Twilight Astro
About Us
Sharing our journey through space and time.
Twilight Astro
I began my astrophotography journey in 2019. It started with a few snap shots of the moon with my wife's Nikon DSLR and a kit lens. I found encouragement online, from the likes of Trevor Jones and Nico Carver. A few months later I purchased the components of my first rig: an Orion Atlas EQG, an Explore Scientific ED80, and a Nikon D5300. My first targets were the Orion nebula and the M81-M82 pair. I was hooked! Then the learning curve got steep. It was a struggle for those first few years but, with online support, and encouragement of friends and family, I stuck with it. Today, I still consider myself a beginner. Only recently have I gotten to the point where I am satisfied with the quality of my work and have become confident enough to share it with a much larger on-line community. I hope you have the patience to follow along on my journey through space and time. Clear skies!
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Tim Hippely, Founder
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Experience
My background is in manufacturing, with experience in blow molding, injection molding, fiberglass, and steel processing. My professional roles have included operations, quality assurance, and management. I also have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. My interests are diverse and include many obtuse hobbies including sailing, bonsai, and of course, astrophotography. I have found astrophotography to be one of the most rewarding and engaging activities that I have experienced in many years.
Relationships
I have an introverted personality type, with a small circle of friends that I have known for many years. Through astrophotography, I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people with diverse backgrounds, yet sharing a common interest in this wonderful and fulfilling hobby. I have astrophotography to thank for many new friendships over the last few years.
Community
I cannot stress the overwhelming sense of community that I have experienced while engaging in this hobby. With the valuable content generated by so many online creators and the support and encouragement of the people I've met, I have learned to feel welcome, and at home, on the observation field of many a star party. Twilight Astro is my attempt to share, promote, and contribute to this community.
Our Mission
The primary objective of this website is to share the output and experiences of the the author. In his humble opinion, we are still experiencing growth in the wonderful hobby of astrophotography. Of course, tremendous strides have been made in equipment, software, and online mentorship. However, as the community continues to grow, we acknowledge the ever continuing desire, and need, for content, coaching, and community. In its early stages of development, Twilight Astro endeavors to share the results of the authors efforts and any unique insight gained through their astrophotography journey.
