Astrophotographer Jason Kurth loves a challenge, so much so that he decided to do what it took to put together the most detailed “ring of fire” timelapse ever produced. To make it happen, he spent more than a year planning, purchased a new computer, and hauled 200 pounds of equipment across the United States. The result is a stunning 8K timelapse made up of almost 2,000 images.

While Kurth had previous experience making solar timelapses, he'd never had the opportunity to image an annular solar eclipse. Also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, October 2023 was the first time in nearly two years that the rare phenomenon had occurred. And once Kurth had the date on the calendar, he knew that this was his moment.

“I started making these solar timelapses [and] I knew that I wanted to eventually make one during an eclipse to show the movement of the solar chromosphere and the detail in solar prominences as the Moon eclipsed the Sun,” he tells My Modern Met. “Solar eclipses are exciting and rare events, and with my passion for astrophotography, I wanted to do something special for it. Capturing it in so much detail with a hydrogen solar telescope for a full timelapse would be the ultimate way to do it.”

Kurth, who is based in Florida, flew to Utah with 200 pounds of camera equipment, including a custom double-stacked hydrogen alpha solar telescope and a monochrome camera that can capture the solar chromosphere in ultra-high resolution. Moving so much equipment was a logistical challenge, and there was always the risk that the weather wouldn't cooperate.

Luckily, for the duration of the three-hour event, everything went smoothly, and, in the end, Kurth shot over 200,000 photos. From there, the biggest challenge was processing the enormous amount of data and working in post-processing to make the timelapse as smooth and clear as possible.

“Over four terabytes of data were gathered and processed, and this project required a newly built 24-core workstation with 192 gigabytes of RAM to handle processing the data,” shared Kurth. “I don’t believe any annular eclipse has been captured in this much detail before.”

And Kurth may be correct. Logging in at just under two minutes, the timelapse is a glorious look at this special event. While the Sun appears to stand still, a close look shows the whirling, swirling chromosphere. Solar flares and prominences slowly shoot up and dance as the looming darkness of the Moon slowly passes across the Sun.

Of course, everything culminates in the “ring of fire” created when the Moon is directly in front of the Sun. At this moment, we see just a gold band sparking in the sky. Then, the Moon continues on its path, slowly revealing the giant star once again. Thanks to Kurth's dedication and hard work, anyone can revel in the wonder of this event.

Astrophotographer Jason Kurth created an incredible 8K timelapse of October's “Ring of Fire” eclipse.

He used nearly 2,000 images to put together this detailed look at the rare event.

“I don’t believe any annular eclipse has been captured in this much detail before.”

Jason Kurth: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jason Kurth.

Related Articles:

NASA Shares Spectacular 10-Year Time-Lapse Video of the Sun

NASA Releases Incredible Photos of This Weekend’s “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse

Astrophotographer Takes 600,000 Photos To Offer an Amazingly Clear View of Jupiter

Photographer Turns Six Years of Documenting Storms into One Mesmerizing Time-Lapse Film

READ: Astrophotographer Uses 2,000 Images To Create 8K Time-Lapse of “Ring of Fire” Eclipse

Photographer Dan Zafra is an expert at traveling the world to capture stunning images, including exceptional shots of the Milky Way. Through his company, Capture the Atlas, Zafra and his partner Ascen share their love for adventure and photography by leading photo tours in some of the world's most scenic sites. But if you can't make it on location with them, you can still learn some of Zafra's tricks for photographing the Milky Way with his excellent tutorials.

Recently, Zafra spent time in New Zealand, where he captured a mesmerizing image of our galaxy arching over a glacier valley in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. The image, titled Aoraki Starlight has a foreground made from seven vertical images and a sky formed from 10 tracked vertical images.

Zafra's planning to bring the image to life was extensive and began a year prior to touching down in New Zealand. He long dreamed of taking his astrophotography to the area, particularly as the park has the largest international dark sky reserve in the world.

Using Google Earth Pro, Zafra began to scout locations where he might be able to view the Milky Way. In particular, he was keen to shoot in the Hooker Valley, a popular walking track that affords breathtaking views. Zafra honed in on Hooker Lake, where it's possible to see Mt. Cook and the lake together with glaciers.

Mt. Cook and Hooker Lake at sunset

Google Earth showed a potential composition that would allow Zafra to take a photo of the Milky Way arch with the Hooker River running below it. He then turned to the popular Photopills app to verify what he'd seen in Google. It all appeared to line up, so all he had to do was wait until he was on location to see if his research was correct.

After hiking to the location just before sunset, he used Photopills in augmented reality mode to verify where the Milky Way would sit. And, to his delight, his research was correct. He then hiked up a rock by the river to have the perfect vantage point and waited for the night sky to start its show.

Using long exposures and a star-tracker, he was able to capture the night sky even with total darkness. For equipment, he had his astromodified Sony A7III and his go-to lens for Milky Way photography—the Sony 20 mm f/1.8. Once the night sky imagery was underway, he set up a second tripod. Using a Sony A1 and the Sony 14 mm GM f/1.8, he photographed the foreground.

In less than 30 minutes, he had all the images he needed. Now it was time to get to the computer and edit the photo together. After adjusting the exposure and white balance, he created two panoramas—one for the foreground and one for the background. He then used Starnet+ in Pixinsight for specific star reduction before jumping into Photoshop.

Once Zafra was in Photoshop, he had the difficult task of seamlessly blending together the panoramas so that the end result would be one uniform photo. Once the photo is blended, Zafra takes care to apply special filters and adjustments to make the Milky Way pop while still maintaining the natural look and feel of the image. He usually takes a day away from the photo and then, with fresh eyes, comes back and finishes it off.

All of Zafra's efforts certainly paid off with a dreamy final result that leaves a lasting impression. To get more news and behind-the-scenes tips from Zafra, check out Capture the Atlas' photography guides. And, if you can't make it out in the field with Zafra, he also has an online Milky Way photography course that you can follow at your leisure.

When photographer Dan Zafra was planning a trip to New Zealand, he knew that he needed a photo of the Milky Way at Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park.

After extensive online research, he used the Photopills app in augmented reality mode to ensure the Milky Way would appear as he hoped.

Then he hiked up a rock near Hooker Lake and set up his gear.

He shot the foreground and background separately using different gear.

Background test shot

Foreground test shot

Once he was at home editing, he created two panoramas from the images he'd shot on sight.

He then blended the images together in Photoshop, making small adjustments to the vignetting and color until he was pleased with the result.

Blended photo

Photo with vignetting adjustments

Capture the Atlas: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Dan Zafra.

Related Articles:

Free Photography Tutorial Explores the Magic of Polarizing Lens Filters

13 Astrophotographers Capturing the Awe-Inspiring Wonders of the Galaxy

5 Pro Photography Secrets to Capturing Powerful Wide-Angle Landscape Photos

Rare Photos of the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) Filling the Sky With Energy

READ: Astrophotographer Shares Creative Process for Taking the Perfect Milky Way Photo

This year has been great for astrophotography. Among the many astronomical events that have taken place, four supermoons have lit up the night sky with their beauty in 2023. Photographer Soumyadeep Mukherjee set out to capture all four of them, bringing them together in a sweeping sequence that shows their similarities and differences.

“Being an amateur astrophotographer and an avid lover of the sky, I'm always fascinated with all the objects in the sky including the Moon,” Mukherjee tells My Modern Met. Despite his fascination with the cosmos, the Kolkata, India-based photographer rarely gets a chance to capture celestial bodies. “Living in a metro city under Bortle 9 skies, unfortunately I do not get a lot of opportunities to image the deep sky objects. [The] Moon is something that is comparatively less affected by light pollution. Supermoons are always special as they appear larger and brighter than other full moons, and create an excitement among the masses.”

The four supermoons captured by Mukherjee are the July 3 Buck Moon, the August 1 Sturgeon Moon, the blue supermoon from August 30, and the September 29 Harvest Moon. A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, which is known as a “perigee.” This makes them appear bigger and brighter in the night sky.

“This image is a part of a long-term project that I'm doing with photographing the full moon every month,” Mukherjee shares. “In 2022, I created a similar image with all the supermoons. This year I had a similar plan with the four supermoons. However, this time I wanted a different representation in the form of a 3D effect.” To document them, the photographer used a Nikon D5600 camera with a Sigma 150-600c lens on a Leofoto tripod. The post processing took him a total of two days.

What makes Mukherjee's image extra special is that it features the last blue supermoon before 2037. A blue moon is the second full moon to occur within a calendar month; so getting the chance to capture two supermoons with such detail within a few weeks is remarkable and exceptional.

To stay up to date with Mukherjee's astrophotography, you can follow him on Instagram.

Photographer Soumyadeep Mukherjee set out to capture all four supermoons of 2023, bringing them together in a sweeping sequence that shows their similarities and differences.

Soumyadeep Mukherjee: Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Soumyadeep Mukherjee.

Related Articles:

Optical Phenomenon of Rainbow Contrails Are Captured Shooting Out of Planes

Incredible Photo of JetBlue Flight Passing Over Blue Supermoon

People Are Sharing Their Photos of the Last Supermoon of 2020, AKA the Flower Moon

Hi-Res Photos of the Moon Highlight a Crater Deeper Than the Grand Canyon

READ: Astrophotographer Captures All Four Supermoons of 2023 and Combines Them Into One Image

Most of us know of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, but did you know that the Southern Hemisphere has its own natural light show? Photographer Dan Zafra of Capture the Atlas traveled to southern New Zealand, where he was able to photograph the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights. While not as widely known as its northern companion, the Southern Lights put on just as good a display.

While photographing the Northern Lights is already tricky, requiring advanced planning and some luck, getting the Southern Lights on camera is even more difficult. Zafra outlined all the challenges that he faced when thinking about how to view this aurora and capture it on film.

“Realistically, you can only photograph them in Southern New Zealand/Australia,” he shared, noting that it's also possible in Antarctica. But as only scientists can winter there, that location is out of the question.

“The second challenge is the solar activity; you need a really strong show to have the opportunity to see them. The third part is location. Unlike the Northern Lights, which ‘dance' across the entire sky on big shows, the Aurora Australis is limited to the South and lower in the horizon, so any location blocked by mountains will prevent you from seeing it.”

And, of course, the weather also needs to cooperate. As Zafra hunkered down in Dunedin, which is located on New Zealand's South Island, there were several days when the solar activity was either too weak or cloud cover was too strong to get any good photos.

Luckily, Zafra's luck then turned around after he decided to drive a few hours to the Eastern Coast, where the weather was better. His gamble paid off, and he was awarded three consecutive days of spectacular auroras. Given that the light show was sandwiched between astronomical twilight and sunrise, he had just a few minutes to get a few good shots in before the colorful lights disappeared.

“It might not be my best Aurora image,” he confesses, “but it is definitely one of the most specials I have ever captured.”

On a recent trip to New Zealand, photographer Dan Zafra had a chance to capture images of the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights.

Capture the Atlas: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Dan Zafra.

Related Articles:

Behold the Best Northern Lights Photographs of 2022

The Best Milky Way Photographers of the Year Show the Beauty of Our Galaxy

Photographer Chronicles a Magical Week of Swimming With Orcas in Norway

15 Dazzling Winners of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

READ: Rare Photos of the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) Filling the Sky With Energy

Backyard astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy is willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot that he's after. And, in the case of his latest photo, that could even mean traveling to a remote location to set up his equipment on the side of the road. The results were well worth it, as he came away with what he calls “the most science-fiction photo” that he's ever taken.

McCarthy has taken many photographs of the ISS transit, but to make this photo happen, he needed to leave his house at 2 a.m. to make the hour-long drive and set up everything before the event occurred at 6 a.m. “That’s hard for an astrophotographer who is used to staying up late and sleeping in until 10,” he jokes.

Since transits occur in a split second, McCarthy set up two telescopes to ensure that he wouldn't miss the big moment. Luckily, both telescopes managed to capture the transit, which gave McCarthy a wealth of images to work with when creating the final photograph.

Titled From Kepler with Love, the image is a testament to McCarthy's love for the stars and dedication to his craft. For all the difficulties in taking the photos, from long drives to being hassled by locals, it's well worth his time if it allows him to share his passion with others.

“We’re at a time when we’re so divided, that being able to collectively come together and appreciate the beauty of our universe could be a step towards uniting us,” he shares.

From Kepler with Love is available as a limited edition print on McCarthy's website, so you can have a piece of outer space right in your own home.

Backyard astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy recently captured the International Space Station passing in front of the moon.

An ISS transit happens in less than a second, so there is little room for error.

My latest lunar transit photo is available to subscribers in about 2 hours, who will also get early access to the limited edition print. This is the most science-fiction looking shot I've ever captured. Sharing the source video to try and stay ahead of the “CGI” comments pic.twitter.com/357Rd1dnWI

— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) September 13, 2023

To capture the event, which occurred at 6 a.m., he had to drive to a remote location and set up on the side of the road.

He used two telescopes to ensure that he wouldn't miss the big moment.

Luckily, all of his planning paid off, and he was able to capture what he considers “the most science-fiction photo” he's ever taken.

Andrew McCarthy: Website | Instagram | Patreon | TikTok | YouTube

READ: Astrophotographer Travels to Remote Location to Capture Photo of ISS Transit

“Andromeda, Unexpected” © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner and Yann Sainty. Overall winner and Winner Galaxies.
“A team of amateur astronomers led by Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and Yann Sainty made a surprising discovery − a huge plasma arc next to the Andromeda Galaxy. Scientists are now investigating the newly discovered giant in a transnational collaboration. It could be the largest such structure in the nearby environment in the Universe. The Andromeda Galaxy is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way. It is undoubtedly one of the most photographed deep-sky objects ever. The new discovery of such a large structure in the immediate vicinity of the galaxy was all the more surprising.”

Organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest is in its 15th year and has become a highly anticipated event for lovers of astronomy and astrophotography. And this year, a big discovery by a group of amateur astronomers won. Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and Yann Sainty took home the top prize for their image of a large plasma arc next to the Andromeda Galaxy.

While Andromeda is one of the most photographed objects in deep space, the arc has never been previously observed. Scientists are now studying the plasma arc, which might be the largest structure of its kind this close to our Universe. The image highlights the key role that amateur astronomers still have in making discoveries about outer space.

“It's an enormous honor for our team to receive this important award, and we are grateful for all the support, friendship, and encouragement we have received along our journey,” shares the team. “It encourages us to continue to pursue our passion for astrophotography and, of course, research with dedication.”

For their part, the judges were highly impressed by the quality of the image. “This astrophoto is as spectacular as it is valuable. It not only presents Andromeda in a new way, but also raises the quality of astrophotography to a new level,” says competition judge László Francsics.

The winning image from the youth competition was also a team effort. Runwei Xu and Binyu Wang, both 14 years old, share the title of Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year for their beautiful photo of the Running Chicken Nebula. The detail and clarity of their photograph prove that great astrophotography can happen at any age.

Other standouts include Monika Deviat's photo of a green sliver of an aurora in isolation, which almost looks like a brushstroke and a rare glimpse of the Moon passing in front of Mars by Ethan Chappel. These photographs won the Aurorae and Our Moon categories, respectively. They were both awarded for their originality and the high level of skill needed to create the image.

Scroll down to see all the winners of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. They will all be on display in an exhibition opening September 16, 2023, at the National Maritime Museum.

Check out the incredible winning astrophotography from the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.

“The Running Chicken Nebula” © Runwei Xu and Binyu Wang. Winner Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year.
“The Running Chicken Nebula, IC2944, is located in the constellation of Centaurus, 6,000 light years away from the Earth. Embedded in the nebula’s glowing gas the star cluster Collinder 249 is visible.”

“A Sun Question” © Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau. Winner Our Sun.
“A photograph of the Sun with a huge filament in the shape of a question mark. Solar filaments are arcs of plasma in the Sun’s atmosphere given shape by magnetic fields. The photo is a mosaic of two panels.”

“Brushstroke” © Monika Deviat. Winner Aurorae.
“An abstract aurora in the shape of a brushstroke. Unusually, the photographer decided to photograph the aurora in isolation.”

“Mars-Set © Ethan Chappel. Winner Our Moon.
“An occultation of Mars that took place on 8 December 2022. During the occultation, the Moon passes in front of the planet Mars, allowing the astrophotographer to capture both objects together. The image shows Mars behind the Moon’s southern side in impressive detail.”

“Suspended in a Sunbeam”© Tom Williams. Winner Planets, Comets & Asteroids.
“A unique view of Venus using infrared or ultraviolet false color. By going beyond the visible part of the spectrum, a myriad of fine detail within the upper atmosphere of the planet is revealed.”

“Grand Cosmic Fireworks” © Angel An. Winner Skyscapes.
“Sprites are an extremely rare phenomenon of atmospheric luminescence that appear like fireworks. An took this photograph from the highest ridge of the Himalaya mountains.”

“New Class of Galactic Nebulae Around the Star YY Hya” © Marcel Drechsler. Winner Stars & Nebulae.
“A team of amateur astronomers, led by Marcel Drechsler from Germany and Xavier Strottner from France, were able to make an important contribution to the study of the evolution of binary star systems: on old images of sky surveys, they discovered a previously unknown galactic nebula. At its center, a pair of stars surrounded by a common envelope was found. On over 100 nights, more than 360 hours of exposure time were collected. The result shows an ultra-deep stellar remnant that the team has baptized ‘the heart of the Hydra.’”

All of the winning photos will be included in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.

“Close Encounters of The Haslingden Kind” © Katie McGuinness. Highly Commended People & Space.
“Haslingden’s Halo is an 18-meter diameter sculpture located in the hills of Lancashire. McGuinness took inspiration from the Close Encounters of The Third Kind film poster to create her image. More than 150 images, taken over an hour and with exposures of 25 seconds each, were combined to show the apparent rotation of stars around Polaris.”

“Black Echo” © John White. Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation.
“Taking audio source material from NASA’s Chandra Sonification Project, White visually captured the sound of the black hole at the center of the Perseus Galaxy.
The audio was played through a speaker onto which White attached a petri dish, blacked out at the bottom and then filled with about 3 mm of water. Using a macro lens and halo light in a dark room, White experimented with the audio and volumes to explore the various patterns made in the liquid.”

“Zeila” © Vikas Chander. Winner People & Space.
“The most northerly part of Namibia’s Atlantic facing coast is one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world and has gained the name the Skeleton Coast.
The ship in this photo, Zeila, was stranded on 25 August 2008 and is still in a well-preserved state. The image shows the delicate colors of different star types.”

“The Eyes Galaxies” © Weitang Liang. Runner Up Galaxies.
“The Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4438) are the famous interacting galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. They’re small and require a large telescope to reveal their many components, such as the dust in the middle and the tiny flares on the left and right. Those tiny details have rarely been revealed on other amateur images.”

“Last Full Moon of the Year Featuring a Colourful Corona During a Close Encounter with Mars” © Miguel Claro. Highly Commended Our Moon.
“A photograph of the last Full Moon of 2022 immersed in clouds. The colourful ring surrounding the Moon is a lunar corona, which occurs when moonlight is diffracted though water droplets in the Earth’s atmosphere. Mars can just be seen to the right of the Moon, appearing as a small orange dot.”

“Moon at Nightfall” © Haohan Sun. Highly Commended Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year.
“A photograph of a moonrise over the Xinghai Bay Bridge in Dalian. Atmospheric extinction alters the hue and brightness of the Moon when it is low on the horizon. In this photo, you can see the Moon appears brighter and less red as it rises in the sky.”

“Sh2-132: Blinded by the Light” © Aaron Wilhelm. The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer.
“The Sh2-132 complex lies near the border of the Cepheus and Lacerta constellations and contains multiple deep sky structures. The photograph includes 70 hours of data, the rich interplay of all the gasses reveals something different each time you look at it.”

Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Related Articles:

20 Outstanding Winners of the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

18 Otherworldly Finalists From the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

Finalists of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest Bring Us Exceptional Views of the Stars

Spectacular Finalists of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest Explore the Stars and Beyond

READ: 15 Dazzling Winners of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

When a rare blue supermoon appeared in late August, astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy was ready. Known for his highly detailed images of the stars, McCarthy never misses a celestial event. While bad weather nearly foiled his plans, the clouds parted just in time for him to capture a once-in-a-lifetime image from his home in Arizona.

Not only did McCarthy capture the blue supermoon in rich, colorful detail, but he also happened to snap a shot right when a plane passed in front of the moon. The silhouette of the airplane only enhances the image, adding a hint of humanity to the photo and providing scale to show just how large the moon is.

McCarthy, who used three telescopes to capture the scene in full color, took to the internet to see if anyone could identify the plane. Luckily, the team at Flightradar24 was able to track down the information by asking McCarthy his exact location and the time of the photo. They then checked their data and saw two aircrafts in the area at that time.

By zooming into McCarthy's image to see more details of the plane, they concluded that he'd captured a JetBlue flight traveling from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale. In a beautiful case of the internet bringing people together, the First Officer from the flight thanked McCarthy for his unique perspective of the air trip.

“I love the power of the internet,” McCarthy tweeted. “I take a photo of the silhouette of some strangers many miles away and within 24 hours I’m able to show them the photo.”

Thanks to this detective work, McCarthy was able to get in touch with the flight crew and send them a copy of the image. It's also available for sale, in limited quantities, on his website. See more of McCarthy's incredible astrophotography on Instagram and consider supporting his work for some cool perks over on Patreon.

Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy captured the silhouette of a plane passing in front of August's rare blue supermoon.

He turned to the internet for help in discovering which flight he'd photographed.

Capturing the plane was a complete accident, but worked out nicely in the composition so I left it in. I wonder if I can track down the pilot and let them know I got a photo of them? pic.twitter.com/QwSwUKy6f6

— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) August 31, 2023

Thankfully, Flightradar24 was able to step in and help.

Here’s how we used Flightradar24’s playback feature to find out that the aircraft in @AJamesMcCarthy’s stunning photo of last night’s blue moon is a @JetBlue A320. https://t.co/aAff1wXES1 https://t.co/Hexo9NBYB4

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 31, 2023

This allowed him to connect with the flight crew.

Awesome shot!
I just signed up an account here to thank you for the picture. I was the First Officer of this flight, JetBlue 30 SAN-FLL.

— Aroldo Vichiett Netto (@AroldoVichiett) August 31, 2023

Andrew McCarthy: Website | Instagram | Patreon | TikTok | YouTube

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Andrew McCarthy.

Related Articles:

Photographer Accidentally Captures Stunning Shot of Plane Flying Across the Sun

Amazing “GigaMoon” Made of 280,000 Photos Captures Detailed Surface of the Moon

Astrophotographer Takes 600,000 Photos To Offer an Amazingly Clear View of Jupiter

Photographer Captures Sight of “Christmas Comet” Before It Leaves Our Solar System Forever

READ: Incredible Photo of JetBlue Flight Passing Over Blue Supermoon

German photographer Nicholas Roemmelt spends his days examining people in the dentist's chair and his weekend in his “second office”—the Alps. For the past 20 years, Roemmelt has spent his evenings in the mountains, letting his creativity run wild. And for his efforts, he's come away with some of the most incredible astrophotography.

Perhaps his most well-known image is his 2018 composite of the Milky Way and the Perseid meteor shower taken from Mount Tschirgant in the Alps. In order to bring the image to life, Roemmelt shot frame after frame, but in most of them the meteor wasn't in the composition. Thankfully, he kept at it and was rewarded with the now-praised image, which was recently named NASA's Astronomy Photo of the Day.

“It is, of course, a blend of different pictures, but the camera wasn’t moved between the different captures, so it’s not a fake composite,” Roemmelt tells My Modern Met. “The foreground, the Milky Way, and the [Perseids] shooting star have been together in one single picture.

“I then added—and blended—the pictures for the exposure bracketing due to the bright lights of the city and a focus stack with the person in the foreground.”

Roemmelt's incredible portfolio proves that this image wasn't a fluke, as his skill is evident. Whether climbing a mountain under the stars or tucked into the ice for a good night's sleep, he always has his camera ready. And the results are a testament to his adventurous spirit.

“I always want to take the viewer with me on my hikes and climbs,” he confesses. “I love to place a human element in the landscape to give a scale to the scenery and so people can better identify with the scene. I want the viewers to wonder how it feels like to stand there at the edge of that cliff under a sky full of stars in the middle of the night.”

A dentist by day, photographer Nicholas Roemmelt spends his evenings in the Alps.

His incredible astrophotography combines his love for the night sky with his passion for adventure.

Through his photography, he hopes to bring viewers along with him as he hikes and climbs the Alps.

He often places people in the scene in order to give a sense of scale.

He hopes that people see his work and realize that they can still get out and see the Milky Way for themselves.

Nicholas Roemmelt: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Nicholas Roemmelt.

Related Articles:

Astrophotographers Around the World Share Their Best Photos of the Milky Way

Dazzling Photo of the Milky Way Glitters Over Death Valley’s Famous Racetrack Playa

Astrophotographer Spends Months Planning “Impossible” Blended Panorama of the Milky Way Arches

Photographer Captures Neowise Comet, Milky Way, and Northern Lights All in Once-in-a-Lifetime Photo

READ: Dentist Spends His Weekends in the Alps Creating Incredible Astrophotography

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info.

If you haven't already marked your calendar, the next total solar eclipse visible from the United States will occur on April 8, 2024. And Vaonis, a French company specializing in innovative telescopes, is making it easier than ever to view the event. After launching several successful products, they have now created a way to transform your smartphone into a telescope to view the cosmos safely.

Currently available on Kickstarter, Hestia combines the power of a cell phone with cutting-edge technology to view the Moon, Sun, and stars without needing a specialized knowledge of astronomy. And, best of all, Vaonis is guaranteeing that Hestia will be shipped to North American backers prior to the solar eclipse, meaning that you'll be able to view the event right on your cell phone.

Weighing just one pound and small enough to fit in your backpack, Hestia makes it easy to take your stargazing on the road. But how does it work? Hestia has a patented six-lens optical design with a 30 mm light and prisms to collect and focus the light directly into your smartphone's camera sensor. This allows it to increase the magnification of any smartphone 25 times, while also increasing the sharpness five times.

All you need to do is set your phone down into Hestia and start enjoying the view. It fits all sizes of phone and requires no outside power source, so the setup couldn't be easier. And thanks to the specialized app, you'll be guided through your astronomy experience. Not only does the app have an interactive star map, but it also includes Day and Night modes, and educational material so you know what you're looking at.

Right now, Hestia is selling for $189 plus shipping, import fees, and sales taxes with the option to add on a solar filter ($39) and an additional Hestia at a reduced price ($149). If you are keen to watch the solar eclipse, there is a special eclipse pack that comes with Hestia, a solar filter, a hard case, and a tripod for $299. The estimated deliver for Hestia is December 2023, which will give you plenty of time to try it out before the big event. The campaign ends on August 17, 2023, so act now to take advantage of the discounted prices.

Hestia is a revolutionary piece of technology that transforms any smartphone into a telescope.

Lightweight and easy to use, Hestia allows anyone to enjoy the cosmos, even without astronomy knowledge.

A specialized app that includes interactive star maps makes stargazing a breeze.

Hestia is now available at a special price on Kickstarter.

Hestia: Kickstarter
Vaonis: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Related Articles:

20 Stellar Books About Outer Space

20+ Cool Amazon Finds for Astronomy Lovers

14 Famous Astronomers That Any Lover of the Cosmos Needs To Know

World’s Smallest Astronomy Camera Offers Compact Way to Photograph the Stars

READ: Innovative Device Lets You Turn Your Smartphone Into a Smart Telescope

“Emerald Roots” © Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti. Aurorae Shortlist.
Location: Vestrahorn, Stokksnes, Iceland
“The Northern Lights above the famous Icelandic mountain, Vestrahorn. The aurora is reflected on the black sand beach, and the rising moon makes the sand ripples appear golden.”

Vibrant auroras, incredible solar flares, and dazzling nebulas are just some of the celestial images that have made the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist. Run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, with support by Liberty Specialty Markets and in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the prestigious contest draws the world's top astrophotographers, and by the looks of this year's finalists, the competition is fierce.

This edition of the photography contest received over 4,000 entries from 64 countries. Now the expert panel of judges has culled the list of photographs, spread across nine categories and two special prizes. While the finalists will need to wait until September to see who topped the categories and discover which astrophotographer was named the overall winner, it's certainly an honor just to make the shortlist.

The winning images, along with a selection of exceptional shortlisted photographs, will then go on display in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum. Many will also have the honor of being included in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year book, which is already available for pre-sale online.

We've looked through the finalists and picked out some of our favorites to share. These exemplary views of the sky include a crystal clear view of Saturn and its famous rings, artistic star trails, and several comets spotted in majestic settings. Scroll down to view our selections, and then come back in September to see if any of these images were named winners of the contest.

Check out some of our favorite finalists from the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

“The Majestic Tarantula Nebula” © Steeve Body. Stars & Nebulae Shortlist.
Location: Bentleigh, Victoria, Australia
“The Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Capturing the Tarantula Nebula’s intricate details and vibrant hues is a challenging task that requires precision and patience. Narrowband filters have been used for the nebulosity and RGB filters for the stars, so they are in natural colors.”

“Colourful Saturn” © Damian Peach. Planets, Comets & Asteroids Shortlist.
Location: Marley Vale, Barbados, United Kingdom
“A photograph of Saturn at opposition, the view captures the ring system and colored bands and zones in its atmosphere. The Cassini Division, the almost 5,000km-wide gap between the two main ring structures is clearly seen.”

“Solar Flare X1 from AR2994 in ‘Motion’” © Miguel Claro. Our Sun Shortlist.
Location: Dark Sky Alqueva region, Évora district, Portugal
“Photograph of the Sun taken from a 27-minute timelapse of a solar flare which took place on 30 April 2022.”

“Pandora’s Box” © Derek Horlock. People & Space Shortlist.
Location: Alyko Beach Naxos, Greece
“The Milky Way viewed behind a graffiti of Pandora by Wild Drawing (WD), a Balinese artist on the Greek island of Naxos. In Greek mythology, Pandora opened a jar—or box—releasing all the evils of humanity into the world. The wall is part of an abandoned beach hotel complex where graffiti now covers the walls.”

“Radio Polaris” © João Yordanov Serralheiro. Best Newcomer Shortlist.
Location: Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cambridge, United Kingdom
“Star trails taken over a deactivated radio telescope antenna. The image was achieved with a simple remote shutter locked for continuous images.”

This edition of the astrophotography contest received over 4,000 entries from 64 countries.

“Arctic Gates” © Daniel Viñé Garcia. Aurorae Shortlist.
Location: Arctic Henge, Raufarhöfn, Iceland
“The Northern Lights over the mammoth sundial Arctic Henge, which is inspired by Norse mythology. The henge is located in Raufarhöfn, one of the northernmost towns in Iceland.”

“Solargraph 209 days” © Ksawery Wróbel. Skyscapes Shortlist.
Location: Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA
“Solargraphs are photographs taken with a homemade pinhole camera and can be used to capture the Sun’s path across the sky. Each streak of light in the solargraph image represents one day. Missing light streaks indicate that the sun is obstructed by cloud cover.”

“NGC 3521: Marquise in the Sky” © Mark Hanson; Mike Selby. Galaxies Shortlist.
Location: El Sauce Observatory, Río Hurtado, Chile
“NGC 3521, a flocculent intermediate spiral galaxy, is surrounded by dust and has numerous star-forming areas and a luminous center. Rarely seen hydrogen alpha jets have been captured.”

“Celestial Equator Above First World War Trench Memorial” © Louis Leroux-Gere. Skyscapes Shortlist.
Location: Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts de France, France
“Star trails above the preserved First World War trenches in Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park, Northern France. Taken over five hours, the camera captured the rotation of the sky, revealing the colorful stars.”

“Comet 2022 E3 Above Snowy Mount Etna” © Dario Giannobile. Skyscapes Shortlist.
Location: Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy
“This image shows Comet 2022 E3 soaring over Mount Etna, Sicily as volcanic vapors sweep over the crater. The glowing turquoise green of the comet contrasts with the night sky and snowy landscape.”

The category and overall winners will be announced in mid-September.

“Ball of Rock” © Rich Addis. Our Moon Shortlist.
Location: Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, UK
“This is a composite of an image of the Moon 78% illuminated and an image of the full Moon. Assembling close-up shots to create a mosaic of the whole Moon is complex as the perspective changes slightly during a lunar orbit.”

“The Great Solar Flare” © Mehmet Ergün. Our Sun Shorlist.
Location: Traisen, Germany
“The Sun photographed moving towards its maximum cycle. A large 700,000km long solar flare erupts to the left of the image. The current solar cycle, 25, started in 2019 and is increasing in strength. It will peak in a few years’ time, then weaken over the following years before another cycle starts anew.”

“Crescent Moon in a Magical Sunset” © Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau. Our Moon Shortlist
Location: Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
“Composite image of three exposures showing the sunset on 1 August 2022 in Rafaela, Argentina. The crescent Moon has 16 percent of its surface illuminated, and the clouds appear an intense red.”

“C/2021 A1 (Leonard) in Sky of Israel” © Alex Savenok.
Location: Negev desert, Israel
“C/2021 A1 (Comet Leonard) captured over the Negev desert, Israel. The comet made its closest approach to Earth in 2021–2022 and was highly visible with a clear tail. Comet Leonard was destroyed by an orbit which took it close to the Sun.”

“Jellyfish Nebula” © Peter Larkin. Stars & Nebulae Shortlist.
Location: Coppet, Vaud, Switzerland
“The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443) is a supernova remnant (SNR) in the constellation Gemini. Here, the stars have been removed from the image in order to focus on the delicate nebulous structures.”

Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Related Articles:

Astrophotographers Around the World Share Their Best Photos of the Milky Way

20 Outstanding Winners of the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

18 Otherworldly Finalists From the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

Finalists of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest Bring Us Exceptional Views of the Stars

READ: Spectacular Finalists of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest Explore the Stars and Beyond