Anthony Ayiomamitis and His Amazing Analemma Photographs

Forrest M. Mims III

Anthony Ayiomamitis is among the world's most versatile and talented astrophotographers. Before introducing Anthony, please allow me to explain how The Citizen Scientist managed to meet him.

The last editorial in this space was entitled, "Serendipity and The Citizen Scientist" (16 June 2006). When that editorial was being written, there was no way of knowing that serendipity would lead us to Anthony Ayiomamitis and his role in this issue's "Editorial," "Gallery" and in a major feature story.

The story began when TCS author Mike Dziekan submitted his article "A Matter of Time." Part 1 of Mike's article is the first feature in this issue of The Citizen Scientist. Part 2, which will appear in the 14 July TCS, includes a discussion of the analemma, the position of the sun along a figure-8 pattern that results when the sky is photographed from the same perspective and at the same time throughout a complete year.

Mike wanted to use a particular image of the analemma, but summer is a difficult time to receive permission from publishers, and he was unsuccessful in his efforts. So I suggested alternative analemma photos that can be found by doing a Google image search for "analemma."

Only a handful of people have managed to photograph the analemma, which is quite possibly the most difficult photograph in all of astronomy. Mike quickly zoomed in on the world's most prolific analemma photographer, the amazing Anthony Ayiomamitis. Anthony is one of half a dozen or so photographers who has captured the analemma on film and possibly the only photographer to capture multiple analemmas. Indeed, he has photographed 10 of them!

Anthony just doesn't photograph the analemma. He sets the stage by carefully planning each one-year shoot and positioning his camera so that it also photographs one of the remarkable ancient structures that are found in Greece. The result is an astonishing image of the analemma played out over a year with a Greek temple in the foreground. There's only one word for his remarkable analemma photos: "Wow!" And that's what Shawn Carlson wrote after I forwarded him a link to one of Anthony's analemma images.

You may echo Shawn's reaction after you visit this issue's "Gallery" and see one of Anthony's remarkable analemmas. This analemma photograph will also appear in Part 2 of Mike Dziekan's article "A Matter of Time."

You can see all of Anthony's analemma photographs at http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-Solar-Analemma.htm. These analemmas are the result of a strenuous 6-year effort, which is worth pondering while viewing the images. After enjoying Anthony's anmalemmas, be stop by his home page. It's a jumping off point for must-see samples of his outstanding astrophotography.

I am hopeful that Anthony's astonishing analemma photographs will inspire others to attempt this difficult task. Anthony's idea of photographing the analemma over historical structures adds much to his photographs and suggests many other possibilities.

Meanwhile, Anthony Ayiomamitis has set the gold standard for analemma photographs. It will be very difficult to measure up to what he has achieved, which makes the idea of doing so all the more challenging.

Thanks to Mike Dziekan and his article on "A Matter of Time" for linking us up with astrophotographer Anthony Ayiomamitis. And thanks to Anthony for allowing us to share one of his analemma photographs with you. Should any readers of The Citizen Scientist successfully acquire an analemma photograph, please let us know so we can tell your story.

I close with a final bit of serendipity. While preparing Ralph Coppola's latest installment of "Wanderings" for this issue, I was surprised to see two interesting links to the analemma, even though Ralph did not know that Anthony's analemma photography would be featured in "Gallery" and discussed here in the editorial. So be sure to stop by "Wanderings" to visit these links after you see "Gallery" and Anthony's web site.