About

The Sugar House Observatory

Dealing with the Glow of Salt Lake City

Most people see the orange glow of Salt Lake City as a barrier to the stars. I see it as a challenge in signal processing.

Based in the heart of Sugar House, I operate under Bortle 8 skies—some of the most light-polluted conditions for astronomical imaging. My approach to astrophotography isn't about traveling to dark sky sites; it's about the technical art of light extraction. By utilizing narrow-band filters, precision tracking, and advanced post-processing in Siril and GraXpert, I work to reveal the deep-space structures hidden behind the city's light dome.

I call my work #mediocreastrophotography because, in this hobby, the pursuit of perfection is infinite. Every integration is a lesson in SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and a testament to what is possible with modest equipment and a lot of patience.

The Gear:

My "Triple-Rig" fleet allows for simultaneous acquisition across different focal lengths. Whether it's the wide-field views of the Svbony SV550, the reach of the Celestron C6, or the automated efficiency of the Seestar units, the goal remains the same: pulling clarity out of the chaos.