The Art and Science of Astrophotography

with Dr Richard Whittle

Astrophotography is the art (or science?) of producing images of objects in space, such as galaxies, nebulae and the remnants of supernovae. These types of image probably look quite familiar, whether produced by professionals using the Hubble Space Telescope or amateurs from their back gardens. But how are the images produced, and what do they tell us? This talk will cover the equipment used, how the images are acquired and processed and what they typically show, illustrated with lots of example photographs taken by the presenter.

Richard is a Physics teacher at Churcher’s College, Petersfield. He studied Aeronautical Engineering at degree and PhD level at Imperial College London and then worked in the financial markets for several years before becoming a teacher. Inspired by the work of one of his A-Level students, Richard treated himself to a telescope three years ago and has since developed a keen interest in astrophotography.

Last Updated on 23rd May 2025