EXPERIENCE THE UNIVERSE
Astrophotography with Nik Szymanek
I'm an astrophotographer based in North Essex and have been using digital imaging cameras to photograph the deep sky since they were first introduced in the early 1990’s. I've written a monthly ‘Masterclass’ astro-imaging column in Astronomy Now magazine for the last eleven years as well as three books on astronomical imaging and processing.
In 2004 I was invited to Berkley, California, to receive the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Amateur Achievement Award for outreach and image-processing techniques, some of which have been used in collaborations with professional astronomers.
I'm a member of the British Astronomical Association and a regular speaker to astronomy and photographic societies. Other interests include meteorological photography and playing drums in heavy rock bands. Since 2020 I've been an ambassador for the Telescope Live remote imaging platform and provide them with astro-imaging video tutorials.
If you would like to book me for astronomy or photographic talks, please use the email link below.
ASTRO-IMAGING
I have been imaging the deep sky since the mid 1980's, initially on photographic film and then from the early 1990's with digital CCD cameras. I set up a back garden observatory in 1992 which was originally equipped with a Meade 10" LX3 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and an SBIG ST-6 CCD camera.
Both cameras and telescopes improved over the years and my observatory is now equipped with a 10" GSO Ritchey-Chretien telescope, QSI 683 CCD camera and Paramount ME equatorial drive.
I'm also use a robotic equipment rig located at IC Astronomy Observatory, in south-eastern Spain. This is equipped with a Takahashi FSQ106 telescope, ZWO ASI 2600MM Pro CMOS camera and Paramount MX equatorial drive.
Since 2020 I've been a tutor and ambassador for the Telescope Live remote imaging platform which uses multiple telescopes located in Chile, Australia and Spain.
Many images taken with this equipment are available for viewing on my AstroBin and Flickr sites.
TELESCOPE LIVE
I’m an Ambassador and Tutor for Telescope Live and have been processing their excellent data for several years. Telescopes are available in Chile, Australia and Spain and there is a huge database of images that can be easily downloaded for image processing. Taken with high quality telescopes and cameras from world-class sites you can practice and hone your image processing skills and take your pictures to the next level. There are also many processing tutorial videos available to help you with your astrophotography journey.
If you would like to join Telescope Live and work with data like that shown here, you can use this link:
https://bit.ly/3TEoH5Q
which will give you a 50% discount on the first two paid months of subscription with all monthly plans (new users only).
The discount will be applied automatically when using the link above.
A LIFETIME OF ROCK DRUMMING
I first took up drumming in heavy rock bands around 1976, joining my first serious band in 1979, Dragonfly, which was part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.
In 1980 I joined the progressive rock band Trilogy and spent five years gigging, touring and recording around the UK.
Next, in 1990 I joined the Phil Hilborne rock cover band and spent two years playing many gigs around England which included trade shows and music industry events.
From 2015 until 2020 I was drumming with VT11, another heavy rock covers band.
In 2023, Trilogy reformed and are currently gigging at Prog Rock Festivals as well as recording new material.