More Than Pretty Pictures

Five years ago, when I first took over posting gallery submissions, the ALPO’s Digital Section was still operating much as it had for decades: images came in, were displayed, and had little consistency in terms of meeting basic guidelines that would capture useful information about the image. Certainly useful, but not easily searchable, and not structured in a way that supported scientific work. That was the moment I began the long process of indexing every Solar and planetary submission, extracting timestamps, system longitudes, filters, and feature tags. The goal was simple: turn the gallery into a true image repository.

Today, with more than 40,000 indexed images and sketches, that transformation is finally visible. And this year’s Jupiter Pro–Am collaboration tied to JWST and Juno’s Perijove 81 proved its value. Because the gallery is now searchable, we were able to provide the research team with rapid ground‑based context during a very narrow observing window. That is exactly what “from stargazing to science” should mean — not a slogan, but a capability.

But the strength of the repository depends entirely on the quality of the observations our members submit. And with nearly 95% of modern contributions coming from imagers, we need to ensure that members feel confident producing clean, scientifically useful data.

That is why we are launching the SPLICE Mentoring Program this summer.

SPLICE — Solar, Planetary, and Lunar Imaging with Computer Enhancement — reflects the modern workflow of high‑resolution imaging far better than the old “lucky imaging” label. The process is systematic: capture, rank, align, stack, sharpen. Don Parker demonstrated this long before digital sensors were common, and his legacy forms the backbone of the SPLICE approach.

The mentoring program is designed for ALPO members who are new to imaging or looking to refine their technique. Participants can work with ALPO‑provided sample videos or with their own data, learning to use accessible open‑source tools to produce scientifically valuable results. The goal is not just a prettier picture — it’s a contribution that strengthens the long‑term archive.

Because this is a one‑on‑one program, we will begin modestly with one to two mentoring sessions per month. My hope is that experienced ALPO imagers will step forward as additional mentors so we can expand capacity over time.

Revitalizing the ALPO will come from building confidence, strengthening community, and helping observers feel that their work matters. The SPLICE Mentoring Program is one more step toward making “from stargazing to science” a reality, and ensuring that the next 40,000 images are even more valuable than the first.