Author profile
Petroiu Ionut-Viorel
Founder and editor of Celest. A naked-eye skywatcher who stays out for whole meteor showers, trained as a mechanical and robotics engineer, with a background in research writing and SEO.
Profile updated:
Looking up, the simple way
Most of my observing happens the way most people start: with my own eyes. I love catching meteors and will happily stay outside for a whole shower, and I've photographed the core of the Milky Way with my phone on dark nights.
I've used binoculars on a few occasions, but I don't own a telescope. Celest is written with that kind of observer in mind: someone who wants to know what is worth stepping outside for, and when.
Why I built Celest
My own missed nights started it: events I knew about in theory but found too late, moonlight I forgot to check, clouds that rolled in just as I got outside. The full story is on the About page; my job here is to keep turning those lessons into a clearer and more useful experience.
Engineering and research background
I trained in mechanical and robotics engineering, which taught me to understand systems piece by piece. I began my career at Reflector Media as a copywriter and moved into SEO, contributing to sites including WindowsReport.com, MacObserver.com, MSPoweruser.com and VPNCentral.com, where I learned to research complex subjects and explain them in a way people can use.
Today I work as an AI engineer. I use that experience to build Celest's sky calculations and the research and review tools behind its articles.
How I work on Celest articles
I choose the subjects and review every article before it is published. Dates and times for sky events come from Celest's own calculations, adjusted to your location, and the main sources behind each article are listed at its end.
What I do at Celest
- Editorial direction, research standards and final review of every article.
- Checks of the sky calculations, choice of data sources and corrections.
- Product design and engineering.