Advanced Astrophotography Topic - Mehmet Ergün

Hello fellow stargazers, today we'd like to introduce you to astrophotographer Mehmet Ergün.

Hello Mehmet, how did you get into this hobby?

I'd like to briefly introduce myself and my fascinating hobby, astrophotography: I was born in Turkey in 1980 and have spent most of my life in Germany. I've been interested in space and astronomy since childhood. Geography was my favorite subject in school, and when we "finally" finished studying our home planet, my enthusiasm for the infinite expanse of space grew.

I've acquired most of my knowledge of astronomy on my own. During my youth, my family often spent their holidays in nature, far from the light-polluted big cities, where the view of our universe is all the more beautiful and mysterious.

Around 2012, I bought my first telescope for €40, with which I gained my first practical experience in astronomy.

I wanted to share this fascinating sight with my family and friends, which sparked my desire to capture these moments photographically. That's how, a few years later, I began to delve more deeply into astrophotography. Like probably every other astrophotographer, I've bought and sold a lot of equipment over the years.

I live in a light-polluted city, and unfortunately, I don't have many opportunities to pursue my hobby here. That's why I've optimized all my equipment for being "light, fast, and portable."

What equipment do you use?

Currently, I use the following equipment:

Camera: Nikon Z6 Astro-cooled, Pentax K1 Mark II, QHY174mm

Mount: Rainbow RST-135, Fornax Lightrack II, Fornax F52

Lenses: Vixen VSD100 380mm, SpaceCat 51 250mm, Samyang 135mm, Samyang 24mm