Astrofest 2018

As some of you are probably already aware, last weekend saw the return of Astrofest at Kensington Town Hall. It was great to attend another year and an absolute pleasure to chat to so many current and aspiring astrophotographers. A big thank you to everyone that attended and we hope to see you again next year!

On a personal note, I’m a relatively new member of the Atik team and this was my first journey to London for Astrofest. I wasn’t disappointed. I learned a huge amount just by talking to everyone there, both those interested in astronomy and those running some of the stalls. It’s a great place to share knowledge and converse with those who share the same hobby—I highly recommend Astrofest to anyone who hasn’t been.

I wasn’t the only newcomer to the Atik stall. Many of you know that QSI are now part of the same group as Atik, and we were proud to showcase their cameras at Astrofest. Many people commented on how great it was that QSI will continue making cameras, and we are honoured to help keep their high-quality range on the market.

Our new app

With the success of our newest version of the Infinity Software, we have been working on a new image acquisition app and were lucky to set up an alpha test version for Astrofest. While still early in design, it was great to see people experimenting with it. Events like Astrofest allow us to showcase what we’re working on and get feedback, giving attendees a sneak peek of what’s in store for the future.

The Atik Horizon

We really enjoyed speaking to everyone and answering questions. Astrofest is a great opportunity to get real-time feedback on our cameras. We were especially pleased to hear comments from those who own the new Horizon camera. As our first CMOS camera, the Horizon is an exciting product, and hearing that people are enjoying it is fantastic. We look forward to seeing more of the stunning images captured with the Horizon—please feel free to send yours to us!

The 16200 and EFW3

With the introduction of our new EFW3 filter wheel, a 7-position filter wheel that attaches directly to the 16200 for minimal backfocus, Astrofest allowed us to show people how it looks and feels in person. It was also a great opportunity for those interested in the 16200 to get more information. The 7 positions in the EFW3 allow for both narrowband and LRGB imaging without extra setup time, and attendees appreciated the design improvements for enhanced reliability.

Our annual competition

Astrofest was also a great chance to showcase something that wasn’t our own work: the competition entries! We were impressed by the high standard of submissions and appreciated the help of attendees in voting. If you haven’t voted yet, you can do so here. This year’s prize is our new Horizon camera and a short stay at Les Granges.

As always, we are already looking forward to the next Astrofest. If you didn’t catch us this year, we hope you can attend one of the other shows we will be at throughout the year.