Dr. Ron Brecher is a renowned astrophotographer who has spent the last two decades capturing stunning images of the night sky. But what many people don't know is that his journey to becoming an astrophotographer began with his daughter's tearful nights.
When Ron's daughter, Chelsea, was born, she frequently cried at night, and Ron found himself walking up and down his driveway with her in his arms, gazing up at the stars. This re-kindled an interest in astronomy that he has had since childhood, leading him to purchase an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, with the idea of sharing some quality time with his son, Todd. One night, they stumbled upon Saturn. That first glimpse of the ringed planet left Ron mesmerized, and he was hooked. A friend later gave him a copy of NightWatch, a guide to stargazing, and Ron's passion for astronomy only grew stronger.
Twenty-five years on, Brecher's deep-sky, Sun and Moon images, and articles are regularly featured in print and online magazines, scientific journals, websites, calendars, and more. Ron is a Contributing Editor for Sky & Telescope magazine and writes for other publications in Canada and the U.S.
Ron's photographs showcase the beauty and wonder of the universe, from the colorful swirls of distant galaxies to the intricate details of our own solar system. His images are a testament to the power of photography to inspire and captivate viewers, and to the endless fascination of the night sky.
PixInsight is Ron’s go-to software for processing his deep-sky images. He is a founder of mastersofpixinsight.com, which offers online tutorials and monthly workshops. Ron also provides private tutoring in all aspects of deep-sky astrophotography, and is a regular speaker at star parties and conferences, where he has a reputation for enthusiasm, positivity, and effective teaching.
Ron captures his images from his home observatory where he and his wife Gail live with a dog, two cats, and two kids. In “real life,” Ron holds a PhD and is a board-certified toxicologist with 35 years’ consulting experience in toxicology, risk assessment, and risk communication.
To round things out, Ron plays guitar and lead vocals in the R&B band “The Exceptions.”
Northeast Astroimaging Conference, Suffern, New York (2017 – present)
- Astrophotography for Beginners
- Double Vision
Advanced Imaging Conference, San Jose, California (2017, 2019)
- Choosing and Using Equipment
Winter Star Party, Florida (2015, 2017)
- PixInsight Workshops
Dutch Astronomical Association, Oss, the Netherlands (2017)
- History of Astrophotography – More than 10,000+ Years
Starfest, North York Astronomical Association (multiple years)
- Telescopes, Time Machines and Treasures of the Night Sky
- Optimizing mage Scale for Astrophotography
Publication Highlights
- Contributing Editor, Sky & Telescope Magazine
- Associate Editor, Amateur Astronomy Magazine
- Articles and images in BBC Sky at Night, Astronomy Now!, and SkyNews magazines
- Image in Sky & Telescope 2022 Calendar
- Orion’s Sword Image in the Backyard Astronomer’s Guide (Dyer & Dickinson)
- Observer’s Handbook, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
- Front and back cover images, 2022 edition; Front cover image 2017 edition
- Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – multiple front and back cover images
- Online live and recorded workshops and tutorials for deep-sky image processing with PixInsight.
