From Home to the Universe

A dream of every amateur astronomer, an observatory some feet away from your bedroom! Amateur astronomers today contribute to research at the cutting-edge of science. Here at Mario Motta observatory near the Atlantic coast at Gloucester, Massachusetts, a home built 32” (80cm) telescope with research level accuracy is being used to measure variable stars and detecting transiting extrasolar planets. Dr. Mario Motta is a physician but also has an active role in the fight against light pollution, a board member of International Dark Sky Association (IDA). The single exposure photo has captured rotating dome of the observatory, caused it to look transparent. In this moonlit night Orion is rising on the left and Taurus and Jupiter are above it.