Michael A. Stecker
 masmd@sbcglobal.net
 

Contact information
e-mail
wasshuber@inode.at
.
website
http://www.astroimages.at
.
Locator Map
http://www.frappr.com/apppublic
Level of accuracy: Federal Province of Carinthia

Biography
Two things started my interest in astronomy. First the comets Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake and second the book “A View of the Universe” from David Malin. The comets showed there is more than just stars in the sky and David Malin showed me how much more there is.

After trying some images with the camera on the tripod, I looked for a possibility to learn more about astronomy. I joined a course at an observatory in Vienna, where I met a guy who tolled me about an astronomy club with several well experienced astrophotographers. Those guys were very good teachers for me and they are now very good friends of mine.

After imaging more than 6 years on film I bought a CCD camera in summer 2003. Not only the image quality improved very much, it is much more comfortable to work with the CCD, because I can do imaging from my garden now. I also can use more nights even under uncertain weather conditions without driving to a
dark location.

I work as a quality engineer for AKG acoustics - a manufacturer of electro-acoustics parts like microphones and headphones. I am married and my wife, our five cats and I are living about 30 km south of Vienna. My other interest are cooking, snooker, joinery and gardening.

Astronomy Tale
The only story which is worth to tell happened one night, when I was alone at a dark location.  Suddenly I heard a loud whizzing sound followed by a sound like an impact very close to me. I searched around a bit with my flashlight, but I could not find anything. A meteor? A hunters bullet? Ice from an airplane?  I hadn’t the nerves to wait for more to follow and left those dangerous place.

Areas of astrophotography interest
Deep sky imaging

Astrophotography publications
German astronomy magazines
Sterne &Weltraum, Ahnerts Astronomisches Jahrbuch, Star Observer

Observing site
Home site
My garden
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Remote site
Ebenwaldhöhe – Lower Austria.

Astronomical Equipment
 Telescopes
VIXEN VC200L, a 8”cassegrain with f/9, with reducer f/6.3
Takahashi Sky90: a 3.5-inch f/4.5 fluorit refractor with photographic reducer/corrector
6-inch, f/4.3 Newtoian reflector from Chicago Optical

Mount
VIXEN GPDX mount

CCD Cameras
 A Starlight HX916 for CCD work. A SBIG ST4 for guiding.

Film camera
An old Miranda TM for film work.
 
Software
Astroart 3.0, Adobe Photoshop, Registax

Manfred's astophotographic equipment
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