Terence Galuszka Astrophotography
astronomypix.com
About Me
Firstly, Thanks for visiting Astronomy pix, I hope you've enjoyed the
images and found the information helpful.
I receive a lot of emails about astronomy and astrophotography so if
you' have any questions or just want to say g'day;
you can email me
here.
I'll make sure I reply.
I was born and raised in the Wellington region, growing up in
Wainuiomata during the 1970's and 1980's. Growing up in semi rural
Wainuiomata was pretty cool, with a river close by and the Rimutaka
state forest park on the doorsteps, time was spent playing cricket,
building forts, fishing etc, with evenings spent peering out the window
looking at the stars and planets... Much to Mum's annoyance!
The dark rural skies of Wainuiomata were an ideal place to begin my astronomy adventure. Encouraged by reading an astronomy book of my brothers, I soon learned many of the familiar constellations and by the time I was 8, I had saved enough pocket money to purchase a pair of 8x40 binoculars. At age of 11, my father purchased a little reflecting telescope and a book on amateur astronomy for my Christmas present and staying up late to observe the stars became standard practice. In 1987 that little telescope would let me and most of the neighbours view super Nova 1987a and Halleys Comet. I'd put money on it that I was one of the first people to see SN1987a.
At high school, my interest in astronomy had me studying physics, art and calculus. Now, you'd think I would have ended up an astronomer, but its a hard way to make a living. Instead, I went on to study architecture, working for Craig Craig Mollier Architects and Beca Engineering where I worked on projects like Wellington International Airport Terminal Building Upgrade, Queens Wharf Event Centre and Sky Tower.
Today, I work for one of New Zealand's leading ICT companies as a
Senior Technical Consulting specialising in Storage, Virtualisation and
Thin Client Solutions. If you need a virtualisation consultant, want to
consolidate servers or need a Citrix solution,
email me here.
My wife and I live lead pretty busy lives and live close to
Wellington City, just 5km from Wellington
CBD. It overlooks the Cook Strait, South Karori/Makara where
we get reasonably clear views of the southern skies. Catherine, who had
little interest in astronomy has now become a keen lunar and planetary
observer, whilst my artistic and technical skills have melded into the
technical art of astrophotography, although I'm still very much an
astronomer and enjoy looking through the eyepiece.
We're both active members of the
Phoenix
Astronomical Society that built
Stonehenge Aotearoa and I regularly hold
star gazing evenings and seminars for local groups and organisations.
These range from pippins and scouts, to astronomy clubs, high school
talks and neighbourly star parties held at home and sometimes in the
sidewalk.
When I'm not doing astrophotography, I spend time preparing my equipment
for supernova hunting. I now have most of the equipment and software
required; some of it custom built in my workshop or software that I've
written to aid supernova searches. However until I get the observatory
up and running, supernova hunting will remain a distraction to
astrophotography and visual astronomy
Keeping with the Stars, Catherine and I are both members of
Star Boating Club.
Catherine coxed the Star Novice
Women's 8 to third place at the 2009 New Zealand Rowing Championships in Twizel. Whilst I'm club secretary, a coach and national sculling
competitor - more coach these days as I tore the
ligaments in my chest and broke two ribs training. Recovery has taken
almost eight months and setting up a Celestron CGE1100 has become,
well painful!
When not rowing or being an astronomer, I'm a keen tramper,
deerstalker NZDA and
photographer. So
whenever possibly I'll head into the hills with camera and rifle.
Terence Galuszka
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
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