The northern lights observed, filmed and photographed in recent weeks have surprised even experts. The spectacular nature of this luminescent phenomenon is a magnificent excuse to look at the sky again in search of the beauty and knowledge of the Universe.
Auroras and meteors are not the only protagonists of the night, the galaxy in which our planet is located, the Milky Way, also offers images of great beauty, which we can discover if we look up on a clear night from an area without light pollution .
The best results in capturing this type of images can be enjoyed thanks to the international Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition, which reaches its seventh edition this year.
Dan Zafra, editor of the photography blog Capture the Atlas, organizer of this contest, highlights that in this year’s edition more than 5,000 images have been received, highlighting countries such as Spain, Chile, Argentina, Italy, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, and Oman.” “The 25 selected photos belong to photographers of 19 nationalities, among which is one taken in the Teide National Park and one captured by the Spanish photographer Hugo Valle,” details Dan Zafra in statements to La Vanguardia.
The selection of photographs has taken into account “the quality of the image, the story behind the shot and the inspiring capacity; Furthermore, this proposal aims to help other photographers who want to photograph the Milky Way and bring our universe closer to the general public to learn and discover more about the galaxy in which we find ourselves,” says Dan Zafra.
The season with the best conditions to observe the Milky Way runs from February to October in the northern hemisphere and from January to November in the southern hemisphere, with the optimal time to see and photograph it in May and June, coinciding with the maximum number of hours of visibility in both hemispheres, indicates the coordinator of the Capture the Atlas project.
Every year light pollution invades more and more places, but luckily there are still corners and places where we can appreciate the sky in all its splendor.
Regarding the selected image located at the beginning of this article, titled ‘The Lions Den’, the author, Lorenzo Rainieri, explains that “after an entire afternoon searching for compositions, I came across this remarkable mass of rocks adorned with tufts of grass, now burned by the hostile environment.” “The area was littered with small animal bones and footprints of significant size, indicating the presence of wildlife not typically associated with peaceful sheep. Spending the night there was, I admit, a little distressing, but the opportunity to photograph so much beauty was worth it,” notes the author.
The Milky Way emerges from New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook, on a winter’s night, a shot I longed to capture, knowing it would perfectly encapsulate the elements of the mountains and sky. Under some strange weather conditions, I started a trip through the glacial valley one night. Upon reaching the lake, the scene I saw made me feel as if I had landed on another planet, explains the author of this image (above), Tom Rae.
“That night embodies dedication, sleepless nights, and the satisfaction of completing my vision. The image features icebergs in the cyan-blue glacial lake, a red airglow painting the sky, and the glow of billions of stars in the Milky Way.”
Julien Looten explains his particular image this way: “Last winter, I ventured to the foot of a medieval castle in France to capture the “winter” arc of the Milky Way. Along with the impressive sky, an incredible airglow illuminated the sky, looking like multicolored clouds. This natural phenomenon occurs due to a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, emitting a faint light known as chemiluminescence.” “The panoramic view covers 180°, showing the entire arc of the Milky Way. From left to right: Sirius and the constellation Orion, Mars, the Pleiades, the California Nebula, Cassiopeia, the Perseus double cluster and the Andromeda galaxy. Capturing this image required a large 40-exposure pan, totaling almost an hour of exposure time using my astromodified Canon 6D and the Sigma 28mm f/1.4 lens.
“Sometimes the best images come completely unplanned, and that’s exactly what happened on this trip to Bluff Hut, located in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand,” explains the author of this photograph, Rachel Roberts. . “Only accessible by a difficult hike or helicopter flight, I had no intention of ending up here as I had a different photo planned at another cabin. However, with the weather getting worse and no plan B, I trusted the helicopter pilot to pick the best spot with clear skies that night. Fortunately, I was not disappointed and was able to capture the Milky Way arcing majestically over the cabin from one of the darkest places on the planet.”
Marcin Zajac captured this bucolic image in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. “Wildflowers blooming in front of a group of hoodoos called the Three Sisters in Goblin Valley State Park in Utah. The park, located in a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau and far from major urban centers, offers one of the darkest skies in the country,” he highlights.
Magtej Mlakar, author of this selected image, explains that “the Vrši? Pass is a mountain pass that crosses the Julian Alps in northwest Slovenia. It is the highest pass in Slovenia, as well as the highest in the eastern Julian Alps. It connects Upper Carniola with the Trenta Valley on the Slovenian Coast. One such peak is Prednje robi?je (1941m), from where this image was taken.” “I knew I wanted to capture probably the last winter Milky Way arc of the season over snow-capped peaks, and this location was kind of an afterthought as we drove toward the Vrši? Pass. “Sometimes it pays to be a little more spontaneous,” says the author.
Francesco Dall’Olmo explains that this was his first notable image captured in Patagonia: “Despite the forecast of cold, rain and wind, our initial encounter with these landscapes was unusual: almost three days of clear skies. Arriving at the lagoon around 7am, I immediately captured photos of the sky. Shortly after, I photographed the foreground, where twilight had already fallen. These conditions gave me a rare photo of Fitz Roy framed by the arc of the Milky Way.”
“My astronomical adventure in Tenerife was unforgettable. The Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife, offer ideal conditions for astrophotography. In the Teide National Park, located at an altitude of around 2000 meters, clear skies are almost guaranteed, with low clouds that protect from city lights, minimizing light pollution,” recalls Maximilian Höfling. “My main goal in astrophotography is to reveal the hidden beauty of the night sky beyond the visible stars. I am especially passionate about showing our galaxy, the Milky Way, in all its splendor. “I think this image achieves that goal impressively, capturing the brilliant and fascinating glow of the Milky Way against the impeccable backdrop of the Tenerife night sky,” notes the photographer.
The Asturian landscape photographer residing in the Aragonese Pyrenees Hugo Valle is the author of this selected image and comments on the long work that took him to reach his goal with these words: “When I saw photos of the White Desert of Egypt, I knew immediately that I had to go over there. Two years passed before I finally made the trip. The days are hot and the nights a little cooler, passing quickly in this captivating landscape. The night skies are among the best I have seen, and the whimsical rock formations, sculpted by wind and sand, make choosing subjects to photograph a challenge.” “For this particular photograph, I walked around the area where we would spend the night in the afternoon, selecting a few subjects. The best part of this night, and the ones I spent in the White Desert, was the peace of mind of being the only photographer in the area. I was alone, with my girlfriend, the guides and the stars, accompanied only by a small bonfire,” remembers photographer Hugo Valle.
