https://www.astrosurf.com/jiaifer

Keen on astronomy since 1968, I bought my first instrument, a 90 mm Newtonian telescope, in Toulon (France) where I was living.
In the evening, I used to climb Mount Faron, which dominates the harbor. I was mainly observing the Moon.
It was in the summer of 1969 that I observed for the first time the Sun with the “Sun” filter provided with the telescope – what a mistake! The filter rapidly broke in two parts, fortunately without consequences for my eye! This filter was replaced by a black polymer sheet offering safe solar observations.
The years went by, with ups and downs in solar observation, depending on my assignments in the French National Navy. I remember the amazing nights out into the open sea with awesome starry skies.
I left the Navy in 1999 and became AO (Associated Observers) at the Pic du Midi observatory. I fulfilled my passion for the Sun during 10 years, with two or three missions at the Pic du Midi per year.
At first, my personal solar equipment was a 40 mm Coronado refractor, then one of 60 mm and I now observe with a double-stack Type 1 Coronado 90 mm Maxscope. I also have a 210 mm Cassegrain equipped with an Energy Rejection Filter and an AstroSolar filter, and a 130 mm Takahashi TOA refractor, equipped with a Herschel diagonal and a Ca H filter.
I enjoy testing telescopes, filters, and various set-ups, still being very careful about eye safety! The associated reports are available on my website.
My passion for the history of the French Navy led me to write a book about coast artillery in France. I am also fond of art painting and especially of the Pont-Aven school, of Impressionists at large and post-Impressionists.
I hope that this book will communicate to the reader the same passion I have for this one-of-a-kind activity, solar observation.

https://www.fredburgeot.fr

Born in January 1974 in Nantes, France, I am a professor of mathematics and the father of two boys. At school, mathematics and the sciences captivated me, but it was not until I was twenty one that astronomy began to interest me. Reading about the planets of the solar system particularly fascinated me: I discovered that these other worlds offered such different appearances and behaved in ways which were beyond what I could possibly imagine. The desire to observe them with my own eyes became very strong, so much so that I acquired a telescope, only 80mm in aperture, but with it I immediately began to look at Jupiter and Mars. I could see their largest surface details, whose appearance was typical of what one might expect when seen through a small telescope; but I was somewhat surprised to notice that after half an hour or so I could detect their rotation and after a longer period, actual changes in their appearance. These changes gave me the feeling that I was really looking at other living worlds, this overwhelmed me and motivated me to follow these “living” planets over the coming years. Given my taste for drawing, I recorded my observations by sketching them, a little bit like a naturalist. I hesitantly traced some planetary maps which brought together a season’s observations. In time, my means of observation changed; with larger instruments and greater observing experience, the formations I could see became more numerous and ever more detailed. Even though it is now almost twenty years after I made my first drawing of a planet, I still do with a pleasure that never wavers.
I am one of the six co-authors of the book “Astrodessin, observation and drawing in astronomy”, whose purpose (among others) is to share methods and observing tips. With the same objective in mind, I wrote a few articles for astronomy magazines as well as giving talks at amateur astronomy meetings.
Away from astronomy, I am an active sportsman: basketball, boomerang throwing and running.

Born in the Vendée region in France, April 1945, I started during my teenage to tinker my first astronomical refractor from a pair of eyeglasses and some vacuum hose. Then at the age of 30, I built my first Newtonian telescope with a home-made primary mirror. It was followed shortly after by a 410 mm Cassegrain. However, being too cumbersome and not transportable, it was left unused.
After a long period of inactivity, digital images of planets taken in 2001 by Thierry Legault revived my interest in astronomy. I decided to buy a 12″ Schmidt-Cassegrain and give it a new start. Definitely bitten by the “glass pusher” bug, I have built many no-compromise telescopes. Among my achievements are a 350 mm Cassegrain telescope equipped with a full-aperture optical window and four interchangeable secondary mirrors, a spectroheliograph (presented in chapter 9), and a 410 mm Newtonian on a double-axis motorized Dobson mount, which I recently modified into a coudé Cassegrain for planetary observations. The tracking of these two last instruments is controlled by a MCMT (Motorization Compatible Multi Telescope) driven by computer. I wrote the DELPHI software used for these instruments (driving, tracking, focusing, as well as a home-made motorized filter wheel). I also built a goto equatorial fork mount for an orange C14 Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA that I use for observations in Vendée.
In 2010, I was awarded the Julien Saget prize of the French Astronomical Society for my numerous planetary images.
As for my career, I have a degree of chemical engineer of the National College of chemical industry in Lyon. I started in the chemical industry, then moved to the National Office of Aerospace Study and Research (ONERA), and finally to the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) from which I am now retired. I was then specialized in mass spectrometry.

I am 50. I always had a passion for astronomy and telescope making (both optics and mechanics, see my 225 mm coronagraph in chapter 9). I am currently a scientific animator at the planetarium of Nîmes (France). I am fond of astro imaging (Sun, Moon, planets and deep-sky objects) and I often take my equipment to remote sites in order to benefit from the best observing conditions. I feel it is a privilege to have a working activity joining my passion for astrophotography. I use the astro images I take to illustrate the planetarium sessions I organize as well as for various articles in the specialized press.

I started astronomy in a small club when I was in middle school. There we measured the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit, I think this is when I caught the virus of astronomy. I kept attending astronomical associations while studying electronics. Following a training in a nearby astronomical radio observatory (Nançay), I collected two 10-meters parabolic antennas. This is when I started the Jansky Astronomical Station association. Then I applied for a job as a solar observer at the Nançay radio observatory where, for the following 20 years, I operated the large radioheliograph and its 47 antennas and took radio images of the solar corona.
I have always been interested in scientific outreach and I noted that it was difficult for the amateur to get into radio astronomy. With my background in electronics and radio astronomy, I decided to develop “Lucie”, an easy-to-build radio telescope (presented in chapter 13), to encourage amateurs to carry out such observations. With Lucie radio telescope operational, it was a formidable tool to promote radio astronomy among French amateurs, at many astronomical clubs and meetings (Astronomical Festival of Haute Maurienne, astronomical meetings of Nantes, RAP, Chinon). Now, a number of Lucie radio telescopes have been built and radio astronomy does exist among French amateurs.

Peter Zetner is a retired physics professor from the University of Manitoba, Canada. He spent his 28 year career teaching and developing a research program in the laboratory study of laser-excited atomic collisions. He has had a lifelong interest in amateur astronomy and now has the time and means to explore this hobby in detail. At the moment, his special interests are solar imaging, spectroscopy and spectroheliography, especially using these techniques to access some interesting solar physics. He plans to extend his interests to stellar spectroscopy in the near future with instruments currently under design and construction.

I have degrees in business management and communication, as well as natural sciences. I have worked full time as a paramedic for almost 40 years, and relax with my favorite activities including solar observation, photography, music, and spending time with friends and family.
For many years I have engaged in outreach with the public in an effort to improve science literacy, mostly using the magnificence of our nearest star. Daytime solar outreach provides an opportunity to introduce concepts in physics and light, orbital mechanics, eclipses, the cosmic distance scale, and the importance of renewable energy for the health of the planet and our society. This also very importantly can be coordinated with local teachers during weekday daytime hours for students – when they are usually awake.
More recently I have engaged in education about the importance of our dark sky natural heritage with PowerPoint presentations throughout the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and developed a website dedicated to this endeavor (https://www.darkskydefenders.org/). I was awarded a Dark Sky Defender award in 2015 by the International Dark-Sky Association for my efforts to protect the historic Goldendale Observatory.
I am an active member of the Rose City Astronomers in Portland, Oregon, and also enjoy helping others with their questions about solar observation, imaging, and equipment on various solar observation forums.