Alpine Astrovillage Lue-Stailas

A Center for Astrophotography in the Alps   
Val Muestair / Graubuenden
7534 Lue, Switzerland

Members of the AAV Lue-Stailas Advisory Board

The following select group of professionals gave preliminary agreement to serve on our Advisory Board. Everybody has agreed to help with their vast experience and know-how in astronomy and astrophotography to make AAV Lue-Stailas one of the best known and recognized centers for amateur astrophotography in Europe.

Paul Mortfield
Astronomer and astrophotographer, Toronto, ON, Canada

Paul lives in Toronto, ON, and is professional astronomer who has been involved on projects for NASA's Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum (SECEF), Stanford University's Solar Observatories Group and the SOHO solar spacecraft.

Paul is a regular television commentator on astronomy and continually visits schools in both the U.S. and Canada helping to inspire students to consider careers in science. He has presented workshops to assist teachers with current topics in astronomy and space science education.
Paul is also a noted astrophotographer and one can visit his great astronomy website with lots of information and fantastic astrophotographs at www.backyardastronomer.com.

Dr. Jiří Grygar
Astrophysicist (biography in English, Czech website), Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic

Jiří is a professional astronomer and holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics. Having worked at the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences in Ondřejov [1959-1980] and the Institute of Physics, Laboratory of Low-Temperature Physics, in Řež [1980-1991], Czech Republic, his papers focus on interplanetary matter (meteors, comets), limb darkening in stellar atmospheres, close binaries, novae, chemically peculiar stars, and remote sensing. He is currently a senior scientist in the Inst. Phys. of the Czech. Ac. Sci., Center for Particle Physics, in Prague working in the newly developing field of Astroparticle Physics.

Jiří chaired the Czech Astronomical Society [1992-1998; honorary Chairman since 2004], the Czech Television Council [1992-1997] and the Science and Philosophy section of the European Culture Club [1991-2001]. He is a founding member of the European Astronomical Society [1991] and of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic [1994; Chairman 2004-2008]. He was a member of editorial boards of the periodicals Říše hvězd (The Realm of the Stars; till 1994), Vesmír (The Universe; till 2001), Universum [until now] and Omega [till 1995]. Jiří is also a long-time commentator of science to the general public and well known in the Czech Republic and Slovakia because of his famous TV series about the Universe - Okna vesmíru dokořán ("Wide open windows of the Universe"; 1982 - 1992). He is a recipient of the Kalinga Prize of UNESCO for popularization of science (1996).

Ken Crawford
Rancho del Sol, Camino, CA, USA

Interested in astronomy since being a kid, Ken built a 6” reflector in 8th grade.  In 2001, he started astroimaging with a Nexstar 11 and a SBIG 237a camera and became immediately addicted to this wonderful hobby.  He especially appreciates meeting with all the wonderful people who share the same passion of imaging and who freely share their knowledge and support.  Presently, Ken serves as Treasurer on the board of the Advanced Imaging Conference.

Ken published several astrophotography articles (Astronomie Magazine, Astronomy, Astronomy Now, BBCSky at Night, Ceil & Espace, FoothillSyle, Practical Astronomer, Sky and Telescope) and contributed to various books on astronomy. One can also find his work on the NASA website.

John Smith
CCDWare and Hidden Loft Observatory, Tuscon, AZ, USA

John has degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering and, after having served as a senior executive in a high technology company, lives now in his home in Arizona. With hobbies like astronomy, computers and photography, he is now pursuing CCD-imaging almost as a full time job.
John has contributed with his work to magazines (Sky and Telescope) and books (Niebo na weekend) and has given technical presentations at the Advanced Imaging Conference. He is also the author of CCDAutoPilot, a sophisticated imaging acquisition automation software. Although retired from his former career, John remains active by offering consulting services for equipment installation, setup and alignment, image acquisition and processing for amateur and academic clients.

Imaging of the southern skies

Bert Candusio
Director, Southern Galactic Telescope Hosting Australia (SGTHA), Victoria, Australia

Bert Candusio holds a Degree in Applied Entomology and is a child of the 60’s space era.
“I have always been fascinated at the thought of life in the Universe and have often speculated on the vast forms of life that are no doubt existing amongst the stars’.
Bert has a keen interest in Exo-Invertebrate-Biology and Planetary Imaging. He is the Founding Director of the Macedon Ranges Observatory International Telescope Facility and in a way, is one of the few astronomers that have traveled the whole gamut from inner to outer space as an invertebrate biologist and now, Director of the exciting NG/SG Operation.

Related pages:  The founders