Welcome to my website which describes my interest in observing and photographing the heavens.
The photographic recording of celestial objects and phenomena can be an incredibly challenging and rewarding pursuit. It should be obvious that this type of photography is very different in execution than terrestrial photography, because we're working in the dark - figuratively and literally!! It is precisely these challenges and concomitant rewards which has made astrophotography a seriously fun (but seriously expensive) pursuit for me.
The photographic recording of celestial objects and phenomena can be an incredibly challenging and rewarding pursuit. It should be obvious that this type of photography is very different in execution than terrestrial photography, because we're working in the dark - figuratively and literally!! It is precisely these challenges and concomitant rewards which has made astrophotography a seriously fun (but seriously expensive) pursuit for me.
Waiting for the stars to come out
GENESIS OF AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER
Nehru Planetarium, Mumbai
My interest in astronomy began as a child of six on a trip to the American Consular Library in Mumbai, India with my Grandpa. I was amazed at the six-foot to scale model of the Saturn V rocket displayed in the foyer of the library which had carried men to the Moon. My Grandpa was directly responsible for nurturing this early interest in all things astro by encouraging me to read books on the space race and taking me on periodic trips to the Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai. Although the Planetarium is situated in downtown Mumbai, the staff periodically allowed the public to view the planets through the scopes that they maintain and I was captivated by the visual views of the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter through these modest scopes.
EVOLUTION OF AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER
I could not afford to own any scopes or eyepieces growing up, nor could I do so as a graduate student at KU or a postdoctoral researcher at Pitt. Books and star charts checked out from the local libraries tided me over and helped me to learn the constellations and the night sky. Additionally, they helped me learn star hopping techniques. It was only after we had moved to College Station, TX and I had the financial means to do so, that I seriously began to indulge my thirst for quality observational aids including scopes, eyepieces, mounts and astrophotography accessories. As my observing and imaging interests evolved and changed with time, I went through several sets of scopes, mounts, eyepieces and cameras and have finally settled on what appears to be a suitable equipment inventory for my astrophotography pursuits.
MATURATION OF AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER
Video astronomy with BVAC club members
Associating with like minded fellow enthusiasts is a great means to grow and mature in any pursuit. It is the same with Astronomy....perhaps more so in present times than ever before. I am blessed to be a member of not one, but two amatuer astronomy organizations. These are, the Brazos Valley Astronomy Club (BVAC) and the Huntsville Amateur Astronomy Society (HAAS). These community based organizations help promote amateur observational and imaging based astronomy as a hobby to local residents in the areas around Brazos County and Walker County respectively. These clubs are an eclectic mix of people from everyday walks of life who share a common interest in observing the heavens.
By associating myself with BVAC and working with fellow members towards growing the membership roster and community visibility of our club, a sense of pride and accomplishment and the feeling of having reached a definite state of maturation in the hobby has swept over me.
Additionally, I am grateful to have been involved in resurrecting a piece of astronomical history, namely the Takahashi Epsilon-200 flatfield hyperbolic astrograph at the Sam Houston State University. There are less than three dozen of these fast astrographs in the world and less than a handful in the USA. SHSU is lucky to have one of these rare, incredible instruments which was bought in the early nineties. Unfortunately, the scope and the equally fine NJP mount was neglected and suffered from severe mold infestation over the years as it sat unused and forgotten. We re-discovered this rare gem and restored it to it's former glory over the space of a couple years. My fellow HAAS club members including Mike Prokosch, Brian Neitfeld, Rory Glasgow and an extremely supportive Prof. Oeticker were all involved with the project. Working together on this project has definitely brought us all closer and created a special bond of friendship which I hope lasts a lifetime. Please visit Mike's and Rory's websites by clicking on their names. Please click here to read the full story of the re-discovery and re-surrection of the SHSU Takahashi Epsilon 200 astrograph. Also, please visit Val Ricks' astrophotography blog and Don Taylor's Astrophotography website. Val and Don are members of HAAS and they have taken some stunning astropix over the years - visits to their sites are highly encouraged.
By associating myself with BVAC and working with fellow members towards growing the membership roster and community visibility of our club, a sense of pride and accomplishment and the feeling of having reached a definite state of maturation in the hobby has swept over me.
Additionally, I am grateful to have been involved in resurrecting a piece of astronomical history, namely the Takahashi Epsilon-200 flatfield hyperbolic astrograph at the Sam Houston State University. There are less than three dozen of these fast astrographs in the world and less than a handful in the USA. SHSU is lucky to have one of these rare, incredible instruments which was bought in the early nineties. Unfortunately, the scope and the equally fine NJP mount was neglected and suffered from severe mold infestation over the years as it sat unused and forgotten. We re-discovered this rare gem and restored it to it's former glory over the space of a couple years. My fellow HAAS club members including Mike Prokosch, Brian Neitfeld, Rory Glasgow and an extremely supportive Prof. Oeticker were all involved with the project. Working together on this project has definitely brought us all closer and created a special bond of friendship which I hope lasts a lifetime. Please visit Mike's and Rory's websites by clicking on their names. Please click here to read the full story of the re-discovery and re-surrection of the SHSU Takahashi Epsilon 200 astrograph. Also, please visit Val Ricks' astrophotography blog and Don Taylor's Astrophotography website. Val and Don are members of HAAS and they have taken some stunning astropix over the years - visits to their sites are highly encouraged.
SUPPORTIVE SHARING REWARDS AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER
I consider myself fortunate that my wonderful wife, Bhumi supports and encourages my interest in amateur astronomy and astrophotography. And I consider myself doubly fortunate that my daughter Harshali, appears to be just as fascinated by the mysteries of creation and just as captivated by the beauty of the cosmos as me. For a child of six, she's extremely enthusiastic and helps me set up my equipment. She loves to watch me image from our backyard in suburban College Station, TX and can identify the differences between a star cluster and a gaseous nebular object on the laptop screen. She also loves to take periodic trips with me to Judy and Charlie Culver's rural observatory near Wheelock, TX or to attend Mark Spearman's BVAC Star Parties at his rural observatory near Wheelock, TX or to the Sam Houston University's rural observatory near Riverside which is a few miles north of Huntsville, TX. On these trips, she greatly enjoys the telescopic views of deep sky objects as well as solar system objects. She's already declared that she wants to be an Astronomer when she grows up on several occasions - nothing would please me more.....
Please navigate your way through the images of celestial objects that I have taken using my modest amateur equipment over the past few years.
Please check out my image acquisition and processing tutorials below.
Tutorial 1 - Basic image enhancements using Photoshop
Tutorial 2 - High dynamic range image creation using layer masking in Photoshop
Tutorial 3 - Reducing star bloat using Photoshop
Tutorial 4 - Bringing up color saturation in LAB colorspace
They should allow you to understand the level of effort required to obtain the astrophotographs that you see on this website.
Tutorial 1 - Basic image enhancements using Photoshop
Tutorial 2 - High dynamic range image creation using layer masking in Photoshop
Tutorial 3 - Reducing star bloat using Photoshop
Tutorial 4 - Bringing up color saturation in LAB colorspace
They should allow you to understand the level of effort required to obtain the astrophotographs that you see on this website.
Comments, questions or suggestions are always appreciated.
Thank you and please re-visit my site as often as possible.
Thank you and please re-visit my site as often as possible.