Shooting for the Stars: Nathan Hutnak '28 Combines Passions and Studies in Space Photography

For Nathan Hutnak ‘28, a first-year computer science major at Westfield State University, the stars aren’t just something to admire. They’re something to capture. Originally from Whitinsville, MA, Hutnak has combined his love for photography with cutting-edge technology to explore astrophotography, the intricate art of photographing celestial objects. 

Hutnak’s passion for computer science emerged during high school, and with encouragement from his family, he decided to continue his education at Westfield State immediately after graduation. His journey into astrophotography, however, began unexpectedly when he captured a celestial body by chance on his regular camera. That experience led to a commitment to honing his abilities and tools in order to create superior space photography. Majoring in computer science was part of this emerging skillset, as it allows Hutnak to fully embrace the computer software he uses when editing photos. 

“One of the reasons I chose to major in computer science was because it fits so well into my other interests,” Hutnak said. “They might sound far apart, but the imaging and editing of the photos take equal amounts of time. Within the editing, there’s so much software, and if I could write for that, it would be pretty perfect.”

The process is meticulous. For each celestial object, Hutnak takes 200 to 300 pictures, which are then combined using specialized software to produce a single, excellent image. The editing phase alone can take anywhere from five to seven hours, depending on the complexity of the photograph, as he also uses software to remove noise and any unwanted artifacts from each photograph.

In addition to his scholarly and photographic endeavors, Hutnak is making an influence on campus. He is the president of the recently revived International and Intercultural Culture Club, which unites students to exchange ideas and gain knowledge of other cultures. “It’s a new club,” Hutnak elaborated. “I personally am very interested in cultures, and want to travel when I am older, so this is a great opportunity to learn. Like just about everything I have done here, I joined the club by complete chance, but I am really glad that it happened that way, because it is a great experience.”

The club has already seen success, boasting well-attended events. “We’re just getting started now, but last semester we had a movie night as our opening event, and it had a good turnout,” he added. “I think we had just over 50 people. We also had a bake sale, and we’re planning on doing more, but it’s in the works.” For those interested, their Instagram handle is: @internationalclub_wsu

Hutnak, who loves the outdoors, advises potential students to enjoy Westfield State's natural surroundings even if they aren’t studying the night sky. “Take advantage of the beauty of western Massachusetts,” he said. 

It’s easy to see Hutnak’s appreciation for natural beauty in his photographs and while he may not have planned how his passions would come together, they make for a very promising future.