Martin Pugh: The Gem Cluster NGC 3293

Martin Pugh is an accomplished amateur astrophotographer who began his journey in astronomy with the appearance of Comet Hale Bopp in 1997. He purchased his first telescope and camera in 1999 and continued to learn and practice astrophotography until a major equipment upgrade in 2004. After moving to Australia, Pugh built a roll-off roof observatory at his rural property in Yass, which allowed him to create stunning images of the night sky.

Since then, he has secured 70 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) features and won numerous competitions, such as the South Pacific Star Party, The David Malin Awards, and the Astronomy Photographer of the Year by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. His work has been featured in various science publications, magazines, videos, and even the movie 'Interstellar.'

Notable achievements include the release of a 3-stamp collectors set by Australia Post featuring his image of M78, recognition in the SBIG Hall of Fame, and having two images displayed in the 'Starstruck' The Art of Astrophotography exhibition at Bates College Museum of Art. Martin Pugh now runs a remote imaging, data subscription, and telescope hosting business from his home in rural Australia.