def ascent():
import pickle<EOL>import os<EOL>fname = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'<STR_LIT>')<EOL>with open(fname, '<STR_LIT:rb>') as f:<EOL><INDENT>ascent = array(pickle.load(f))<EOL><DEDENT>return ascent<EOL>
Get an 8-bit grayscale bit-depth, 512 x 512 derived image for easy use in demos

The image is derived from accent-to-the-top.jpg at
http://www.public-domain-image.com/people-public-domain-images-pictures/

Parameters
----------
None

Returns
-------
ascent : ndarray
   convenient image to use for testing and demonstration

Examples
--------
>>> import scipy.misc
>>> ascent = scipy.misc.ascent()
>>> ascent.shape
(512, 512)
>>> ascent.max()
255

>>> import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
>>> plt.gray()
>>> plt.imshow(ascent)
>>> plt.show()