This year, two Australian photographers have made the cut from the more than 5,000 entries in the annual competition: John Rutter with his image from Mungo National Park, NSW, and Baillie Farley, with his image from Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve in the NT.
The competition recognised 25 photographers in total from 19 different nationalities.
“Mungo Dreamtime” – John Rutter, Mungo National Park, NSW, Australia. This Mars-like landscape is the shores of Ancient Lake Mungo, housing the oldest human remains outside Africa—a significant site for all humankind. Its remote location grants it a Bortle 1 sky, allowing you to stand where the first Australians once did and gaze at the same sky they beheld 100,000 years ago. The beauty of the arid, wind-carved landscape and the untouched sky is only eclipsed by the rich history of this area.“Rainbow Valley” – Baillie Farley, 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.
The compilation is always published in late May during the peak of the Milky Way season in the northern hemisphere, with the aim of inspiring and sharing the beauty of our galaxy. The Milky Way season ranges from February to October in the Northern Hemisphere and from January to November in the Southern.
According to Capture the Atlas, the quality of the image, the story behind the shot, and the overall inspiration that the photograph can provide are the main factors in selecting the images every year.
Dan Zafra, editor of Capture the Atlas, who curates the competition, says he looks not for images taken by recognised photographers but also new talents and for new locations where the Milky Way hasn’t been photographed before, such as the Oman, Altiplano, and Bulgaria images in this year’s edition.
You can see a selection of the images in the shortlist below.
“A Clear Welcome” – Francesco Dall’Olmo, Laguna de los Tres, Patagonia, Argentina. This was the first photo I took in Patagonia. Contrary to expectations of cold, rain, and wind, our initial encounter with these landscapes was unusual: nearly three days of clear skies. Reaching the lagoon around 7 a.m., I immediately captured shots of the sky. Shortly afterward, I photographed the foreground, where twilight had already set in. This clear welcome gifted me with a rare photo of Fitz Roy framed by the Milky Way arch.“Atmospheric fireworks” – Julien Looten, 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.“Blooming Bottle Tree” – Rositsa Dimitrova, Socotra island, Yemen. Visiting Socotra was a dream come true – it had been at the top of my bucket list for a couple of years. The night sky in Socotra is categorized as Bortle 1 on the dark sky scale – the darkest you can possibly get. But it wasn’t just the dark skies – it was the alien-looking foregrounds that truly took my breath away. The gorgeous bottle trees of Socotra are especially beautiful in full bloom. They only bloom for a few weeks in February and March, and it’s a mesmerizing sight you want to experience again and again.“Blue Lagoon Under the Stars” – Yuri Beletsky, Atacama Desert, Chile. I captured this view at one of the remote sites of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The Galactic Center was already shining high in the sky, with the Zodiacal light beautifully complementing it on the right. The blue color was as real as the stars in the sky, adding a touch of magic to the scene. It was an absolutely incredible experience!“Bluff Hut” – Rachel Roberts, Mungo River Valley, West Coast, New Zealand. Sometimes, the best images come completely unplanned, which is precisely what happened on this trip to Bluff Hut, nestled in the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island.“Desert Bloom” – Marcin Zajac, Goblin Valley State Park, Utah. 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 away from major urban centers, yields one of the darkest skies in the country.“Lightning Lake” – Tom Rae. Aoraki, Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. The Milky Way emerges from New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook, on a winter night—a shot I’ve longed to capture, knowing it would encapsulate the mountains and sky elements perfectly. In rare alpine weather conditions, I embarked on a journey up the glacial valley one night. Upon reaching the lake, the scene that unfolded made me feel like I had landed on another planet. This night, among many spent documenting this incredible part of the world, stands out for me.“Milky Way at Morning Glory Pool” – Jerry Zhang, Yellowstone National Park, USA. Morning Glory is a renowned hot spring within Yellowstone National Park, shaped by hydrothermal features that foster vibrant habitats for microscopic organisms. Originally azure blue like the famous Grand Prismatic Spring, human interference and pollution have turned its waters a striking green. Unlike other springs, Morning Glory remains calm, enabling the reflection of starlight at night.“Saoseo” – Alexander Forst, 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.“The Lions Den” – Lorenzo Ranieri, Atacama Desert, Chile. This image was captured during an adventurous night on the plateau of the Atacama Desert, a potentially dangerous area due to its designation as a mountain lion reserve. After a whole afternoon of searching for compositions, I stumbled upon this remarkable mass of rocks adorned with tufts of grass, now burnt by the harsh environment.“The vanity of life” – Mihail Minkov, Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan. The concept behind this shot is to highlight the stark contrast between the vastness of the cosmos and the minuscule nature of humanity. The composition intentionally draws the viewer’s focus to a small figure, underscoring our insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe, while the majestic Milky Way core dominates the background.“Caradhras – Milky way arch above Vrsic pass” – Matej Mlakar, Vrsic Pass, Slovenia. Vršič Pass is a high mountain pass across the Julian Alps in northwestern 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 in the Slovene Littoral. One of those peaks is Prednje robičje (1941m), where this image was taken from. On Sunday afternoon, my friend Nino Frelih and I were still quite undecided about where to go.“Lupine Dreams” – Brandt Ryder, Eastern Sierra, California. Super blooms can be a once-in-a-lifetime event. An atmospheric river in the winter of 2023 had caused record amounts of moisture to fall in the Eastern Sierra mountains and the foothills surrounding this area. The result was one of the best wildflower or super blooms on record for the state.“Mother Juniper” – Benjamin Barakat, Jebel Shams, Oman. The wisdom of the juniper reveals itself in its aged roots, twisted and sculpted over millennia, enduring the ravages of time and countless obstacles. Amidst the ever-changing tides of time, one constant remains: its profound connection with the night sky and the Milky Way. Their paths intertwine and converge, culminating in a perfect alignment. In that fated instance, I found myself beneath the juniper’s boughs, gazing up at the cosmic dance above, capturing its essence in the stillness of the night.“Multicolored up and down!” – Cari Letelier, Rainbow valley, Atacama desert, Chile. Let me introduce you to Rainbow Valley, reminiscent of Mordor in some areas, nestled nearly 3200 meters above sea level in the Atacama Desert within the Domeyko mountain range.“Road to Winter Paradise” – Andrea Curzi, Passo Giau, Italy. We’re at Passo Giau on the night of December 15th. Temperatures are around -8 degrees Celsius with strong winds (resulting in a lower perceived temperature). This was an overview I had long dreamed of capturing, meticulously planned from home to the field. Luck was on my side as heavy snowfall the day before left untouched terrain, allowing for pristine snow patterns sculpted by the wind.“Starlight Therapy” – Kavan Chay, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, New Zealand. The Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park has always brought joy and interesting stories, regardless of when I visit. This occasion was no exception – my mental health was low due to some rough times, and I lacked the motivation to attempt this climb. However, I knew it was essential to kick-start my recovery.“The Tajinaste” – Maximilian Höfling, Mirador El Tabonal Negro, Tenerife, Spain. My astro adventure on Tenerife was unforgettable. The Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife, offer ideal conditions for astrophotography. In the Teide National Park, situated at an altitude of around 2000 meters, clear skies are almost guaranteed, with lower clouds shielding city lights, minimizing light pollution.“TOMBOLO MILKY WAY” – Marc Rassel. Lake Superior, Minnesota, USA I’ve visited this spot many times, and each visit is unique. That’s the allure of Lake Superior’s shore—it constantly changes with the weather and seasons, never growing old. However, this variability poses a challenge; clear skies for extended periods are rare. Yet, everything aligned on a new moon night.“Sand Path” – Hugo Valle, White Desert, Egypt. When I saw photos of the White Desert of Egypt, I immediately knew I had to go there. It took two years until I finally made the trip. The days are hot and the nights slightly cooler, passing quickly in this captivating landscape. The night skies are among the best I have ever seen, and the whimsical rock formations, sculpted by wind and sand, make choosing subjects to photograph challenging.
