If there’s a common thread running through today’s great amateur astrophotography, it’s Adobe Photoshop. This is a bit ironic, since the software is probably the only link in most imaging chains that can’t claim astronomical roots. So it’s not surprising that teaching specialized Photoshop techniques for astronomical imaging has become a cottage industry. This year alone we found five offerings worthy of mention. Three are books (one available only as a CD-ROM), while another is a work-in-progress set of DVD tutorials, and the last is a novel Web-based system that offers a range of services from streaming video tutorials to live one-on-one instructions. While all of them overlap in covering Photoshop basics, each has its own set of unique features. Check out the various websites to learn which one, or ones, might be best for you.

Making Every Pixel Count (DVD tutorial set by Adam Block) Volume 1: Photoshop CCD Image Processing. US price $45.99.

Contact: www.caelumobservatory.com

Image Processing for Astrophotography (Online materials by Warren Keller and Peter Proulx) US prices from $29.99 (though some introductory material is available for free).

Contact: www.ip4ap.com

A Guide to Astrophotography with DSLR Cameras (CD-ROM book by Jerry Lodriguss) US price $39.95.

Contact: www.astropix.com

Zone System for Astro Imaging (traditional book and additional DVD training video by Ron Wodaski, with added content by Russell Croman) US price $99.95.

Contact: www.newstro.com

Photoshop Astronomy (traditional book and additional CD-ROM material by R. Scott Ireland; reviewed in the September 2006 issue, page 85) US price $39.95.

Contact: www.willbell.com

Every year the editors of Sky & Telescope present their selection of the most intriguing new products to enter the marketplace. "Hot New Products for 2007" appeared in the January 2007 issue, page 100. For further information about a specific product, contact the manufacturer or distributor. To alert the editors of Sky & Telescope to the introduction of a new product, please send e-mail to [email protected].

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