Celebrating Astrophotography and Outreach: My Dual Recognition from RASC

I’m incredibly honoured and grateful to have received not one, but TWO astronomy awards:

 

In October 2024, The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada featured one of my images – the Rosette Nebula in Monoceros – on its back cover. What made it even more special is that it was captured with just an 80 mm telescope under Bortle Class 8 skies (a true urban challenge!).

 

A long-standing tradition at every Recreational Astronomy Night is The Sky This Month – a monthly overview of celestial events covering the Sun, Moon, planets, satellites, double stars, and more.

In 2024, this segment was carried through the entire year by just three of us: Andy Beaton, Arnold Brody, and myself. It was a joy to research, write, and present these sessions, and I’m deeply honoured to be recognized alongside such dedicated presenters.

These recognitions mean the world to me, as they reflect both the art and the heart of what I love most about astronomy.

My passion for the night sky began when I was just 5 years old, staring up in wonder. What started as curiosity has grown into a lifelong journey – one that I now have the privilege of sharing through my astrophotography and outreach.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way – whether you’ve joined me at the eyepiece, enjoyed one of my images, or tuned into an outreach event (in person or online on YouTube). You’ve all been part of this journey, and I’m truly grateful.

 

Here’s to many more nights under the stars…

 

or as one of my favourite quotes reminds us:

 

“Remember to look up at the stars.”