Since the age of twelve, Sebastian Voltmer (1.12.1981) has been engaged in astronomy and astro-photography. In 1996/97, he documented the century comet Hale-Bopp in all its significant phases. Since that time, his photographs are being published in magazines such as "Natur", on the cover page of "Sterne und Weltraum" (Oct. 98), in the "Starobserver" or the periodical GEO. His first article was published in 1996 about the comet Hyakutake; meanwhile he has been writing primarily for the specialized periodical "Sterne und Weltraum".

Since 1996, his photographs can be seen at exhibitions, for example at the "Gebläsehalle" of the city of Völklingen, at the Saarbrücken BMW concession, or at the Stuttgart Planetarium (2002/2003).

Moreover, he has been recording numerous celestial phenomenons on video tape since 1997; "Das Gesicht des Mondes" (The face of the moon) is the first movie made by the then just 18-year old teenager. In July 1999, the movie received the prize for an exceptional musical composition at the Landshut Open Competition for Filmmakers under 24 years of age.

Since his 21st birthday, the film "Das Gesicht des Himmels" (The face of the sky) is shown regularly in Space Night on the BR-Alpha channel. In 2000, he won the regional and national prizes in the competition "Jugend forscht" (juvenile research) and was invited as such by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. He is currently studying visual communication at the artistic section of the Kassel University.


Should you want to know more about my route to astronomy and astro-photography, please click here!


Publications, exhibitions, prizes:

- Photographs, among others in the periodical "Natur" and in a Swiss book about the mountain peak Matterhorn (1998 Editing House Aroleit).

- Since 1996: articles for the internal magazine of the "Verein der Amateurastronomen des Saarlandes e.V." (Association of the Saarland Amateur Astronomers).

- September 1996: first exhibition in the Karstadt photo department in Saarbrücken.

- 1997: exhibition "Ausflug ins All" (voyage into the universe) at the Saarbrücken BMW concession.

- Second prize in the photo competition "Menschen in Neunkirchen" (people in Neunkirchen) 1997, organized by Fotohaus Trampert and the Neunkirchen Cultural Office.

- Mai 1998 Exhibition: "Hommage an Sonne, Mond und Sterne" (homage to sun, moon and stars) during the music days at Saarlouis in 98.

- October 98: cover page and article in the periodical "Sterne und Weltraum".

- Photographs in the magazine "Starobserver".

- Mars 99: article about Hale-Bopp in "Sterne und Weltraum", thereafter publication of articles in various periodicals on a regular basis.

- Mars-Mai 99: photo exhibition at the Saarbrücken Geological Museum.

- April 99: exhibition at the European Solar Eclipse Congress 1999.

- August 99: exhibition Stars * Comets * Solar Eclipses at the Saarbrücken Geological Museum; organizer: City of Saarbrücken.

- October 99 Würzburg: photo exhibition Stars * Comets * Solar Eclipses.

- Film Presentation City of Saarbrücken: 10 August 99: "Das Gesicht des Mondes" (the visage of the moon) which obtained a prize for an exceptional musical composition at the Landshut Film Festival (for film makers under 24 years of age).

- Film "Das Gesicht des Himmels" (The face of the sky), 15 min., distributed by Telepool/Munich, presented at the International Television Fair in Cannes on 4 October 1999; shown as part of the program of the eleventh Saar-Lor-Lux Film and Video Festival , 2-8 June 2000, Saarbrücken; presentation on 7 June 2000 at the Achteinhalb movie theater in Saarbrücken.

- 6 April 2000: regional prize winner (first prize) in the regional competition "Jugend forscht" (juvenile research) with the piece of work: astro-photography as a method to discover comets.

- 21 Mai 2000: national prize winner (fifth place) and special prize in the national competition "Jugend forscht" (juvenile research); invitation to the International Astronomical Youth Camp in Huesca, Spain (1-22 August 2000).

- 19 September 2000: invitation by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to the Chancellery in Berlin to greet the national prize winners of the competition "Jugend forscht" (juvenile research).

- 29 June 2000: passed, with distinction, the examination on the subject of "identification of the transcendent artistic talent" at the Kassel Academy of Arts.

- 15 December 2002: film "Sternschnuppen über China" (shooting-starts over China) on Bavarian Television (BR-alpha channel).

- Since 1 December 2002: "Das Gesicht des Himmels" (The face of the sky) in SpaceNight on BR-alpha channel.

- 10 December 02-23 February 03: exhibition at the Stuttgart Planetarium: "Das Gesicht des Himmels" (The face of the sky).