EMERGING ARTIST Capturing deep space with Keely Ralf ’21 (Strathcona

EMERGING Artist KEELY RALF

STORY BY JENNY DUNBAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

THERE IS SOMETHING INHERENTLY CAPTIVATING ABOUT THE NIGHT SKY.

It is at once beautiful and enigmatic, immeasurably vast and yet incredibly familiar. Over the centuries, people around the world have valued the stars as navigational aids, objects of light and beauty, and inspiration for poems and works of art. Shawnigan student and accomplished astrophotographer Keely Ralf would certainly count herself among those who have found themselves drawn to the power of the night sky. “I’ve always had a fascination with the stars,” Keely shares. “I got my first telescope when I was in Grade 6 and that is when I fell in love with astronomy.” Astronomy is not the most common pastime for the average young person, but perhaps some of Keely’s interest can be credited to her upbringing – and more specifically to her hometown. Keely grew up in Jasper, Alberta, and recalls spending most of her childhood outdoors, finding her entertainment in the dramatic landscape and big skies of the Rocky Mountain region. Jasper also happens to be one of 21 designated Dark Sky Preserves in Canada, the second-largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world, and home to the annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival. Growing up in an area committed to reducing or eliminating light pollution for astronomy purposes – and having access to leading professionals at the annual festival – certainly helped to nurture and inspire this budding astronomer. When she came to Shawnigan in Grade 10, Keely was delighted to learn that her first unit in science was astronomy. At the end of that unit, her class was given the opportunity of a lifetime: hands-on learning in our on-campus observatory. Recognizing her skill and passion immediately, science teacher Nigel Mayes proposed she try her hand at astrophotography, the complex art of photographing the night sky. Keely readily accepted and before long was processing an image of the Orion Nebula.

She was immediately hooked. “During that time, I completely fell in love with astrophotography,” shares Keely. “I enjoyed how it was both science and art, and that I could combine these two things that I love and be creative.” A new spark had been ignited. Keely spent the next few months learning all she could, supported enthusiastically by Nigel Mayes. She poured herself into the science and art of astrophotography, working with the equipment in the observatory, learning the software PixInsight (which she describes as Photoshop for mathematicians), and honing her artistic skills. She quickly learned that astrophotography is a very personal form of art, telling the story of the photographer as much as the object in focus. “I love that everyone starts with the exact same data, but depending on how you choose to process it means that every image is different and unique to you,” explains Keely. “The observatory is my creative outlet, where I get to explore deep space and create visual representations of objects that aren’t easy to picture in your mind.” In her time at Shawnigan, she has processed around two dozen images, each one unique to her. When asked if she has any favourites, Keely shares that two in particular stand out. The first is that initial image of the Orion Nebula. “It has a sentimental value to me because it was the first image I ever processed,” she says. “This is when I got the chance to learn the

whole process, from capturing the image to the final product, and it was fascinating. After putting in the long hours (around 60) into this image, I was able to step back and feel an overwhelming sense of pride.” The other image – a spectacular six-panelled mosaic of the constellation Cygnus – was completed more recently and reveals just how far she has come. “This was the most taxing image I have taken on,” she shares. “It took a few months of diligent work to get the stitching on the seams of the six panels just right. I love it because there is so much detail intertwined between the gases and stars that no matter how many times I look at it, I always catch something new that I did not spot before.” Keely’s countless hours in the School’s observatory have given her much more than astrophotography skills. In delving into deep space, she has also discovered some important inner truths about herself. “Spending time in the observatory has made me a more independent learner,” she explains. “There aren’t many people at the School that do astrophotography, so it has really made me learn how to take a problem and troubleshoot it myself.” She explains that she has been able to employ this skill in her classes and other areas of life at Shawnigan, and sees the benefits for her future, too.

“I think this is really going to apply very nicely in university when I don’t have someone there to hold my hand through every problem I am faced with. I am grateful that I have developed these skills that I know will really help me down the road.”

Another thing Keely has discovered up at the observatory is the joy of sharing her passion with others. As one of the few people on campus with astrophotography experience, she has emerged as a leader, compelled to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of Shawnigan students. “My favourite part about doing astronomy in Grade 11 was when I got the chance to help out with the Grade 10s up at the observatory as part of their astronomy unit in science,” she explains. “I truly love sharing my passion with others and I found this was a great chance to do that.” Following last year’s experience working with younger students, Keely took the initiative this fall and proposed the addition of astrophotography to Shawnigan’s newly rebranded 360 (arts and activities) program – with her as the instructor! Her proposal was readily accepted and throughout the school year she has led a group of younger students in this unique after-school program.

Six-panelled mosaic of the constellation Cygnus

“I absolutely love being the instructor of the astrophotography fine art,” she gushes. “It’s definitely made me realize that I want to do some teaching in my future, because I love teaching others about something that I am so passionate about.”

Nigel Mayes has been more than impressed. “She’s just so good at relaying her passion to others,” he shares. “I think that’s one of her strengths and why her 360 has been so successful as a student-led activity – because of how effective she is at infusing that into the lives of other people.” Keely also had the opportunity to share her enthusiasm and expertise with her peers at the Japan Super Science Fair, held virtually in October 2020. Her science experiment focused on determining how bright a star is – a task that showed off her independent learning skills as much as her knowledge of astronomy. She spent the preceding summer learning the basics of the programming language Python, even connecting with a professor at the University of Victoria for further help with coding and stacking images. The science fair was an important opportunity for Keely – not only because it was yet another outlet through which to share her knowledge, but because it also gave her the chance to connect with fellow astronomers and astrophotographers from around the world. It is clear that the art of astrophotography has given Keely a lot – more than mere technical skills or artistic development. The lessons learned in the observatory will accompany her into the next phase of her life and beyond. Unsurprisingly, Keely hopes to pursue degrees in science and education after she graduates from Shawnigan. “I am not sure if astronomy is something I am going to pursue as a career,” says Keely, “but at the very least, you will be able to find me stargazing for years to come.”

Heart Nebula