Today we would like to introduce you to the astrophotographer Manfred Hoppe.

Hello Manfred, how did you get into astrophotography?

When Rudi asked me, I immediately thought: me of all people? But why not? I'm happy to introduce myself in your series. My name is Manfred, I'm 68 years old. I live in Wedemark, a rural area north of Hanover.

As a young man, photography was my passion. I was always out searching for subjects with my best friend. Then we developed the photos and made prints. The whole shebang: black and white, color, slides. The first affordable digital cameras came onto the market, and a whole new world opened up. Back in the 90s, my friend owned a printing shop and a photo lab. That's how I first came into contact with image editing using Photoshop and Corel Photo Paint. Then, during a pizza night, I looked through my friend's 120mm refractor telescope. I was hooked and had another hobby.

I bought a used Bresser Pluto telescope, complete with a wobbly mount. I added a webcam, a small, simple tracking motor, and off I went on a photo hunt—or rather, a video hunt. Giotto was my first choice as recording software. Initially, I filmed indoors, since that's where my PC was. I stacked the moon images, processed them, and was as proud as punch. Then I moved, unfortunately to a location near the airport, and that was the end of my astronomy pursuits. Many years later, shortly before retirement, I moved to the countryside. Dark skies! Stars! To get back into it, I spontaneously bought a used 120/1000 refractor, and the enthusiasm was rekindled.

My first purchase was an EQM 35 mount with GoTo and tracking. The mount that came with it was far too shaky—unfortunately, the typical beginner's set. My first experiments followed with a planetary camera, an ASI 290MC, for videos and photos. I wanted to see if it was fun again before spending a lot of money. I attended my first telescope meetings, just to see what was out there... That's how I got to know the Hanover astronomy club, with fellow astronomy enthusiasts who always gave me great advice and were patient with my stubborn approach, for example, no correction images and absolutely no long exposures.

Now I own a Tele Vue 101/540 Genesis SDF, old but excellent, a 120mm, a 200mm f/4 Newtonian, and an EQ 5 AZ mount. I use a ZWO ASI 294 MC for astrophotography. I use everything for both visual and photographic purposes. Currently, I'm working on color management, i.e., monitor calibration, etc. It's essential if you don't want to process your images with inaccurate monitor colors. My final thoughts? I'm not a "pro," but I enjoy the hobby and am always learning.

My advice to beginners reading this: Take it slow, plan step by step, and always seek good advice. There's a heck of a lot to learn: technology, recording software, and image editing. And there's always something, so don't give up. It's fun, and I'm happy to have rediscovered this wonderful hobby after a long break. Oh, and the pictures show a small selection from the first tests to the present day.

Thanks for the interview, Manfred.

Regards, Karl and Rudi