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Meet Elsasstronomy: A French YouTuber Passionate About the Stars

2 Comments
(5)
Posted on: 2023-06-08

? Meet Elsasstronomy: A French YouTuber Passionate About the Stars

Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining us on the blog! For this very first interview, we’re delighted to feature Victoria, better known as Elsasstronomy, an inspiring amateur astronomer and YouTuber who shares her passion for the night sky.

Elsasstronomy YouTube channel cover

Victoria talks mainly about astrophotography—from image capture to processing—and reveals the wonders of the night sky through her gear and her unique perspective. What makes her stand out? Her natural style, simplicity, and contagious enthusiasm. ?

➤ Hi Victoria, and thank you so much for taking the time for this interview! Could you introduce yourself in a few words for readers who don’t know you yet?

Hello everyone! My name is Victoria, also known as Elsasstronomy. I’m 31 years old and live in Alsace, France.

➤ How did you discover astronomy, and especially astrophotography?

I’ve always been fascinated by the sky above my head since I was little. In early 2021, Facebook suggested a group called “Astronomie pour Débutants.” I joined—and what did I discover?! That people just like you and me could photograph nebulae and galaxies from their backyard! It was a revelation: I thought, “I want to do this!”

➤ Like many stargazers, I guess you own more than one instrument. What’s your current setup for observing and astrophotography?

For visual observation, I use a 200/1200 Dobsonian and a 150/1500 Maksutov for planetary views. For astrophotography, my faithful 80ED SW sits on a HEQ5 mount with an ASI294MC Pro, filters (L-Pro and L-Extreme), a 0.85x reducer-corrector, a ZWO EAF, and a 290mm mini with a ZWO F/4 guidescope for guiding.

Victoria's setup

➤ Astronomy comes with its share of challenges. What difficulties do you face most often?

Honestly? The awful weather here in Alsace! In the first six months of the year, I only managed four photos… That’s really discouraging for beginners especially—you have time to forget everything you learned before the sky clears again. At first, dealing with technical bugs was also frustrating. But with time, I learned to handle them, and now sessions usually run smoothly!

➤ Despite these challenges, we all have a favorite picture. Which one is yours?

That’s tough—I’m never satisfied xD. But I’d say SH2-132, the Lion Nebula, in HHO composition. The colors are unusual, and I’m really proud of that shot.

Victoria's favorite picture: SH2-132 Lion Nebula

➤ Every amateur astronomer has a favorite celestial object. What’s yours?

M16, the Eagle Nebula! Sadly, I can’t capture it from my home because of the Vosges mountains blocking my southern view. Maybe that’s why it fascinates me even more. The “Pillars of Creation” at its center are just breathtaking. I think it was one of the first Hubble images I ever saw.

➤ Who inspired you in astronomy or astrophotography?

I watch many documentaries and YouTube channels—especially MelodySheep, which is amazing. For astrophotography, the Facebook communities helped me a lot, but above all, my friend Astro Nico has been my biggest supporter.

Astro Nico and Victoria

➤ Astronomy takes time! How do you balance your passion with family and professional life?

I’m a mom of three, but the good thing is astronomy happens at night, when the kids are asleep ?. During the day, I help my husband with his business, but since he’s the boss, I’m flexible with my schedule. It’s a real blessing!

➤ What motivates you most in this activity?

It’s my escape. During the day, everything revolves around my kids. At night, under the stars, it’s my time, my freedom. And when, after hours of acquisition and processing, you finally see the finished image—you just think: “Wow, it was worth it.”

Elsasstronomy live session

? Remember: The main goal in astronomy is to enjoy yourself—not to chase likes or impress others. Passion comes first!

➤ What advice would you give beginners who want to start astrophotography?

Don’t listen to people who say it’s too hard—you can do it! Yes, it’s demanding, but with passion and perseverance, it’s possible. You’ll sacrifice some nights out, but the reward is priceless.

➤ What’s the purpose of your YouTube channel, and what message do you want to share?

That astrophotography isn’t complicated if you follow the steps. My goal is to make it accessible, without jargon, and keep it fun. The positive feedback in the comments confirms I’m on the right path—it makes me feel useful!

? Final words from Victoria: “Thank you so much for all the support since the beginning. If you hesitate to start because you fear it’s too hard, remember: nothing is difficult when you love what you do.”

Big thanks to Victoria for this interview! I hope this inspires you to discover her channel, support her work, and maybe even pick up your camera and aim for the stars ✨.

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Comments

  • Commentaire interview
    By: Charlot Olivier On 2023-06-11
    Rating:
    5.0

    Bravo pour cette interview. Très bonne idée de nous permettre de mieux connaître les personnes qui nous apportent énormément dans le domaine de l'astrophotographie. Je voulais en savoir un peu plus sur Victoria, car c'est sa chaîne qui me convient le plus, je la trouve extra, eh bien, grâce à toi, c'est chose faite et merci pour ça.

    Replied by: Vincent DUCHENE On 2023-06-11 Merci beaucoup :)
    Cela me tenait à coeur de faire découvrir la Chaine de Victoria, car comme je l'ai dis dans l'interview, elle apporte un peu de fraicheur et ça change un peu des autres, qui sont soit un peu trop "coincé" soit se prennent trop au sérieux voir les deux en même temps ^^.
    Il faut de tout pour faire un monde c'est évident, mais je préfère de loin le style de Victoria et de quelques autres, que vous découvrirez plus tard ;)
    En tout cas merci beaucoup pour le commentaire et si les gens apprécient alors ça me fait encore plus plaisir :)
    @ bientôt.
    Vincent

  • Merci Vincent
    By: Victoria On 2023-06-11
    Rating:
    5.0

    J'ai vraiment adoré répondre à ton interview et c'est super bien rédigé dans ton article.
    Un énorme merci encore pour la proposition, ça m'a fait super plaisir ☺️

    Replied by: Vincent DUCHENE On 2023-06-11 Alors c'est cool Victoria merci beaucoup :)
    Vraiment ça me fait plaisir de faire découvrir des gens comme toi qui mérite très largement d'être reconnue.
    J'ai hâte de faire découvrir les autres personnes :)
    Grosse bise.

    Vincent

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