8. Competitions
a) Coordinating the Astronomy Innovations Showcase
- On Saturday morning, make an announcement over the PA to advise people where they need to be to present their entries.
- At 11am on Saturday, review the software entries in the Meeting Hall.
- Proceed out to the Observing Field and greet any entrants that present themselves or look hopeful that you will notice them.
- Take photos of all entries and note entrant details and descriptions to be used in the Powerpoint Presentation.
- Compile a Powerpoint Presentation.
- Present the Powerpoint Presentation at the Awards Ceremony, commencing at 3.30pm on Saturday.
- All innovators come forward for a group photo.
- Certificates may be presented.
b) Coordinating the Astroimaging Competition
i) Preparation before the Event
Ensure that the Information, Entry Form and Template Descriptive Card are accurate for the current year so that they can be uploaded to the ASNSW website.
The writing on the Template Descriptive Card should be no smaller than 16 point, so that it is easy to read.
Prepare two voting boxes to accept voting tickets (the same size as a business card), one for DEEP SKY and one for OPEN.
ii) Accepting the Entries
Two people are needed for accepting the entries between 4pm and 6pm on Friday and 9am to 10am on Saturday. Each entry needs to be assigned a number.
Use 1 _ _ numbers for the Deep Sky Section
and 2 _ _ numbers for the Open Sky section to help prevent anyone trying to rig the vote by using both tickets to vote for a single entry.
Ensure that:
- Entry documentation has been completed correctly.
- Entries are correct size and electronic format.
Also:
- Keep a master list of all the entries to ensure unique numbering for each image.
- Numbering should correspond with voting tickets:
1 _ _ numbers for Deep Sky
2 _ _ numbers for Open
- Number the entries clearly on the Descriptive Cards using a black marker pen.
iii) Setting up the Display Panels
Three people are needed to set up the display panels. They are stored in the Store Room (alcove to the Bunkhouse) on the right-hand-side behind the door as you go in. They look like a stack of large, flat, grey cases. The panels are set up at the end of the Pavilion opposite the end where the Scouts are set up.
iv) Putting up the Entries
Mount the images along with their descriptive cards in two well-delineated sections.
Put “OPEN” and “DEEP SKY” signs above the entries accordingly.
v) The Voting Boxes
Place the voting boxes on chairs or small tables in front of each section.
Voting proceeds between 11am and 1pm on Saturday.
vi) Counting the Votes and working out the Winners
Two or three people are needed for counting the votes. This is usually done in a quiet area with no onlookers. The alcove of the Bunk House may be used.
- Sort the votes according to Image Number.
- Tally the vote counts (i.e. count the number of votes for each image).
- Sort the images into order on the basis of the vote count in each category.
- Prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category.
- If the same photographer appears more than once in one category, the second and subsequent appearances are discarded in that category in accordance with the Competition Rules.
- Give a list of names of 1st to 3rd place-getters in each category (Open and Deep Sky) to the Check-In Desk manager or Treasurer to be checked against the REGISTRATIONS list and/or the MEMBERSHIP list to check if the Entrant is qualified to enter the competition, in accordance with the Competition Rules.
vii) Processing the Winners
- Remove all the Descriptive Cards from the display boards.
- Give the relevant Descriptive Cards to the announcer who will be presenting the Powerpoint Presentation.
- Description and details from the Descriptive Card can be used by the announcer to describe the images.
- Make up a Powerpoint Presentation with the images in order from 3rd to 1st in each category.
- A title slide is also good idea.
- This presentation stays on a laptop that will be swapped in after the guest speaker finishes on Saturday (shortly after 3pm).
- A presentation will also be set up for the Astronomy Innovations Showcase.
viii) Awards Ceremony
The Awards Presentation begins at 3.30pm before the Lucky Prize Draw.
The usual order is the Astronomy Innovations Showcase, Astroimaging, and then the Lucky Prize Draw.
A volunteer usually sits at the computer and advances the slides so that the announcer can focus on the descriptions, congratulating the winners, handing over the trophies and getting their photo taken with the winners.
Astroimaging Competition winners and place-getters may be invited to say a few words about their images.
However, it is important to keep things moving as the Lucky Prize Draw follows the awards.
ix) Saving Files to USB for Publication
Due to the typical file sizes, the AI competition winning photos and information from the corresponding Descriptive Cards need to be loaded onto a USB stick for publication in Universe and also Australian Sky & Telescope. If the information is not in electronic format, take a photograph of each descriptive card and load the photos onto the USB stick with suitable file names so that they may be matched to the winning entries. From 2018, entrants should have supplied both the image file and description file for each entry on a USB stick.
After the Editor copies the files for Universe, the files are uploaded to a drop-box for the AS&T editor.
