Hello! I’m Rodrigo, I’m 18 years old, and I’ve always loved the night—not for its darkness, but for the incredible beauty of the night sky. My passion for astronomy began with the Moon. It sparked my curiosity, leading me to dive into research, buy books, and eventually my first telescope.

On 25 December 2019, I received my first telescope, a National Geographic 60/700, which allowed me to explore the night sky in greater detail. Just a few days later, on 5 January 2020, I had an unforgettable experience observing the Moon through my telescope for the first time. That same day, I also created my astrophotography account on Instagram, where I still share my photos today.

Although 2020 was a challenging year, it became a crucial time for me to practice and deepen my knowledge of astrophotography. I spent many nights observing the Moon, stars, and planets like Jupiter and its Galilean moons, Saturn, Venus, and Mars. A highlight of that year was witnessing the passing of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), my first comet observation. I also captured my first photo of a deep-sky object—the Orion Nebula—which was a major milestone for me.

In the following months, I dedicated time to saving money, researching, and refining my skills. On 19 May 2021, with the help of my parents, I was able to upgrade to a much more advanced telescope, the Celestron NexStar 6SE. This marked a new phase in my journey, enabling me to expand my astrophotography and explore a wider range of celestial objects. Since then, I’ve started acquiring more equipment, such as a DSLR camera (Canon 250D), additional telescope eyepieces, and more.

Currently, my favourite celestial object is the Moon, and my favourite planet is Saturn. Among the most beautiful nebulae, in my opinion, are the Orion Nebula, the Ring Nebula, and the Statue of Liberty Nebula. As for galaxies, I’m particularly fond of the Milky Way, Andromeda, and the Whirlpool Galaxy. My favourite stars are the Sun, Vega, Sirius, and Polaris. Halley’s Comet also holds a special place in my heart as my favourite comet, despite never having observed it. However, I’ve admired it since I began researching comets, and I can’t wait to see it in 2061!

Astrophotography and exploring the universe are my greatest passions, and I’m excited to continue learning and discovering all that the night sky has to offer us.