KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (October 21, 2008) – The dramatic images of photographer and amateur astronomer Ted Wolfe are now featured in an exhibit at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Wolfe's exhibit, running through 2009, is in conjunction with the new Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope, an exhibit celebrating the science of one of the greatest telescopes ever built. Wolfe's powerful images of celestial objects, taken from his observing site in Naples, Fla., are similar in comparison to high-resolution Hubble images taken 350 miles above Earth.
Featuring 32 pieces of Wolfe's photography, the exhibit will run through the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, a year dedicated to raising scientific awareness and celebrating astronomy's contributions to society. Wolfe's photographs are taken from the ground, but produce the same awe-inspiring images of colliding galaxies, supernovas and dying stars.
"It is an honor to have my work displayed at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as a companion to the new Hubble Space Telescope exhibit," said Wolfe. "The exhibits showcase the beauty of space from two different perspectives, professional and amateur. I hope they will increase visitors' appreciation of the magnificent phenomena within our universe."
Wolfe's technique involves photographing deep-space objects using a Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) camera located in his backyard on a Naples golf course. This type of camera is also used on the Hubble Space Telescope. Other techniques used by Wolfe include taking a series of extended exposures, sharp focusing and tracking with a guide star.
Wolfe has studied astronomy for over 40 years, and has spent the last decade focusing on "astrophotography" after retiring from a career in business. During the past several years, large exhibits of his work have been displayed at museum and science centers across the country including the Miami Museum of Science, the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame and the National Roger Tory Peterson Institute. For more information on Ted Wolfe and to see a full gallery of his work, visit www.tedwolfe.com.
About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens at 9 a.m. Closing times vary by season. The Visitor Complex is open daily except December 25 and certain launch days. Admission includes the new Shuttle Launch Experience, Kennedy Space Center Tour, 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter, all exhibits, and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft, simulator rides and the world's largest collection of personal astronaut mementos. Admission is $38 + tax for adults and $28 + tax for children ages 3-11. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Commander's Club Annual Pass is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 321-449-4444 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
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