I’m Wido Oerlemans, a 46-year-old astrophotographer from the light-polluted lands of Utrecht, The Netherlands. My life orbits around my loving wife and two incredible daughters, aged 11 and 13.
For many years, I journeyed through the academic life as an assistant professor in organizational psychology. However, my heart yearned for the starry skies. So, I switched to part-time teaching, allowing me to find time to indulge in my passion: Astrophotography.
My cosmic adventure began in 2014 when I peered through my first refractor telescope, gazing at the Moon’s captivating surface with its mesmerizing mountain ranges and craters. That moment ignited my love for astrophotography. In the following years, I dedicated myself to mastering the intricacies of astrophotography. I invested considerable time and money, deeply immersing myself in the hobby. To my astonishment, the rapid advancements in our hobby’s technology enabled us to peer into the depths of space, capturing distant nebulas and galaxies right from our own backyards.
A cherished moment in my journey was receiving the NASA APOD award for my Pacman nebula picture (NGC 281), showcased on the NASA website on November 19, 2021. I also collaborate frequently with astronomers and science writers in prominent national (Dutch) astronomy magazines like Zenit. Together, we try to pair captivating astrophotos with intriguing astronomical insights, enriching the readers’ understanding of the cosmos.
In 2019, being a teacher, I wanted to share my knowledge with newcomers. I birthed the website https://astroforumspace.com and launched my YouTube channel: Wido’s AstroForum. My primary goal is to assist and mentor aspiring astrophotographers in their cosmic journey. My golden rule for newcomers: Take it one step at a time. Celebrate personal victories, like capturing the Andromeda galaxy for the first time. Connect with fellow stargazers and remember, astrophotography is a marathon, not a sprint.
Your support is highly appreciated!
It is my sincere hope that my content about astrophotography and space helps to inspire you to take up the hobby, and helps you out when you run into one of the many challenges astrophotography has to offer! It is my intention to keep my blogs on this website clean from any spam, or ads. If you like my content and get value out of it, you can financially support me by using the DONATE button below. Any financial support is greatly appreciated! If you’re not in a position to financially support me, that’s perfectly fine too! You could support me in other ways such as subscribing to my YouTube channel – but only if you want to. Finally, if you’re reading this and considering taking up astrophotography, I highly recommend you take your first steps. It is one of the most exciting and awesome hobbies you’ll ever pursue!
Clear skies!
Wido