Steve Riggs, 62, began his photography journey after leaving the army and has since developed a passion for astrophotography.
His latest images were taken using a Seestar S30 smart telescope on February 15, with dozens of long exposures stacked together to reveal detail from objects light years away.
Steve Riggs Photography (Image: Submitted)
Steve Riggs Photography (Image: Submitted)
He said: “The first one was about 60 exposures.
“The second was over 100 around 30-second exposures and some 20-second exposures, all stacked on top of each other.
“Images work on light, so you need every single photon you can get to hit the sensor at the back of the camera. That’s why you take lots and lots of exposures.”
Steve Riggs Photography (Image: Submitted)
His fascination with the night sky began during a trip to Canada more than a decade ago.
Steve said: “And that, believe it or not, is when my interest in astronomy really started.
“There was no lights around anywhere. It was completely pitch black, completely dark sky. And I looked up and it was the first time I’d ever seen the Milky Way.
“There were stars everywhere. that was so beautiful.”
The experience reignited a childhood interest in astronomy, fuelled by watching The Sky at Night with Sir Patrick Moore.
Steve Riggs Photography (Image: Submitted)
After leaving the army, Steve completed photography courses at Bournemouth College while studying for a university degree.
He said: “And from there and then I started watching religiously. I’d watched it before when I was younger, but I used to watch The Sky at Night with Sir Patrick Moore.
“It started on from there. I’d done a couple of courses at Bournemouth College when I left the army to get into it.
He now sets up his equipment in his garden, sometimes spending the entire night photographing the stars.
Steve Riggs, 62, from Bournemouth (Image: Submitted)
Steve said the weather has been very terrible and he has managed to go outside few times only.
Steve said: “I’ve started using the smart telescopes which I’ll actually believe it or not probably no bigger than the handbag you’d carry your stuff about in.”