01 First Telescope
My first scope was a used Celestron C9.25 Evolution, an excellent start for visual astronomy and planetary observation.
About me
Astronomy from city skies to Alpine nights.
I am Luca Bartek, an amateur astronomer and astrophotographer behind The Space Koala. I lived a little bit all over the place before eventually settling in the Italian-speaking south of Switzerland. Outside of astronomy, I work in IT in the private banking sector.
I live in the city, but I spend every clear night I can out in the mountains, under the crisp air of the Swiss Alps. Astronomy has fascinated me since I was a little girl. I was especially drawn to planets, and I sometimes went to public observation evenings in my hometown just to look through a telescope.
I only ended up getting my first telescope in 2020, after a vacation where a public observation evening with an astronomer completely reignited that old wish. He explained telescopes with such enthusiasm that I came home wanting one of my own. At that point I had no intention of doing astrophotography. I simply wanted to observe planets.
01 
02 No Going Back
After about a year, I decided to get my first equatorial mount. Once I started doing astrophotography seriously, there was no going back.
03 Discovering Darker Skies
I discovered how beautiful the dark night sky can be when the Swiss Alps are overhead. The mountains gave me darker horizons, crisp air, and a completely different relationship with the sky than city observing ever could.
04 Finding Community
As I spent more time under the sky, I also discovered how much astronomy depends on people sharing what they know. I became active in several astronomy communities, associations, and observing groups, each one helping me see the sky from a different perspective.
Affiliations and communities
05 Long Nights in the Car
Many imaging nights were not especially comfortable: long drives into the mountains, hours beside the gear, and short bits of sleep in the car while the camera kept collecting light. Those nights taught me patience, planning, and respect for clear sky.
06 Mountain Chalet
The land under the pristine skies of the Swiss Alps is highly protected, so building a permanent observatory there is not an option. Whenever I can, I rent a small mountain cabin instead and stay close to the sky, grateful for the chance to observe from such a beautiful place when the weather allows.
07 The Space Koala Channel
I first started the channel because I wanted a place to talk about astrophotography on a deeper theoretical level. It has grown into something much larger, with collaborations, gear reviews, vlogs under the sky, and many interesting people I am grateful to have met along the way.
The Space Koala channel
Astronomy & outreach
Still looking up, not only photographing.
Beyond imaging, I still love amateur astronomy itself. I am part of a local group observing stellar occultations, I participate in public astronomy events, and I regularly organize my own outreach evenings in the Swiss Alps with occasional presentations and a lot of telescope time under the sky.
Activities and outreachRecognition
Awards and featured images.
Image awards, publication features, and recognitions connected to specific astrophotos in the gallery.
Recognition