It was at the ripe old age of 14 that Winslow Barnwood got the astronomy bug, and it was only a year later that he captured two deep-space images that just earned him major recognition from the Royal Greenwich Observatory during its annual astrophotography competition for young stargazers.
Barnwood, a junior at Dos Pueblos High School and a member of the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit (SBAU), received the 3rd place “Highly Commended” distinction for his image “Collision Course!” of the Andromeda Galaxy. His “Awash in Blue Starlight” photo of the Pleiades star cluster was among the finalists. Both were taken using equipment he bought himself from working at the Santa Barbara Rock Gym.
We caught up with Barnwood by email this week. More of his recent work can be seen on his Instagram feed ― @rooftop.astro.