10 spectacular images from Milky Way Photographer of the Year awards

'A glimpse into the vastness beyond.'

BY POPULAR SCIENCE TEAM
POSTED ON JUN 8, 2024 8:01 AM EDT
6 MINUTE READ

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“Atmospheric fireworks”
Location: Dordogne, France

Last winter, I ventured to the foot of a medieval castle in France to capture the Milky Way’s “winter” arc. Alongside the stunning celestial vault, an exceptional airglow illuminated the sky, resembling multicolored clouds. This natural phenomenon occurs due to a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, emitting faint light known as chemiluminescence. The panoramic view spans 180°, showcasing the entire Milky Way arc. From left to right: Sirius and the constellation of Orion, Mars, the Pleiades, the California Nebula, Cassiopeia, the double cluster of Perseus, and the Andromeda galaxy. Capturing this image required a large panorama of 40 exposures, totaling nearly an hour of exposure time using my Canon 6D Astrodon and Sigma 28mm f/1.4 lens.
Image: Julien Looten
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“Rainbow Valley”
Location: Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve, Northern Territory – Australia
My recent journey to the Central Australian Outback was an incredible experience, exposing me to the harsh vastness of the outback and some of the darkest southern night skies in the world. This image captures the breathtaking scene at Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve, where the southern Milky Way gracefully spans above a remarkable formation of colorful sandstone rocks. This area exudes a unique charm, with its vibrant hues and stunning geological formations creating a mesmerizing landscape.
Image: Baillie Farley
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“Saoseo”
Location: Graubuenden, Switzerland

This lake is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful, renowned for its striking blue color, perfect for Milky Way photography from late July. My original plan was a split shoot with an underwater housing and model Marina, but the housing broke on the first try. Fortunately, the lake offered other beautiful compositions. Situated at 2000m altitude, it gets very cold after sunset; we had forgotten our jackets in the car 1.5 hours away.

To keep warm, we walked around the lake while waiting for the Milky Way. Clouds came and went, threatening to obscure the stars, but luck was on our side. I had a clear view of the Milky Way for just 30 minutes before it vanished behind clouds again. I created two versions of this photo: a landscape version and one with Marina, available on my Instagram.
Image: Alexander Forst
https://www.popsci.com/science/milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-2024/
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