This week, we field listener queries about the vaccine’s rollout, how state and local governments are handling distribution, and when you’ll get your shot.
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Celebrate the Star Wars Galaxy’s Greatest Holiday with Life Day Treasury – Exclusive Reveal

The galaxy far, far away meets wintery tales of holiday cheer? That might sound like a stretch, but it’s a no-brainer according to Star Wars author Cavan Scott. “Winter festivals are all about hope in the darkest times, about being surrounded by family and friends,” says Scott. “What is more Star Wars than that?” He […]
Samsung Has New Galaxy Phones (and New Earbuds Too)

A trio of new Android phones—the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra—are joined by new Bluetooth earbuds and a Tile-like tracker.
Get out tonight and see the stars!
Tonight will be a great opportunity to see Venus and Jupiter converging. You do not even have to stay up late, just go outside and look for the two brightest stars in the sky, and you will be surprised to know that they are not stars but planets. Jupiter and Venus! Jupiter, Venus Converge in […]
How to Blend the Night Sky and Foreground in Photoshop

A nighttime landscape shot with the Milky Way over the earth below can be dramatic and eye-catching, but they almost always require two separate exposures for the foreground and the sky to get the best image quality. Once you have your two images, you will need to blend them to create a single final frame, and this great video tutorial will show you how to do it using Photoshop.
A Resource for Astrophotographers: ‘The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide’

In a previous article (Easing into Astrophotography with a Telescope), I listed a few resources for stepping up to telescopic astrophotography. Beyond learning the basics of sky navigation and learning to extend your photographic equipment knowledge into long exposures, an introductory overview of astronomy is a good idea so that you are aware of the photographic possibilities available to you and the wide array of equipment that may be needed.
How Astrophotographers Shoot (Very) Long Exposures

If you’ve viewed deep-sky astrophotos (not landscape astrophotos), you may have noticed that extremely long exposures (not counting mosaics) are used. In extreme cases, exposures may run over 12 hours. Unless you have a space telescope, it should be obvious that multiple exposures have been used.
Photoshop Isn’t King Here: The Speciality Programs That Are Just Plain Better

Just about every important image I publish or send to a client passes through Photoshop. It’s an essential part of my workflow, and if you’re like most photographers, I’m sure it’s a part of yours. There are, however, a number of cases where I’ve just found a significantly better tool for the job, one that’s worth paying for. Want to see why you should consider snagging these programs that beat Photoshop at their own game?