ABOUT THE ARTIST/ASTROPHOTOGRAPHER
I never thought of myself as a photographer or artist. My sister is a freelance graphic designer, and my brother was an excellent watercolor artist. I am an environmental scientist by training. I had various roles as a contractor for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Adjunct Professor at Heritage University and Washington State University, and research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
I retired from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2018, and I taught high school biology at Granger, and physical science and mathematics at Prosser High School.
When COVID hit, I decided to build my own astronomical observatory. My brother wanted me to mount my Celestron 11” Schmidt Cassegrain telescope in a permanent place and get into astrophotography. I downloaded plans and for a rolI-off roof observatory and bought a permanent pier to mount the telescope.
I completed the observatory in the Fall of 2020.
In the Spring of 2021, I bought my first dedicated astrophotography camera and equipment to begin photographing the night sky. The photographs you see displayed here are the evolution of my skills over the past year and a half. My equipment now includes a second camera for more precise guiding to get round stars over hours of long imaging sessions and electronic autofocusing for precise focus.
These photographs are popular objects for astrophotographers like myself. Nebulae are bright and can span across 6 full moon widths or more of the night sky. Many nebulae are composed of ionized Hydrogen,Oxygen, and Sulfur We use special camera filters that enhance the elements observed in these nebulae. Image processing software allows us to manipulate the color signal to provide what is know as the Hubble Telescope Pallet. I have provided brief details of the photographs that you see displayed here. Enjoy! ~Tim Straub
Straw Fedora Astrophotography
My brother Chris was an avid amateur astronomer. In 1975 he ground his own mirror at the Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory at the University of Arizona. From there, he built his own telescope that is still in use today. He was an attorney for Pima County by day, and he often walked around downtown Tucson, Arizona. He was known for wearing his straw Fedora hat to protect him for the Sun’s intense rays. He died of a sudden, unexpected heart attack in 2021. While he is not with us now, his Spirit has inspired us to share our love of the Universe with these astrophotographs.
“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Our Offerings
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Art
I am an amateur astronomer who enjoys photographing objects in the night sky. When I shared my passion with the community, people started to buy prints of the photographs you see on the website. Recently, I was asked to display these photographs at the Capitol Theater in Yakima, Washington. Follow this link for suggested retail prices.
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22740 S Ward Gap Rd, Prosser, WA, USA
1-509-781-1223