Then life happened. For a while his interest in astronomy remained purely
academic and he had little or no opportunity to observe. A couple of years
ago, he was able to get reactivated in the observing arena and acquire a
larger aperture instrument. Mike almost immediately began work in CCD imaging,
eventually working up to what he uses now. He has been active in the
astronomical community both locally and nationally. The ability to do CCD
imaging on computer fulfills Mike even beyond his wildest childhood dreams. Mike has
grown up in the technological age and watched things scale - and from
there comes his education (though he did attend University of Phoenix).
Mike is currently an active member of the following organizations: The San
Antonio Astronomical Association (SAAA) in San Antonio, Texas; the
Planetary Society; and the International Dark-sky Association. He
occasionally attends activities with the Austin Astronomical Society (AAS) and Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society
(JSCAS) as well. Most recently he has been involved in the COSMOS-1 project
as part of the planetary society, and was an influential factor in the
recent congressional approval of funds for the Pluto-Kuiper belt mission. Mike
regularly participate in community outreach as well as
governmental-influencing activities geared towards the advancement of
astronomical science.
Mike Fuller has a number of articles and images that have been published in a
variety of places, including the Philastropher (the SAAA newsletter), the
Sidereal Times (newsletter of the Austin Astronomical Society), and
Astronomy Magazine. His latest work is always on public display at
Analytical Scientific, a science product retailer here in San Antonio.
Postcards and prints of his work are also for sale there as well as on his
website. He is currently working on a book on the subject of CCD imaging,
geared to the amateur astronomer, designed to act as a practical guide for
use - as opposed to providing so much scientific detail as other books on
the subject do.
Mike lectures, and has done so in the South Texas area (San Antonio and
Austin) on various subjects ranging from general astronomy to CCD image
processing specifics. He has been invited (and accepted) four such engagements
in the last year. Some of his presentations are available for viewing on his
website as well. Fuller is also a frequent participant on MAPUG (Meade Advanced
Products User's Group) and makes his experience and learning available to all
who ask, whether local or long distance. Mike regularly teaches astronomy on an
informal basis as well, helping other amateurs master skills and understand
astronomical concepts.
The equipment Fuller currently uses to do his imaging consists of: Meade 12"
LX200, Meade Pictor 416XTE with 616 Color Filter Wheel, a Compaq Armada 1750 notebook
computer, and various other accessories include f/6.3 Focal reducer, Taurus
Tracker III, Meade Superwedge, etc. He uses a combination of Maxim DL/CCD and
Mira AP for image acquisition and processing.
Most of Mike's imaging is done at home, in his own light-polluted backyard,
where his scope resides on a home-constructed pier, in the middle of his
observatory. Periodically he goes with family or a group of observers out to
west Texas for some really dark sky - his favorite haunt is Fort McKavett,
TX (this is also where the Johnson Space Center Astro Society has their
semiannual shindig).