Someone's given me an idea.

I dont pretend to make Scientific pictures - I am out to make ones that I consider to be the most aesthetically pleasing. Some of you may have seen the book 'Full Moon' - I want to do the same for the rovers.

Do you think it would work as a book? What would you want to see in it?

I'm thinking lots of colour mosaics - some MOC images of the lander and the landing site - some maps of the route's roved to localize the images included. Perhaps even some of the more interesting Navcam images.

this isnt something I'd consider until the PDS release of all data when I could then make some top notch images without the limitations of the 'auto exposure' that they suffer at the moment.

Anyway - I'd love some comments on the idea - as I think it could really really work - and without any disrespect to any of the other people doing similar sorts of things - there's some amazingly technically accurate work out there - but I dont think anyone's made stuff as beautiful as the more recent Spirit mosaics I've done. I really think this is something I could do - and I could do very very well.

What do you think?

Doug

Sounds great to me! I'm just confused over the legal issues. *You* are stiching the images and *you* are adjusting the colors, okay, but in the end aren't the raw images copyright protected by NASA or JPL?

Tom

I think that would be an awesome idea. I'd love to see more full-color high-resolution imagery taken by the rovers, especially from the Endurance Crater and the Columbia Hills...

As with copyright, it's likely that the images are already in public domain as long as proper credit is given to NASA/JPL/Cornell etc. You may have to contact their PR to make sure though...

Yeah - you can do what you want with NASA / JPL / Cornell imagery as long as you give them credit.

Ditto with MSSS imagery from MOC on MGS - then it's MSSS / JPL

Sounds great!

I would also love to see (as a first chapter) how these images were made and how YOU (not you specifically, but anyone) as an amateur can do the same! That way people will get more enthusiastic I think.

Yeah - something that tells the whole story from mars to print would be in there

Anyhoo - a few months and I'll see what publishers think

Doug

I think it's a great idea, Doug! However, I would also include a bunch of anaglyphs AND a pair of 3D glasses. I had a copy of the book NASA generated about the Viking landers (it got lost in a basement flood, unfortunately) that included both a rich supply of anaglyphs and a pair of 3D glasses in the back of the book.

In fact, if it's possible to manufacture a book that would successfully use the neutral-color polarization 3D anaglyph process, that would be even better. But IIRC, that only works with film projectors.

I wish I could find a pair of the 3D glasses these days -- I'd love to be able to view the anaglyphs that are being posted at the MER website, but I don't have the glasses I need to do so...

Doug
dvandorn@NOSPAM.mn.rr.com

I did consider anaglyphs - suggested by a friend who thought I should include them.

If you want glasses - http://www.rainbowsymphony.com/3danaglyph.html - I have two pairs of the pro ones - they've excellent.

The polarization method does only work with multiple projectors which have their light polarized horez in one projector and vert. in the other. Imax uses this for 3D movies most of the time. The Space Station 3D movie works fantastically as M'n'M's coming flying out at you

I like my ESA style Anaglyphs instead of the NASA style ones - and I did quite a few with the end-of-sol R1/L7 3 or 4 frame mosaics that Spirit took on the way up to Bonnevillle. I should do some of the drive to the hills as well.

Again - if and when I can convince a publisher that this is a good idea - I think the call on Anaglyphs would probably be theirs - how much would it cost to include two pairs of the cheap glasses in the back of the book etc.


Doug

Doug, the book idea is great...I would also think a page showing NavCam images in sequence (say 9 or 12 images) that lets the viewer see the progress made would be cool.
Definately include anaglyphs, such as Bonneville and Endurance.

I got interested in astronomy at 15 (back in the 70's), I think a couple of well done image books from these rover images would spark a lot of interest in kids. I would have killed for a book like this back then. Do what you can to keep it affordable.

Eric P / MizarKey