Roger Hutchinson: Powermate™ User Profile
Roger Hutchinson is a noted amateur astrophotographer who produces much of his planetary, solar, and even comet work from what he admits are the “light polluted skies of southwest London”. His imaging work is showcased on his aptly named The London Astronomer website as well as on flickr, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. All rights reserved.
Roger’s interest in imaging the sky runs back to the age of 11 and has culminated as the recent recipient of the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year award in the Planets, Comets & Asteroids category for 6-month-long effort to capture the evolution of the phases of Venus. 
Some of Roger’s social media profiles include a picture of the “Captain” standing with “Bleep” and “Booster” from the BBC animated series “Bleep and Booster”. He says “I have two kids myself so thought the image was kind of appropriate. Suitably space related and brings back some happy childhood memories.”
We noticed that many of his images make use of the Tele Vue 2.5x Powermate™. We asked him for this post why he uses that product and he told us:
Below, we’ve rounded up some of Roger’s latest Powermate™ images posted to his flickr account this fall. All were made from London with a Celestron 11″ EdgeHD with Tele Vue 2.5x Powermate™ & ZWO ASI174MM monochrome camera.
A 685nm IR pass filter was added to the imaging train for this grand image of the prominent lunar crater Plato (center), the Montes Alpes (lunar Alps – right side of image), the Vallis Alpes (Alpine valley – far-right, cutting through the mountains). The smooth, lava-floored Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) is below these features. The view is about 500-km wide. Taken October 29th, 2017.
A beautiful sunspot group set against a granulated background on the photosphere of the sun. It spans nearly 20-Earth widths! An Astrozap full aperture solar filter with Baader film was put in front of the 11″ in order to image these sunspots. Color was added to this monochrome photo. Imaged on 2nd September 2017.
This creative composition explores our view of Venus if it had a large moon like ours. Mercury is the stand-in for the imagined moon. Images created through 685nm IR pass filter on September 24, 2017.
- BBC Sky at Night video interview with Roger at the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2017 awards.
- The London Astronomer website
- Tele Vue Powermate™ Gallery on flickr
To increase the power of your favorite eyepiece, or for serious planetary / solar imaging though your scope, consider our Powermate™ amplifiers (mobile site). They increase the focal length of your scope with freedom from aberrations, greater magnification potential, and compact size. Most any commonly available DSLR, astro-camera, and even some industrial cameras will work with Powermates™. Cameras just need a slip-in 1¼” or 2” nosepiece or T-Ring for attachment with the optional Powermate™ T-Ring adapter . Powermate™ can be stacked with no adverse impact. Tele Vue Powermates™ are available in 2″ barrels (2x & 4x) and 1¼” barrels (2.5x & 5x). The visual tops all unscrew to accept a specific Tele Vue Powermate™ T-Ring Adapter for cameras and T-thread accessories.
