Hello there! My name is Mike and I am an amateur astrophotographer and very hobbyist photographer living in the Atlanta suburbs. I’ve created this page to share my astrophotography journey with family, friends, and colleagues without dependency on social media.

So, how did I get here?

I have always been a sci-fi/fantasy/tech nerd. One thing I did not know until December 2020, was that taking amazing photos of space was possible by hobbyists without an observatory grade system; even your DSLR and kit lens can do it!

If you recall, December 2020 was the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter known as the “Christmas Star.” In the months prior, my 5-year-old daughter took an interest in science and space and I really want to foster that in both of my children. She was very interested in the upcoming event, expecting it to look as it is depicted in books and tv shows. I thought to myself, is there a way I can get her a better view to keep that enthusiasm?

I fired up the Google machine and lo and behold…amateur astrophotography from your backyard is a thing. I had no idea. After a few attempts with my DSLR and a tripod, I was hooked. A whole bunch of gear, software, and late nights later, here we are!

Professionally, I am a cybersecurity engineering consultant specializing in embedded and integrated systems, heavily involved in industrial applications, IoT, and other mixed systems. I feel this gave me a huge leg up in understanding the tech, but I am no artist. That’s where I struggle.

Anyway, thank you for stopping by, and feel free to reach out with constructive help, questions, or just to say hi!

- M