Categories. Competitions will be held in five categories as follows:

• Deep Sky (>500 mm focal length; no solar system)

• Solar System (>500 mm focal length)

• Rich Field (201-500 mm focal length)

• Wide Field (up to 200 mm focal length) 

• Art and Sketching

Judging. Entries will be voted on by convention attendees using anonymous ballots distributed with registration packages. Voters will be asked to rank their top three choices in each category. Zipf’s Law is used to accumulate points (1 pt. for a first-place vote, 1/2 point for a second-place vote, 1/3 point for a third-place vote). 

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Rules. You may enter up to 5 images per category, but each image stands alone within each category. (You may enter “exhibit only” images if you do not want too many of your images competing against one another within a category. Please note, however, that Zipf’s Law greatly reduces this self-competition effect if you enter 3 images or less in a category.) 

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Winners receive only the highest medal earned in each category but may win a medal in more than one category. 

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Eligibility. To win, you must (1) be registered at the convention, (2) be a member of the Astronomical League, (3) earn less than $2,000 annually from the sale of your images and/or your art, and (4) register your image/art with contest officials and receive a Post-It number for display with each item entered.

 

Schedule. Instructions on registering your images and sketches will be conspicuously posted by Noon on Friday. Here are important dates and times: 

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All entries must be displayed by 11 am Saturday.

Voting takes place from 11 am to 3 pm Saturday.

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Best of luck!

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-  Chuck Allen