title

About Me

I am a physician at an academic medical center in Boston, MA.  I specialize in the treatment of gynecologic cancers and take care of patients, teach, and do research.  My love of astronomy began in childhood, when I received a small, department store Newtonian scope and was disappointed to see that none of the objects looked like those in magazines.  I promised myself that once my training was done and I was settled down, I would once again return to astronomy and capture the wonders of the night sky through photography.

So now it's about 40 years later, and I find that there's not much more free time!  But my passion for astronomy, cosmology, and photography have found a perfect outlet in astrophotography, and it has become an addictive hobby.  I find myself imaging on almost every clear, moonless night (which isn't that common in New England), often after a long day at work.  I started with an LX90 and film-based work, quickly transitioned to digital camera astrophotography, and finally settled into CCD astronomy.  Although I live near Boston, I image in the darker skies of North Smithfield, RI at my old homestead, which means that I must travel 50 miles to and from my imaging site every session.  My equipment is relatively modest,
I don't have an observatory, and I have to set up and take down every session.  However, there is a great deal of high quality astrophotography that can be done with short focal length equipment, and I have always believed in making the most of what you have.  The images that I've captured still amaze me, and I take none of their beauty for granted.  Processing every image is an exercise in discovery, and I love the excitement of seeing an image appear before my eyes, and realizing that I captured it with my own equipment and skills.

I have published several research and clinical articles in my professional life, but I am just as satisfied when one of my astrophotography images is felt to be worthy of publication.   Astrophotography has become a part of my life, and it has added a dimension of enjoyment that I could not do without.  Also, the internet has greatly enhanced my experience in this hobby, since it has allowed me to share images and ideas with other astrophotographers around the world.

I hope that you enjoy my webpage, and that you derive as much satisfaction as I do from this wonderful hobby!

Steve



All Images Copyright Steve Cannistra


Home

Astrophotography Main Page