Today we would like to introduce you to the astrophotographer Mehmet Ergün.

Hello Mehmet, thank you so much for the interview. How did you get into astrophotography?

I was born in 1980, originally from Turkey, and have lived in Germany since 1986. I'm one of those "crazy" people who climb hills and mountains at home and abroad with their valuable 30-40 kilo equipment. But how did I get into this extraordinary hobby?

I've been interested in space and astronomy since childhood. Geography was my favorite subject in school, and when we "finally" finished with our home planet, my enthusiasm for the "infinite" expanse of space grew.

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

Around 2013, I bought my first telescope for €40, with which I gained my first practical experience in visual astronomy.

I wanted to share this fascinating view with my family and friends, which led to the desire to capture these moments photographically. So, 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. Bought and sold, bought and sold…

In 2015, I took my first astrophotos, starting with the Moon, Jupiter, the Sun, M42 Orion, and then the Milky Way. My modest photos were met with great enthusiasm by those around me. In 2015, I joined the "Bad Kreuznach Observatory Association" and met many like-minded people. Today, I am the chairman of the Bad Kreuznach Observatory. In 2017, I met my friend and mentor, Harald Simon, and subsequently joined the Vulkaneifel Astronomical Association at Hohen List.

I began dedicating a lot of time to astrophotography, using every free minute. In 2018, I achieved my first successes in various astrophotography competitions. My social media following grew steadily. I received my first sponsorship requests, and in 2019, I had my first TV and radio appearances. In 2020, I received international newspaper articles and awards, served as a judge in various astrophotography competitions, and in 2021, I had my first major photo exhibition (in the city of Bad Kreuznach, Germany, and the city of Bursa, Türkiye). 2021 NASA APOD Award, 2021 AAPOD2 "Photo of the Year 2021" Winner, 2022 "Save a Star 2021 Stars & Nebulas" Winner (1st Place), 2022 "Astronomia" Picture of the Day Winner (1st Place), 2022 Astro Workshop on La Palma, and much more…