Onno Bloemers

From Planets to Projects

In an audio recording from around 1974 (I was about four years old), I can be heard having a conversation with my parents, telling them that I had slept wonderfully—especially because I had seen the moon and stars. That early fascination with astronomy has never left me. When I was about eight years old, I borrowed a small telescope from family—actually a spotting scope meant for wildlife observation—to take my first glimpses of lunar craters, planets, and bright nebulae. My childhood bedroom had the luxury of a balcony, and I remember crisp, clear nights, temperatures of -18°C, and events like the total lunar eclipse of January 9, 1982, an event I eagerly anticipated for months. Luckily, the sky was clear that evening.

Around that time, I started saving up for my own telescope. My grandparents surprised me by doubling the amount I had saved, allowing me to afford a high-quality, well-mounted telescope instead of a wobbly beginner model. Combining it with photography was truly amazing: by taking long-exposure shots (and carefully tracking the movement), I could capture more on film than what was visible to the naked eye.

I am still actively involved in this hobby. A camera or telescope alone is not enough. Mechanics, optics, software—it’s a constantly evolving interplay of many elements, each with completely different characteristics. In the end, the journey is just as valuable as the destination. It’s a complex puzzle, where everything has to align perfectly for a beautiful image to emerge!

In short