Effective Date: These rules shall take effect on January 1, 2005 and shall remain in effect until modified in accordance with the Organization's procedure for modifying "Rules of Order".

Contest Operation: The MAC Astrophoto Contest is run by the Astro Photo Contest Coordinator (1st VP).

Goals:

encourage members to photograph and image the sky and enter those images
provide an environment to encourage experimentation and the exchange of information
provide friendly competition to stimulate improvement

Contest Rules:

All entrants must be current members of the Organization.
Any entry must have been taken by the member within the two (2) years prior to the date of the contest being entered.
An entry may be entered in competition until it has won with a maximum of 2 tries. Once an image has won, it cannot be entered into competition again.
Entrants are limited to three (3) entries per category per contest.
There are no limitations as to image base, camera or telescope.
Each entry must be accompanied by a completed MAC AstroImage Contest entry form. Forms will be provided at the contest meeting. However, each entrant is encouraged to download the printable PDF file from the Organization's website. Each entrant should review the Astrophoto Rules (this page or download) prior to the date of the contest.

Forms/documents:

Entry Form (pdf)
AstroPhoto Contest Rules (pdf)

Judging:

Each category will be judged separately.
Selection of a winning in each category shall be by a vote of the current Organization members present. If there are 5 or more entries in a category, then a runner up will also be selected.
In case of a tie, a single runoff shall be held between the entries with the highest number of votes. If the runoff results in a tie, the tied entries shall be declared joint winners.
Winning entries from each quarter's contest (spring, summer, fall) will be entered into the Grand Finale Contest at the end of the year.
In the case of a rules dispute, the Astro Photo Contest Coordinator shall make the final decision.

Categories: There are 11 categories as outlined below...

Category	Print	Projection
Novice	Examples: subject matter is open Any MAC member may enter the novice class any number of times provided he/she has not won a previous MAC Astroimage Contest in any class. No other restrictions apply.
Tripod/Unguided	Examples: satellites, star trails, conjunctions, sun/moon rise/set, eclipse, aurora, etc Entries in this category Must be composed of a single image or frame. Processing may be used to enhance features or otherwise improve the image. Colorization may not be used. That is Black and White images or frames must be shown as Black and White images and color images must be shown in color. Must have been taken without the assistance of any mechanical device for moving the camera during the exposure period. A photo taken using a telescope (i.e., piggybacked) or similar instrument with its clock drive disabled would qualify.
Guided	Unstacked, Limited Processing Examples: wide field constellation portraits, deep sky, comets Entries in this category Must be composed of a single image or frame. Processing may be used to enhance features or otherwise improve the image. Colorization may not be used. That is Black and White images or frames must be shown as Black and White images and color must be shown in color Subject matter is open, but traditionally, images are taken with longer exposures utilizing the drive mechanism of a telescope...
Open	Guided, Stacked, Unlimited Processing Examples: wide field constellation portraits, deep sky images Entries in this category may be taken, processed or altered in any way. There are no limitations with the sole exception of the way in which they were altered, processed or changed shall be included as part of the entry form.
Solar System	Guided, Stacked, Unlimited Processing Examples: sun, moon, planets, asteroids, comets Entries in this category can be of any body located within the solar system, but outside of low Earth orbit and must be comprised of multiple stacked frames to distinguish entries in this category from entries in the Tripod and Guided categories.
Animation	na	Example: Video of moving comet Any sequence of motion, displayed in any "lights out" manner including computer or projector. Entrants must provide computer display or bring their own projection device.

Image files should be named to represent the image contained therein and the date of the image and the category. For example, if an image is of M31 taken on April 1, 2005, the file should be named as OPEN_M31_April_1_2005. The image name shall be included on the Astrophoto Entry Form.

Slides shall be labeled so that they may be placed in the slide projector in the proper orientation. The labeling should include, "TOP" and "Toward Screen (TS).

All images remain the property of the owner (photographer, member).