Project Smartie was a collaborative astrophotography project involving members of Norwich Astronomical Society, using a mixture of smart telescopes to image the same deep-sky target.
The group chose Sh2-101, the Tulip Nebula, as a common object and, by combining everyone’s data, achieved approximately 40 hours of total integration. The final image reveals extensive faint nebulosity, dark dust lanes and considerably more depth than a typical single-session image.
But the real success of Project Smartie went far beyond the amount of data collected.
By working towards the same goal, every contributor became part of something larger. Each observing session, whether short or long, added value to the final result. That helped create a genuine sense of teamwork and shared achievement.
The project also encouraged members to compare results, discuss conditions, exchange ideas and learn from one another. People with different levels of experience could take part on equal terms, with every successful contribution helping to improve the final image.
There was an important social benefit too. Astrophotography can often be a solitary hobby, with many hours spent observing and processing alone. Project Smartie turned that into a shared experience, creating conversation, cooperation and a little friendly enthusiasm around a common challenge. It brought members of the Society togther, often with an impressive array of smart telescopes during clear sky observing sessions, along with the usual banter and humour members bring to such sessions.
Whilst the contributiong members each produced images of thier own, by sharing these images, the group worked together to create one deeper and more detailed result.
The final 40-hour image is therefore more than just a photograph of Sh2-101. It represents the combined patience, effort and enthusiasm of everyone who took part, while showing just how much can be achieved when astronomers collaborate and work towards a common goal.
As a Society we plan holding further similar sessions in the future.
Huge thank you to Jason Durrant for processing all the data and creating this image!
This was really enjoyable. A good start into astrophotography.
A big Thank You to Jason Durrant for this flawless post processing, to Chris Greenfield for initiating the project and all the good folks at the NAS for sharing tricks of the trade.
A great example of collaboration and partnership with many members pulling together, sharing skills and expertise and a common commitment to a very worthy deep sky imaging goal. This gets to the heart of the purpose of Astronomical Society’s reason for being!