Residents may have noticed the Northern Lights in the sky above Stanmore last month, but very few know what else can be glimpsed of outer space some billions of miles above Stanmore Hill.
A notable exception is amateur astronomer Callum Wingrove who, despite having no formal training in astronomy, is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. Armed with a small troupe of telescopes and a unwavering fascination with the night sky, Callum’s photographs of outer space illuminate an otherwise little-known world.
Callum said: “I’ve been setting up my telescopes in my garden near the top of Stanmore Hill for the best part of a decade.
“Most of my photographs are taken over a long period of time, because very few of the photons of light emanated by objects millions of light years away end up reaching the Earth. After a period of time, though, you can combine what the telescope has picked up to illustrate objects in space.”
Callum regularly sends his photographs to projects led by the European Space Agency, where data scientists combine professional and amateur imagery to better understand the universe.
“Every now and then, I share some of my photographs on social media pages,” he added. “By showing people what’s out there, imaginations are led to wander.”
Asked whether he was excited to see so many people taking an interest in astronomy when the Northern Lights appeared in the sky above the UK this May, Callum sounded unexpectedly bashful.
“On the night that the Aurora Borealis came out, I actually fell asleep,” he said sheepishly. “It’s slightly embarrassing, but that’s Sod’s law for you.”
To see more of Callum’s work, see his profile on Facebook or his Instagram account @callum.wingrove.
Photo Credit: Callum Wingrove
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