OT Staff
Capture the Atlas has released its seventh Milky Way Photographer of the Year collection. The Milky Way is best observed with peak visibility between May and June. For the best shots, it's crucial to be in areas free from light pollution, such as cities, and at higher elevations.
Tom Rae captured the "galactic core rising out of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook." The frame includes a mesmerising nearby glacial lake, its cyan hue adding to the magic.
In the picture is the rugged terrain of Atacama desert with its ancient rocks, and the burnt tufts of grass create a mesmerising composition.
Yuri Beletsky has captured blue lagoon under the stars in the Atacama desert that looks nothing short of enchanting. "The Galactic Center was already shining high up in the sky, while the Zodiacal light beautifully complemented it on the right," said Beletsky.
The picture entitled 'Atmospheric Fireworks' is taken at Château de Losse (Dordogne). "It is a rare natural pehenomenon caused by a chemical reaction in the high atmosphere, where the sun's rays excite molecules which then emit very low light (chimiluminescence)," said Looten.
Rachel Roberts' 'Bluff Hut' was selected for the Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2024. It is her second inclusion to the contest and the picture is that of a beautifully dark and clear sky of West Cost, New Zealand.
Taken in Utah, this picture is from a roadtrip taken by Marcin Zajac. It was taken during spring when he was hired by the Utah Office of Tourism to take images that will be used to promote the state.
The Vršič Pass, nestled in the Julian Alps of Slovenia, stands as the highest mountain pass in the country and the Eastern Julian Alps. It serves as a vital link between Upper Carniola and the Trenta Valley in the Slovene Littoral.
Taking by Rositsa Dimitrova, this picture is from Socotra, an island in Yemen. Lying between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea and near major shipping routes, Socotra is the largest of the four islands in the Socotra archipelago.
Taken by John Rutter, this picture is from Mungo National Park, a protected national park that is located in south-western New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The archaeological treasures of Mungo Man and Mungo Woman were found here at Mungo National Park and are carbon dated to over 40,000 years old.
In his post, Mihail Minkov writes, "astrophotography makes visible what is invisible to the eye and reveals the beauty of the starry sky." He hold that the feeling of "under the Milky Way Arch on a warm summer night, surrounded by the sounds of crickets and the scent of lavender, is an experience that is hard to describe or forget."