The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Astro-photographer has eye on the sky as he hunts perfect shot
Self-taught Perthshire man captures celestial phenomena on film as he chases comet
It takes a unique dedication – and no fear of freezing temperatures – to capture a perfect image of Scotland’s night sky.
But one man from Scone won’t bat an eyelid at travelling hundreds of miles to chase celestial magic happening above while most people are sound asleep.
Astro-photographer Andrew Allan is only 22 and has more than 15,000 followers on Instagram.
Yet he has only been in the trade for three years and is self-taught.
Andrew, a former pupil of Perth Academy, said: “My dad bought me a telescope when I was younger and I liked to look at the night sky.
“I also loved photography and the two later merged.
“Believe me, if you happen to spot a shooting star, it often hooks people.”
He started out using a budget camera – the likes of which you can buy in a supermarket – but then invested in a modified device, which has the ability to pick out colours in a dark sky.
Andrew’s passion, which he combines with his job at Ledyatt Trout Fishery just outside Dundee, will see him drive the length and breadth of Scotland in pursuit of a great shot.
He said: “I work full-time and it’s quite full-on. Recently, I’ve been chasing this Neowise comet and averaging two to three hours of sleep a night.”
The spectacular comet has been travelling close to Earth during July and, despite being 64 million miles away, can be seen with the naked eye.
But it won’t be seen again from Earth for 7,000 years. Andrew managed to catch the comet as it ripped a perfect trajectory across Perthshire.
He said: “The close-up with the comet and monument was captured on a local hill just two miles from the city of Perth and was a very hard shot to get.
“I had to plan the shot by calculating when the comet was in the right section of the sky to line it up with the monument.
“I also had to use special equipment called a SkyTracker that allows me to take a short exposure of the comet without the motion of the night sky affecting the image.
“And weather played a big part of the image too. I had the shot set up earlier but the weather changed and I had to reposition to make sure that I was in the right place at the right time.”
Andrew has travelled as far afield as Iceland to capture the Northern Lights, and next on his hit list is a total solar eclipse.