Fasten your seatbelt because this journey will take you from the remote deserts of Socotra, Madagascar, Atacama, and Namibia to the lost landscapes of Patagonia, Australia, and New Zealand, crossing glaciers, volcanoes, mountains, and spectacular beaches along the way. Remarkably, we will witness the Milky Way shimmering brilliantly in the sky.
Let’s admire the enchanting beauty of the 25 best photos from the Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2023 competition:
Photo: “The Bottle Tree Gateway” taken in Socotra, Yemen. Author Benjamin Barakat shares: The nights on the mystical island of Socotra are unforgettable, especially under the embrace of the most beautiful and bizarre trees I have ever seen. Their gnarled and twisted trunks seem to tell stories of ancient times while the blooming pink flowers enhance the delicate beauty. However, what truly took my breath away was the darkness. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and turned off all the lights in the world. The stars shone so brightly that I felt as if I could reach out and touch them. The horizon was so dark that it looked like the edge of heaven.
Photo “Cafayate Star Factory” taken in Cafayate, Salta, Argentina by author Gonzalo Santile. In the photo, you can see the rock formations and the “windows” of the Cafayate Desert area called Las Ventanas (Windows) along with the small cacti, the only vegetation here.
Photo “Cactus Valley” by author Pablo Ruiz García taken in Atacama, Chile.
Photo “The Eye of the Universe” by author Mihail Minkov taken in Bulgaria.
Photo “Alien Forest” by author Marcin Zając taken at Mono Lake, California. These strange cream-colored rock towers near Mono Lake are called “tufas.” They form when calcium-rich underwater springs mix with carbonate-rich lake water, creating limestone. Over time, the accumulation of limestone forms towers, and as the lake level lowers, these towers are revealed.
Photo “Night Under the Baobabs” by author Steffi Lieberman taken at Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar. We are treated to a panoramic view of the celestial landscape from Madagascar. Here, you can see the complete Milky Way above the towering baobab trees.
Photo “Cathedral Light Exhibition” by author Roksolyana Hilevych taken in Tenerife, Spain. The photo captures the moment a bright shooting star flies across the sky, with blooming tajinastes flowers below. The image also includes a unique mountain in the background resembling a cathedral.
Photo “The Landscape I Want to See” by author Mitsuhiro Okabe taken in Yamagashi, Japan. Mount Fuji, the iconic symbol of Japan, dominates the backdrop of this photo, set during cherry blossom season. In the scene, you can see a sacred temple dedicated to honoring the spirits of the departed. And there, against the dark canvas of the night sky, the elegant beauty of the Milky Way unfolds in view.
Photo “South of Home” by author Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti taken in Namibia, Africa. The panoramic photo captures the stunning scene in the Gross Spitzkoppe Nature Reserve, where the southern Milky Way gracefully stretches over the notable granite rock formations. This area has a unique charm, with Spitzkoppe Mountain being the only prominent feature rising majestically 700 meters above the endless savannah.
Photo “Between the Stars” by author Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia taken in Pinnacles Desert, WA, Australia. This area is sacred to the Noongar people, the traditional custodians of this land, and in the past, only women were allowed to access it. Legends say these limestone pillars are nothing but the petrified spirits of men who dared to enter and were then eternally punished by the gods. These timeless guardians stand tall and proud, reaching towards the starry sky above. As the summer Milky Way stretches across the night sky, these ancient phantoms seem to bridge the earthly realm with the starry kingdom beyond.
Photo “Milky Way Rising over Stony River & Mt Taranaki” by author Brendan Larsen taken in Taranaki, New Zealand.
Photo “Shapes of Nature” by author Uroš Fink taken in the Julian Alps, Slovenia.
Photo “Lut Glow” by Isabella Tabacchi taken in Lut Desert, Iran. This is a rock formation in the Lut Desert, Iran under the Milky Way. We spent the entire night, from sunset to sunrise, capturing images of that extraordinary sky. I was able to capture the greenish glow beneath the Milky Way, behind the impressive rock formations in the hottest place on Earth.
Photo “Astronomical Experience La Palma” by author Jakob Sahner taken in Palma, Spain. La Palma and the Canary Islands are ideal for astrophotography due to their clouds at an altitude of about 1000 meters.
Photo “Shark Teeth Beach” by author Gary Bhaztara taken at Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The rock formation resembles a row of shark teeth, which is why it is called “Shark Teeth Beach” (Pantai Gigi Hiu in Indonesian). The razor-sharp rocks on this beach make it one of the most unique coastal areas in the world. Water has shaped these rocks over millions of years.
Photo “Milky Way over Cuenca’s Hoodoos” by author Luis Cajete, taken in Cuenca, Spain. Witnessing the arc of the Milky Way is an incredibly astonishing experience. Some of the darkest skies in Spain can be found in Serrania de Cuenca, an area of remarkable geological beauty. In the southern region, water has sculpted the landscape, creating fascinating formations and limestone chimneys.
The photo ‘Winter Light’ by author Larryn Rae taken in the Southern Alps, New Zealand. The author shares: This is one of the craziest air currents I’ve ever seen! Airglow occurs when atoms are ionized and excited by the sun in the upper atmosphere, emitting stunning colors and patterns that resemble clouds.
The photo ‘Starry Sky in Patagonia’ by author Burak Esenbey taken at Torres del Paine, Chile. In this frame, you can see the mountain Los Cuernos, along with the name of the national park – Torres del Paine, the most famous and beautiful mountain range in the Patagonia region of Chile.
The photo ‘Night of Huayhuash’ by author Jose D. Riquelme taken in Huayhuash, Peru. The Huayhuash mountain range, located in the Andean region of Peru, features stunning landscapes with mountains and lakes, offering unique opportunities to capture the Milky Way in all its glory. In this image, the mountain and the lake below serve as the perfect frame to highlight the Milky Way stretching across the night sky. The reflection of the starry sky in the lake creates a captivating symmetry, while the silhouette of the mountain adds depth and contrast.
The photo ‘Wind River Nights’ by author Brandt Ryder taken in Wind River, USA. The Wind River range, unlike the Tetons, is one of Wyoming’s hidden gems. This image was captured at a secluded lake deep in the wilderness, where the pristine reflections make it nearly impossible to distinguish the sky from the earth.
The photo ‘Celestial Glow’ by author Tom Rae taken at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. The image also showcases airglow, a wave-like phenomenon with red and green hues caused by ionized molecules in our atmosphere. However, the true focus remains on the graceful Milky Way stretching across the sky, along with the Magellanic Clouds, its smaller satellite galaxies, hovering above the aurora.
The photo ‘Awakening the Senses’ by author Violeta Lazareva taken in Socotra, Yemen. This photograph was taken in one of the darkest places on Earth: Socotra, a mystical island located in the Indian Ocean between mainland Yemen and Somalia. The combination of the endemic dragon blood trees with the stunning Milky Way will leave you in awe standing there. The beauty of this place awakens your deepest senses. You immediately fall in love with the synthesis of inner light and outer darkness.
The photo ‘Celestial Shield’ by author Iván Ferrero taken in Ávila, Spain.
The photo ‘Shivering Dreams’ by author Peter Hoszang taken in Keetmanshoop, Namibia.
The photo ‘Night Train’ by author Alexander Forst taken in Graubünden, Switzerland.
