Interesting Photo of the Day: Galactic Core over Moeraki

Interesting Photos

Witnessing the majestic Milky Way from a perfectly dark location can be an experience to remember forever. The majestic nature of the galaxy can sweep us right off our feet. However, when we say “perfectly dark,” we mean it—the beauty only appears when conditions are perfect. Thankfully, Moeraki, a small village in New Zealand, is one such place. Photographer Kavan Chay took the following image of the Milky Way’s core and it is bound to leave you speechless:

“Milky Way over Moeraki” by Kavan Chay (Via Reddit. Click image to see full size.)

The image is a composite that Chay took with two cameras, a Nikon D800 and Z7, respectively attached to a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8S and Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art lens, along with a Star Adventurer Pro star tracker. For the sky, he used the Nikon D800 with the 20mm lens to photograph a 30-shot panorama (each shot at ISO 640, f/2, 30 seconds) and stitched them together in PTGui. And for the foreground, he used the Nikon Z7 with the 50mm lens to shoot four panels of two shots each, each shot at ISO 8000, f/4 and a 60-second exposure.

The scale and the intensity of the galaxy’s core are truly intense. It really makes us realize how puny and insignificant we are. And thanks to the long exposure, the water appears silky smooth, giving a dreamy look to the final product.

Then there’s the broken boulder in the foreground with some water in it, making it look like a jacuzzi. It really makes us want to take a relaxing dip there and enjoy the view of the night sky. Wouldn’t you love to join?