Filmed in Glowworm Caves in northern New Zealand, it requires entering a maze of ancient limestone and peculiar stone formations. Here, I encountered the spectacular Glowworm like a sea of stars.
This magical and beautiful panorama is a dream come true. Northern Norway and its Arctic islands don\'t give us many chances to get clear skies in winter. Frustration and loneliness were pondering of me these days after seven nights without a green color on the sky.
That night, a majestic aurora began to dance over the impressive mountains, embraced by a perfect foreground with its incredible texture created by the snow. The reflection enhanced the scene. It looked like the lights were posing in front of a mirror.
In the foreground, distinctive wave-patterned sandstone formations create a striking contrast with the cosmic display above. The photograph perfectly captures the meeting of earth and sky - ancient geological formations beneath the timeless expanse of our galaxy, visible in exceptional clarity thanks to Arizona\'s pristine dark skies.
In the heart of Arizona\'s surreal landscape, a solitary figure illuminates the otherworldly formations of White Pocket, guided by the celestial glow of the Milky Way. This captivating scene captures the harmonious blend of human presence and nature\'s grandeur, a testament to the enduring allure of exploration and the magic of the night sky. The long exposure paints a tapestry of starlight, revealing the hidden wonders of this remote sanctuary. A moment of quiet solitude amidst the vast expanse of the cosmos.
Underneath the vast Arizona sky, a mesmerizing startrail etches a celestial dance across the rugged landscape. This captivating image showcases the Earth\'s rotation, transforming starlight into swirling ribbons of light against a backdrop of dramatic rock formations. The long exposure unveils the hidden wonders of the night, where time is measured in cosmic cycles and the universe unfolds its timeless beauty. A moment of awe amidst the raw grandeur of the American Southwest.
In the heart of Arizona\'s arid expanse, a solitary figure stands in quiet contemplation, dwarfed by the immensity of the desert landscape. The setting sun paints the sky with hues of gold and crimson, casting long shadows that stretch across the undulating dunes. This captivating scene captures the essence of solitude and the profound connection between humanity and the natural world. A moment of introspection amidst the vast wilderness, where time seems to stand still and the whispers of the wind carry tales of ancient lands.
Рыболовный траулер на рейде парящего Кольского залива в Мурманске. Из-за сильного мороза образуется густой туман над поверхностью воды, видимость уменьшается до нескольких метров.
This shot was taken on our first night in the Wadi Rum desert with our group. We scouted this location during the day so that we would know when the Milky Way is in the perfect position and that we could climb up to the rock arch in pitch black. To reach this location at night, we had to navigate through the desert at night and drive for almost 2 hours from our camp. This is probably the biggest rock arch in Wadi Rum, so we really wanted to photograph it at night. We had a few stops before reaching this location and when we finally arrived at around midnight, we still had to wait patiently until the Milky Way moved to its fully vertical orientation.
In the heart of Spain\'s majestic Picos de Europa, a symphony of starlight dances across the night sky, illuminating the rugged peaks and verdant valleys below. This breathtaking image captures the ethereal beauty of this mountain range, where nature\'s grandeur meets the celestial wonders above. The long exposure unveils the hidden treasures of the cosmos, while the iconic peaks stand as silent witnesses to the passage of time. A moment of awe amidst the raw splendor of one of Europe\'s most iconic landscapes.
The Colle del Nivolet is an alpine pass located in the Graian Alps, a watershed between the Valle dell\'Orco and Valsavarenche, located within the protected area of the Gran Paradiso National Park to the west of the massif of the same name, not far from the Italian-French border to the west...
Taken on Mount Taranaki in New Zealand. When I stood by the edge of the Taranaki volcano, a magnificent picture resembling a fairyland unfolded before my eyes. The sea of clouds on the edge of the volcano churns at the foot of the mountain, like the breath of the earth, while the starry sky is like billions of pearls scattered on the black screen, dazzling and dazzling.
Photography taken one year ago in White Pocket, in Arizona, during my summer holidays. A incredible place where a landscape photographer could enjoy for days. An amazing place where a nightscape photographer could spend hours looking at the Milky Way. I hope you like it
Milkyway over the Caldera of Taburiente in La Palma. The seen of the boiler of the main volcano with the sea of clouds iluminated by the lights of the city is one of the most epic moment i have lived as photographer.
I took this photo in the Badain Jaran Desert, Inner Mongolia, China. I found a dune with a nice shape to serve as the foreground. At that moment, a comet had already appeared above the dune, and I captured this scene. In this instant, it felt as if it was the doomsday scenario of a comet crashing into the Earth.
Beneath the celestial dance of the aurora, the skeletal remains of the DC-3 lie frozen in time. The wreckage, once a vessel of the skies, now rests under nature’s luminous spectacle—a silent guardian of the Icelandic wilderness.
Sh2-119 «Забытая жемчужина» (Sh2-119 – The lost pearl in Cygnus )
Sh2-119 - эмиссионная туманность в созвездии Лебедя, так же известна как туманность Ракушка (The Clamshell Nebula). Она находится примерно в 2200 световых годах от Земли. При ближайшем рассмотрении туманность имеет форму эллипсоида, который охватывает звезду типа O7.5IIIn, обозначаемую как 68 Лебедя. Эта звезда довольно массивна, ее масса по оценкам ученых составляет 26 масс Солнца, а температура составляет порядка 34 000 Кельвинов.
Первоначальная гипотеза происхождения этой туманности предполагала, что Sh2-119 была побочным продуктом звездного ветра, исходящего от звезды 68 Лебедя. Однако недавние астрономические исследования показали, что Sh2-119 на самом деле является сферой Стрёмгрена, то есть представляет собой сферическую оболочку ионизованного водорода вокруг молодой звезды спектрального класса O или B. Теоретическое обоснование такой структуры подобного рода туманностей было дано Бенгтом Стрёмгреном в 1937 году. Таким образом, источником ионизации газов, заставляющим их излучать свет с определенными длинами волн, в туманности Sh2-119 как раз является звезда 68 Лебедя.
Всего 48,5 часов экспозиции:
445x300\" (Antlia ALP-T Ha&OIII)
53x600\" (Antlia ALP-T Ha&OIII)
153x60\" (Antlia V-Pro L)
Оборудование: SW Esprit 100 ED APO Triplet, ASI2600MC Pro, ZWO AM5, ZWO OAG-L с ASI220mm, WandererRotator Lite V2, WandererBox Ultimate V2.
10 years ago I visited Bolivia for the first time and I went to the Uyuni Salt flats and witnessed one of the most incredible landscapes. The place I liked the most was the Incahuasi Island. An island in the middle of the the world’s largest salt flat, full of giant cacti of up to 12 meters. 5 years later when I started doing astrophotography I always thought of returning to Bolivia and capture the milky way on that island. I was able to make it happen in 2023 with 2 astro friends from Bolivia and wanted to include the 3 of us in the photo to have this memory of that unique moment. In the heart of the Salar de Uyuni salt flats lies Isla Incahuasi, one of the main attractions for most visitors. The name, which means “house of the Inca” in the native language of Quechua, highlights the importance of the island to the Incans. Years ago local people would use Isla Incahuasi as a temporary refuge when crossing the salt flat. This hilly and rocky outcrop of land is the top of the remains of an ancient volcano which was submerged when the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, roughly 40,000 years ago. The coral composition around the island is a fascinating reminder that the flats used to be part of a gigantic lake.
Quiver Tree Hills, Kanaan Retreat, May 2024, Namibia
I found a bunch of quiver trees on top of the mountain and it wasn't an easy task to climb closer to the them. Despite the big stones and the danger of venomous species like snakes and scorpions hiding under the stones I wanted to reach one of the trees anyway. It was growing on the steep slope so I had some difficulties to level my tripod and the gear. But for the sake of the composition I had to do this. It was just a perfect moment when Orion was about to set and the arch stretches all the way to the queen of the southern sky - Gum Nebula.
The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers. This picture gives a voice to glaciers through astrophotography—a voice that urges humanity to combat climate change and preserve these critical ecosystems.
Captured in the Pyrenees, the Milky Way core arcs over the melting glacier. A solitary figure symbolizes humanity as both a witness to glacier loss and a catalyst for change.
Strolling in the Quiver Tree Forest, September 2023, Namibia
During the last days of my trip I decided to go south to reach this wonderful place. Boarding South Africa the region of Keetmanshoop has its own character. The terrain is mostly flat and builds long plateau shaped structures going down from Kalahari Desert to the Atlantic Ocean. These trees can be found in Namibia everywhere but they mostly grow in the south. One of those place where you can frequently see them is a Quiver Tree Forst near Keetmanshoop, a paradise for astrophotographers as well. Despite the light pollution of the neighboring town the Milky Way was bright enough so one can say it’s a bortle scale 1-2 of the sky darkness which is actually the case everywhere in Namibia.
I had been waiting for this photograph for several years... after two consecutive trips to Castelluccio, during flowering (one of the most magical moments of this place) I managed to find the right condition... everything was perfect
On April 2022 I visited El Chalten in Argentina and it became my favourite place. I wanted to capture the milky way above Fitz Roy mountain but it wasn\'t possible on that month so I returned next year in October planning to make the photo possible. Laguna de los 3 is a beautiful glacier lagoon located below Fitz Roy and other peaks with beautiful panoramic scenes so I chose that spot to make the shot (even though the lagoon was going to be frozen). We had to hike 12 kms to get there and we arrived just in time when the milky way was descending and aligning with the mountains as we planned. Luckily we had clear skies that night and I could achieve my dream shot.
The striking Turret Arch in Arches National Park, Utah, stands proudly beneath a sky full of wonders.
The Milky Way stretches its glowing arc above the rugged landscape, while meteors showers – Eta Aquarids and the Capricornids – paint the night with their brilliant trails.
A perfect meeting of Earth’s ancient beauty and the endless wonder of the cosmos. When the desert dresses in stars, magic is inevitable.
A volcano under the starry sky, this photo was taken on Taranaki Mountain, located in the Taranaki region of western North Island, New Zealand. It is a dormant volcano.
In the heart of New Mexico\'s desert, an otherworldly throne stands in silent majesty, bathed in the ethereal glow of the Milky Way. This nocturnal capture unveils the alien throne\'s mystical aura, a celestial dance between earth and cosmos. The long exposure reveals the vibrant hues of the night sky, painting a breathtaking backdrop to this geological wonder. A testament to the universe\'s grandeur and the captivating beauty of our planet.
On my way to Deadvlei I came across a dead forest of acacia trees. Since it wasn't allowed to stay in the national park during the night I decided to leave my camera with a motion control device there for the night of shooting. I knew nothing is gonna happen with my camera since it was an area where normally nobody stops over. Moreover, I could see a huge variety of compositions with trees. After long strolling in the forest I found this one pretty nice that was supposed to stretch under the Morning Milky Way arch. To my surprise the camera did a good job without having a constant connection to the phone. After marking the position on the phone it wasn't difficult to find my gear the next morning.
Panoramic shot taken at a little-known rock formation known as the New Wave, named for its distant resemblance to the famous The Wave. Despite the light pollution from the city of Page, the sky is still spectacular, especially in places like this.
Каспийский лотос – символ Астраханской области, загадочный цветок, который является священным во многих культурах. Лотос – реликтовое растение, он цвёл во времена динозавров и успешно пережил их!
Цветы лотоса закрываются на ночь только в первую ночь цветения, во второй день лепестки открываются шире, и больше уже не закрываются, на третий день они облетают. Остается коробочка с семенами, которая со временем потемнеет, оболочка семян высохнет и почерствеет – взойти они могут даже через несколько лет.
Увидеть цветение лотосов можно и в городе, но ближе к дельте Волги поля лотосов становятся все обширнее, а в сочетании с темным небом представляют собой уникальное в своей красоте зрелище ❤
I've been hiking and backpacking in the Pollino National Park for more than 5 years and I have to say that this is one of the most iconic spots I have come across.
You walk among these giant trees that look like weird skeletons with all sorts of shapes in the branches that still resist the harsh weather, even though they are essentially dead.
Pico de la Cruz in La Palma is one of the highest peaks, standing at 2354 meters, offering a beautiful view of the volcanic caldera. Fortunately, we set out from our accommodation in time, so we were able to witness the sunset. A short but steep rocky path leads to the viewpoint, which I had to tackle with a heavier backpack than usual, as I planned to create a timelapse. After setting up the tripod for the timelapse, I headed towards the summit, where this picture was taken, and waited for complete darkness to set in. I was very careful to always arrive at the locations on time, as in autumn, the Milky Way gradually moves lower in the sky after sunset. I managed to take the pictures relatively quickly, but the timelapse still needed time, so we spent about 2 more hours on the mountain, where the wind was incredibly strong at certain points. However, we eventually found a sheltered spot to weather the rest of the evening.
This impressive natural treasure, also known as Cueva de Candelaria, reveals a fascinating history that goes back centuries. In the 17th century, the cave served as a refuge for local fishermen during pirate attacks, allowing them to escape their pursuers thanks to its two entrances—a feature that confused the pirates and saved many lives. Today, around 20 houses in the cave are inhabited, either by fishermen or islanders.
Expecting a very dark place at night, I knew we had to arrive while there was still daylight to scout compositions. Additionally, the road leading there is one of the steepest I've ever driven; only cars with sufficient horsepower can make it back up. We parked during sunset, but we weren’t there yet. We still had to scramble about 300 meters along a fairly steep, rocky path to reach the cave. After sunset, we were left alone in the cave with some rowdy cats and strange-sounding birds, making the experience even more thrilling.
EXIF:
Sony A7IIIa + Sony A7RIII
Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM + Sony 14mm f/1.8 GM
Benro Polaris
Sky (35mm): f/1.4, 60s, ISO 640 (3 panels x 2 rows) + H-alpha: f/1.4, 120s, ISO 1250 (2 panels x 2 rows)
Foreground (14mm): f/1.8, ISO 100, 20s (taken at blue hour)
Location: La Palma, Canary Islands
Date: 2024.09.25.
Looking at the display of my camera in the middle of the night I observed how the sky was changing. When I was about to shoot the Milky Way core I noticed everything became incredibly green. Apparently the airglow tends to change its color from red and orange to green when the temperature drops during the night. The Milky Way core was moving to the top of the exquisite Kanaan Tree and that was a perfect moment to capture the sky in all its beauty.
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while I was scouting the location of my last hike before sunset, I noticed that this tree would point almost exactly at polaris so I planned to make a star trail during the night.
After shooting the milkyway on the ridge of the mountain I came back to the campsite where I found a couple of wild horses browsing right next to my tent.
I set up my camera hoping that they would leave it alone and then went to sleep.
High in the French Pyrenees, under a blanket of stars, a breathtaking scene unfolds. The rugged peaks stand in silent majesty, illuminated by the celestial glow above. This image captures the raw beauty of the mountains, a testament to the power of nature and the magic of a starry night. The vastness of the universe stretches out before us, inviting us to explore its mysteries and marvel at its wonders. A moment of peace and tranquility, where the only sound is the gentle whisper of the wind.
Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna) near San Pedro de Atacama in Chile\'s Atacama Desert features surreal landscapes with rugged salt formations, towering sand dunes, and unique rock shapes, resembling the moon\\\\\\\'s surface. I spent 3 nights in this incredible place searching for compositions to align with the milky way arch and luckily i found a rock formation full of salt that aligned perfectly in the center. I decided to climb to include myself in the photo to gave some sense of scale to this vast moon like place. Here I was able to witness the most incredible and clear sky to date.
Under a sky streaked with celestial trails, a lone lighthouse stands steadfast, its beacon cutting through the vast expanse of time and space. The swirling arcs of starlight above symbolize the universe’s eternal motion, while the lighthouse remains an unwavering guardian of the night. This image is a poetic contrast between movement and stillness, a reminder of guidance amidst the infinite.
Probably because of its exquisite shape I decided to stop by one of the first trees while entering Deadvlei to photograph my timelapse. This star trails image is composite of sigle images from almost 4 hours constant shooting with 14mm lens.
Photo taken in September 2023 during a trip over the West Coast in the USA. This rock, known as Delicate Arch is an amazing wonder of nature, located in the Arches National Park. The night I took this photo I was alone in the place ther arch is. Just me giving light to the arch
On the night of January 20, 2025, under favorable weather conditions, an observation session was conducted in Sierras de Mahoma, San José, Uruguay, to capture Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS).
Comets undergo significant transformations as they approach the Sun. While their solid nucleus of ice and rock is only a few kilometers across, the heat from the Sun causes them to release dust and gas, forming an extensive tail. In this image, Comet ATLAS displays a prominent dust and ion tail, extending across the sky and spanning several times the apparent size of the full Moon.
As night falls over the snow-covered landscape of Sifangding, a solitary cabin glows like a beacon of warmth amidst the vast, untouched wilderness. The crisp winter air, the soft blanket of snow, and the twinkling stars above create a serene yet enchanting atmosphere. This image captures the quiet poetry of winter—where isolation meets comfort, and the cold night embraces the warmth within.
You can only take this shot once a year, at 12 PM when the lights hit the city in every direction, everyone would be standing under the famous Burj Khalifa, pointing their phones and cameras up to take photos of the firework show, but no one does take a photo for the show, which is one of the most amazing things you can ever watch in real life, take this photo you have to leave your friends and family behind, Go to a hotel room that’s exactly facing Burj Khalifa, and wait patiently for the moment where the most amount of lights is shining for split second because these lights will flash as fast as you can blink.
This was my bucket shot that I ended 2023 and started 2024 with.
Mars and Jupiter close to winter Milkyway. In the image you can see the Monoceros and the Orion molecular cloud complexes
From SPAIN
DATE: JANUARY 23 , 2025
Fortunately, I was able to capture several meteors around the galaxy core despite the light pollution emanating from Bais City in the background. I owe a great deal of thanks to PhotoPills app, which enabled me to capture the Lyrid Meteor Shower and the Milky Way perfectly aligned with the mangrove tree. This was shot during Earth Day 2023.
The vast area in the south of the Izu Peninsula, including Nishi-Izu and Minami-Izu, is made up of submarine volcanoes and volcanic islands that erupted before Izu collided with Honshu. Senganmon at the end of the promenade and Mount Eboshi, which can be seen to the right of Senganmon, are \"volcanic roots\" where the \"magma path\" that was once underground of an underwater volcano has emerged on the ground. It is part of \"Gankei))\". Senganmon has a tunnel (sea cave) carved by waves in the center of the rock and looks like a giant gate on the outside, which is part of the Kumomi Sengen Shrine on top of Mount Eboshi. It is called \"Sengenmon\" because it looks like a Japanese gate, but it is called \"Senganmon\" because it is said to be worth seeing.
The old abandoned pine tree in the Jaén mountains resists time, with its dry branches pointing to the sky. Surrounded by bushes and stones, its cracked trunk tells stories of storms and scorching suns. Although lonely, it remains a refuge for birds.
In all the beauty of this place, what particularly struck me was the shape and the particularity of this tree that was oriented exactly in the direction of the Milky Way... so I changed my plan from what I had planned and this is the result... what do you think? Tell me in the comments below.
Гора Большое Богдо в Астраханской области - единственное место в европейской части России, где на поверхность выходят слои, сформированные 200 - 250 миллионов лет назад. И еще это единственная в России растущая гора!
С карьера Кнауф я увидела вот эту точку съемки, где видно и гору, и озеро, да еще и Млечный Путь должен был к ночи подняться над самым пиком, но как же было сложно туда добраться! Большинство подъездов к ней закрыты, т.к. это территория заповедника, а если снимать из поселка, то сильно мешают фонари.
Ровно в полночь, в ту самую минуту, когда я родилась 42 года назад, мы все-таки нашли путь к ней! Выхожу я из машины и что я вижу? Фонари у озера, которые засвечивают полнеба! Я возмущаюсь, негодую, показываю пальцем на фонари... и они выключаются!))))
Вот так люди и приобретают магическое мышление и манию величия! Knock knock, Neo ;)
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for my last hiking experience in the Pollino National Park I chose to come back where it all started, on the summit of Serra di Crispo.
5 years ago I spent my first night here with a group of great photographers and was fascinated by the beauty of this place and the night sky.
Since then I always tried to improve my knowledge and preparedness about mountains and hiking, until I started taking solo trips to challenge myself and rely only on my own strength.
This time has been a bit of a time trial because I reached the trailhead in the afternoon and had to walk almost 3 hours to reach the summit, prepare my camp and scout the location for the night, but even with my usual 20kg backpack I managed to pull it off and found some interesting spots.
This particular group of trees was really unique and immediately caught my attention, they are all Heldreich\'s pines, probably hundreds of years old, but two of them are dead after resisting the harsh weather of the mountain.
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This image is a blend of a blue hour shot for the foreground, one shot for the selfie and a tracked mosaic for the sky, taken right past the trees on the ridge of the peak, with a 35mm lens.
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Laguna Capri, el Chalten. Vista privilegiada desde la laguna al cerro Fitz Roy. La localidad de el Chalten es conocida por ser la capital del trekking en Argentina. Una noche acampando agreste me permito obtener esta toma.
Milky Way with Villarrica Volcano in Chile.
This capture was made in the Villarrica national park, 10 km from the city of Pucón, in the ninth region in the south of Chile, the actively erupting volcano named Villarrica or in the native peoples Ruka Pillán, or house of the pillán (spirit ), is a stratovolcano of 2947 meters above sea level. high, adjacent to lakes Villarrica and Calafquén, it is one of the most active in South America and has an almost perfect conical shape.
The sight of the Milky Way stretching across the sky above the terraced rice fields of Sáng Nhù and Mù Cang Chải is nothing short of mesmerizing. Under the deep, velvety night sky, the stars twinkle brightly, while the silvery band of the Milky Way arcs gracefully overhead. Below, the rice terraces—arranged in the shape of a vast, winding horseshoe—reflect the starlight in their flooded surface, creating a stunning mirror effect.
\"The Essence of the north\"
Northern Lights 02/01/2025 + meteor (19:50 MSK) + the temperature -25(C). Perfect!!!
Location: abandoned Palace of Culture, settlement \"Promishleniy\", Vorkuta city
– Рейтинг фотографов по странам и городам строится на основе 3-х лучших фотографий автора и их относительной позиции в каждой отдельной номинации. Рейтинг в номинации "Мобильная фотография" учитывается в меньшей степени для формирования рейтинга. В списке по странам и городам показывается одна фотография автора с лучшим рейтингом.
– В списке опубликованы только работы которые прошли 2-й этап голосования.
– В рейтинге лучших фотографий учитывается только одна — самая сильная — работа от каждого автора. Даже если у фотографа опубликовано несколько работ, в расчёте позиции используется только одна, с наившим рейтингом. Поэтому порядок фотографий в списке может не совпадать с итоговым положением автора в рейтинге.
– The rating of photographers by countries and cities is based on the three best photos of the author and their relative position in each separate nomination. Rating in the nomination "Mobile Photography" is taken into account to a lesser extent for rating formation. The list by country and city shows one photo of the author with the best rating.
– Only those photos have been published in the list that passed the second stage of voting.
– Only one strongest photo from each author is counted in the Best Photos ranking. Even if a photographer has several published works, only the highest-rated one is used to calculate their ranking position. As a result, the order of photos in the list may not match the author's final ranking position.
