Michael A. Stecker
 masmd@sbcglobal.net
 

Steve Crouch
Canberra, ACT
Australia
 

Contact information
e-mail
stevec@pcug.org.au
.
telephone
61262910694
.
website
http://www.pcug.org.au/~stevec
.
Locator Map
http://www.frappr.com/apppublic
Level of accuracy: City of Canberra, ACT, Australia

Biography
My first telescope, given to me as a present, was a 40mm refractor in 1962.  This was soon followed by a 60mm refractor.  My first attempt at astrophotography, which I still have, was an afocal shot of Alpha Centauri using the 60mm refractor.  After obtaining a 6” reflector in the early seventies, I experimented with photographing the moon and planets and obtained some reasonable results although they would be considered absolute rubbish by today’s standards. 

 The rest of the seventies was a low point as far as astronomy was concerned and I did not really get going again until the early eighties when I bought a C8 and then a Meade 2120, followed in 1986 by a C11.  I tried some piggyback photography and was surprised how easy it was to get good results even from a light polluted location.  The real astrophotography started when I got a Lumicon Giant Easy Guider, my pick as one of the best astronomical accessories of the twentieth century.  I also got a film hyper sensitizing unit at about this time.

 I joined the CCD revolution relatively early, buying a ST-6 in 1994.  As with most people, I had intended to continue using film in parallel with the CCD work but this never happened.  At about this time, I wrote some observing articles for the magazine “Southern Sky” which unfortunately only lasted about two years.

 I’ve since continued with CCD imaging and now use a ST10-XME with a C14 mounted on a Losmandy HGM-200.  I’ve never really got into scientific work and basically just do pretty pictures.  I also write the occasional observing article for the club magazine.

Astrophotography publications
CCD Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines

Observing site
The suburb of Theodore in outer suburban Canberra

Astronomical Equipment
Telescopes
Celestron C-14, C-8 and Meade ETX-90

Mount
Losmandy HGM-200

CCD Cameras
SBIG ST10-XME, ST-9E, ST-5C

Software
CCDSoft, MaximDL, Photoshop, Paintshop Pro
 

Activity
Retired since July 2003 

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