy) in an effort to share his findings on filters and other amateur astronomy related topics with the general public.
