Cosmic Adventures Entry

Welcome!

To begin you would need to register and create an account with a couple of third-party

groups.io

LCO

Padlet

Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

Download SalsaJ

This is an inreach program for club members that provides a portal through which to access on line astronomy imaging resources and is divided into two portals. The first portal is designed for relative beginners and has as its center remote imaging, image processing and sharing images. The second portal is a bit more advanced introducing members to citizen science projects. The use of both of these portals is free to members through programs designed at the Global Hands-On Universe.
At this point you may want to sign up for our Cosmic Adventures email group to get in the flow of things. This is a good place to get acquainted with others of the same interest.

Join the mailing list > here.

Once you have registered you should view our introductory video or attend a webinar on how to use the portal. Contact us if you cannot get access to the above. The first place to look is at the Padlet choice in Portal one. There you can see images others have downloaded and displayed. The second place to visit is the LCO Kiosk.

Login to Kiosk > here.

To get started click on suggestions for images and tell it you are with the "100 Hours for 100 Schools" program. You can look up the suggested objects on the internet to see what they look like to others. Once you have decided on an object, submit it. The cue will tell you what the status is of your request. Remember that observing time is limited, so choose your objects wisely. We liked the Dumbbell Nebula (M57) image we got.
When your image is ready, the kiosk will send you an email. At that point you should go back to there and click on the blue Data tab on the right. In the next page you will see your image with a blue tab called “View Color Image”. When the image forms, you can right click on it and save it to your computer. You can keep the image as is and submit it to Padlet or the image gallery on OCA's website.

Access the Padlet > here

The next step would be to do some image processing with it with SalsaJ or the processing program of your choice. Instructions for using and downloading SalsaJ are associated with the tab as well as an embedded video done by one of the members.

Download SalsaJ > here

All this should get you started. There is much more that can be done. As a reminder your imaging time is limited so use it sparingly. More time can be requested so don’t worry.
We are working with credentialed and experienced science teachers to develop lesson plans and projects for 4th grade and up that we hope will increase your enjoyment of the Adventures.
If you get tangled up or confused, there is lots of help so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Happy Imaging,
The Cosmic Adventures Crew