Called the "David Attenborough" of the Moon, Robert Reeves has been a devoted lunar explorer since 1958, capturing his first lunar photograph in 1959. His journey into telescopic astronomy commenced with a four-inch Criterion Dynascope, a Christmas gift received in 1960. The year 1975 marked a pivotal moment when he acquired a Celestron C8 telescope, a trusted companion he continues to employ to this day. Two years later, in 1977, he expanded his astronomical arsenal with a Celestron 8-inch Schmidt camera, which served him diligently for a remarkable quarter-century in his pursuit of deep-sky photography.
Today, Robert Reeves harnesses the power of a Celestron C11 EdgeHD and a Sky-Watcher 180-mm Maksutov telescope for his lunar photography escapades, all conducted from his Perspective Observatory nestled in central Texas. In addition to his lunar pursuits, Robert also immerses himself in visual observations using a Sky-Watcher 20-inch Stargate telescope and ventures into the realm of deep-sky photography with a Celestron C14 equipped with HyperStar technology.
Articles and Books
Robert's foray into sharing his astronomical insights with the world began in 1984 when he started publishing articles on astrophotography in Astronomy magazine. Since that pivotal moment, he has contributed more than 250 magazine articles and authored 300 newspaper columns dedicated to the awe-inspiring field of astronomy. His literary works have graced the pages of renowned publications such as Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, Deep Sky, Deep Sky Journal, Amateur Astronomy, and The Astrograph.
In 1994, Robert unveiled his inaugural book, "The Superpower Space Race," followed by "The Conquest of Space," co-authored with Fritz Bronner. The turn of the millennium saw the release of "Wide-Field Astrophotography" in 2000, followed by "Introduction to Digital Astrophotography" in 2005 and "Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography" in 2006. Robert's most recent literary endeavor, a captivating exploration of the Moon, is currently available for purchase.
Astrophotography
While Robert boasts an impressive portfolio as a deep-sky astrophotographer, his current passion lies in rekindling the Moon's allure within the amateur astronomy community. He achieves this by unraveling the Moon's origins, tracing the evolution of its visage, and delving into the captivating world of lunar geology, sharing these wonders with fellow Moon enthusiasts worldwide. Leveraging his mastery of image-processing techniques, Robert empowers amateur astronomers with modest equipment to surpass the quality of Earth-based professional lunar photographs captured during the Apollo era.
Outreach
Beyond his photographic endeavors, Robert revels in the opportunity to engage with fellow astronomy enthusiasts at conventions, where he ardently shares his Moon-centric passion. His outreach efforts extend even further, as he embarked on a five-city speaking tour in China, marking a historic milestone as the first Westerner to address the Chinese astronomy community on the subject of the Moon. Additionally, Robert proudly represents the Celestron telescope company at national astronomical conventions.
As a testament to his contributions to the field of astronomy, asteroid 26591 Robertreeves bears his name, while asteroid 26592 Maryrenfro is named in honor of his beloved wife. Robert and Mary Reeves hold the unique distinction of being the only husband and wife team to have sequentially numbered asteroids named in their honor, a reflection of their shared passion for the cosmos.
