About Me - Astrophotography by Pete Richardson

I've had a keen interest in astronomy and related subjects since childhood. This was mainly brought about by my late Father who also had a keen interest in the wonders of space. He would discuss fascinating topics with me such as the size of the universe and the possiblility of other life. As a child these ideas were fascinating and the interest developed from there. I can vividly remember gazing into the night sky on clear nights from an early age and wondering if there was anyone looking back at me, and to be honest I still have these same thoughts today when peering through the eyepiece!!
I really can't think of any other subject which is so awe inspiring. Just pondering the incredible distances to the objects I view and image and the time taken for the light to transverse this vastness of space really fills me with wonder.

My occupation is within manufacturing engineering and I currently work for a major aircraft manufacturer, specialising in the field of composites. Prior to this I spent sixteen years working in motorsport, eleven of these years within Formula 1.

I am married to Jo and have a wonderful young son who also loves Space!! I am also very fortunate in that my wife enjoys astronomy and supports my imaging passion. We often participate in local astronomy events and often display some of my astro images. We are both members of Tiverton & Mid Devon and Wells & Mendip Astronomical Societies.
Additionally we are both involved with the Charterhouse Observatory which run courses for budding astronomers and enjoys a wonderful location high up on the Mendip Hills. We also regulary assist Exmoor National Park Dark Sky Reserve and Space Odyssey Mobile Planetarium with public astronomy events.

My other interests are playing guitar and listening to music. I also still enjoy following Formula 1 Racing.