Chesley Bonestell

Chesley Knight Bonestell, Jr. was an American painter, designer and illustrator. His paintings were a major influence on science fiction art and illustration, and he helped inspire the American space program. An early pioneering creator of astronomical art, along with the French astronomerartist Lucien Rudaux, Bonestell was dubbed the Father of Modern Space Art.

Bonestell was born in San Francisco, California. His first astronomical painting was done in 1905. After seeing Saturn through the 12inch telescope at San Joses Lick Observatory, he rushed home to paint what he had seen. The painting was destroyed in the fire that followed the 1906 earthquake. Between 1915 and 1918 he exhibited lithographs in the 4th and 7th annual exhibitions of the California Society of Etchers in San Francisco.

Source: Wikipedia