Nightscapes
This page is dedicated to the brilliant Welsh astrophotographer Alyn Wallace, whose untimely passing at the age of 34 was a massive loss to the entire astrophotography community. Alyn was a huge inspiration to me and he was always quick to share his knowledge and passion for nightscape photography. May you always have clear skies Alyn.
I love being out under the night sky and enjoy the technical challenges of this genre of photography. Night photography presents specific technical challenges, from focusing and composing in darkness, to determining the correct camera settings to capture as much light as possible. Long exposures are the key, so a tripod is a necessity. Using a star tracker can allow exposures that are counted in minutes, rather than seconds — but using a tracker presents its own technical challenges. Get it all right and the feeling of accomplishment is huge!
I live in the heart of the Suffolk countryside in the UK and I’m fortunate that the Milky Way can be photographed from my location (it’s a Bortle Class 4). I can even photograph the Milky Way from my garden and some of those appear here. It’s amazing to be able to step out of my front door and capture nightscape images without any travel involved!
Below are a selection of my favorite nightscape images that I’ve captured to date.
The moon as seen on November 20, 2024.
The Halloween Comet: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is fading rapidly in this image, taken on October, 31, 2024. A faint Milky Way rises out of ground fog beside the comet. Elmswell, Suffolk.
The Cloud Dragon and the Comet. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS appears to be fleeing a fearsome cloud Dragon above the village of Elmswell, in Suffolk. October 16, 2024.
The Aurora Borealis over Suffolk. October, 2024.
The Aurora Borealis over the village of Wetherden, Suffolk. October, 2024.
The constellation Orion beside the Victorian lighthouses at Dovercourt, Essex. Late September.
Orion above the sea side Victorian lighthouse at Dovercourt, Essex. The bright star Procyon is reflecting off the North Sea. Late September.
The land side Victorian lighthouse at Dovercourt among the stars of Ursa Major. Late September.
A crescent moon rises above the Port of Felixstowe. September
The Great Rift and Casseiopea regions of the Milky Way over Suffolk farmland. September
Perseid meteors, the Milky Way, the Pleiades star cluster and an intense Aurora over Orford, Suffolk. This composite image is made up of about two dozen separate images taken on a single night over several hours. August, 2024.
An intense aurora over Orford. The Milky Way, several Perseid meteors and the Pleiades star cluster are also visible.
The Milky Way over the River Alde, Suffolk. August (shot with a non-astro-modifed Canon R6)
The Milky Way over Jubilee Barn, Suffolk. August
The Cygnus region of the Milky Way over Jubilee Barn and garden.
The Milky Way over Southwold Pier, Suffolk. June
The Milky Way over Southwold beach, Suffolk. A meteorite can be seen streaking alongside the Milky Way. June
The Milky Way galactic core over dunes at Southwold beach, Suffolk. June
The Milky Way begins to retreat as the moon advances. Orford, Suffolk. June
The Milky Way over Orford, Suffolk. June
The Milky Way over wrecked boats at Orford, Suffolk. May
The Milky Way over the river Alde estuary at Orford. June
Waiting for the night sky to clear at Orford. June
A heavily overcast night at Aldebugh, Suffolk. June
The Aurora Borealis and Milky Way over Orford, Suffolk. May
Ursa Major over beach huts at Southwold, Suffolk. April
The Milky Way over beach huts at Southwold, Suffolk. April
The Milky Way galactic core over beach huts on Southwold beach. Suffolk, April.
The Milky Way over beach huts at Southwold, Suffolk. April
The Milky Way over the Alde river estuary at Orford, Suffolk. April
Footpath to the stars. Orford, Suffolk. April
The Milky Wau arches over the Alde River estuary at Orford, Suffolk. April
The Milky Way galactic core over wrecked boats at Orford, Suffolk.
The Aurora Borealis over the village of Wetherden, Suffolk. March
The Milky Way over wrecked boats on the River Alde estuary at Orford, Suffolk. March
A spring Milky Way over boats on the River Alde estuary at Orford, Suffolk. March
A winter Milky Way over farmland near Elmswell, Suffolk. January
A composite image showing Geminid meteors over Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk. December
A Geminid meteor streaks over the scallop sculpture at Aldeburgh beach, Suffolk. Also visible is the Milky Way, Orion and the Pleiades star cluster. December
The Great Rift region of the Milky Way over Wetherden common. December
The Aurora Borealis over Suffolk. The landscape is being lit by a near full moon. November 25, 2023.
The Aurora Borealis over Suffolk. The landscape is being lit by a near full moon. November 25, 2023.
A late Autumn Milky Way over Wetherden Common
The Aurora Borealis makes an appearance over Suffolk, with the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy also visible. September
The Cassiopeia region of the Milky Way over Suffolk. September
An autumn Milky Way over Suffolk. September
The Milky Way core over Suffolk farmland. September
The Cassiopeia region of the Milky Way over a field of wild flowers in Suffolk. September
The Milky Way over boats on Aldeburgh beach. Jupiter appears with a halo around it. August.
The Milky Way over my garden in mid-Suffolk. August.
The Milky Way rises over a field of summer wheat in Suffolk. July.
The Milky Way over Deadhorse Point, Utah. April
The Milky Way core over the White Rim trail, Canyonlands, Utah. May
The Milky Way galactic core rises over Canyonlands National Park, Utah.
The Milky Way galactic core over the cliffs at Deadhorse State Park, Utah. The White Rim region of Canyonlands National Park lies below. May.
The Milky Way over the visitor centre at Deadhorse State Park, Utah. A fairly intense green airglow is present.
The Milky Way core rises over the visitor centre at Deadhorse State Park, Utah. May.
The Milky Way galactic core rises over Deadhorse Point, Utah. May.
The Milky Way core over Canyonlands National Park, Utah.
Sleeping Under the Stars. Utah.
The Milky Way over a historic barn in Utah. May
Nightime at Alvord dry lake in southeastern Oregon.
Nightime at Alvord dry lake and Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon.
Camping at Alvord dry lake, southeastern Oregon.
The Milky Way over boats on Aldeburgh beach. April.
The Milky Way over Aldeburgh beach. April.
Night at Aldeburgh beach. April.
A spring Milky Way over Aldeburgh beach. April.
The Milky Way galactic core over Suffolk. April.
Full Moon, April 2023.
A diffuse Aurora Borealis and the Milky Way over Suffolk. March.
A diffuse Aurora Borealis over mid-Suffolk. March 25, 2023.
A spring Milky Way over mid-Suffolk. March.
A lone tree under the stars in the Suffolk countryside. March.
A spring Milky Way over mid-Suffolk. March.
The Farm and the Stars. Suffolk, March.
A spring Milky Way over mid-Suffolk. March.
The Milky Way arcs over the Suffolk countryside. March.
The Milky Way galactic core breaks out of heavy cloud at Aldburgh beach, Suffolk.
Venus (top) and Jupiter above the Suffolk countryside.
Wetherden Common on a frosty winter night. Suffolk.
A winter Milky Way over the beach and frosty dunes at Sizewell, on the Suffolk coast. The structure in the sea is one of the water cooling inlets for the nuclear power plant.
The Sizewell nuclear power plant, on the Suffolk coast, at night.
Geminid meteorites streak across the Suffolk countryside. December.
The Milky Way rises above the Suffolk countryside. November.
Stop. Look. Listen.
The Milky Way rises above the Suffolk countryside. November.
Suffolk farmland at night. The Pleiades star cluster, Mars and Orion form a pleasing triangle in the Sagittarius arm of the Milky Way. November.
The Suffolk countryside at night. Ursa Major appears in the centre of the image. November.
The Milky Way rises over the Suffolk countryside. November.
The Perseus region of the Milky Way rises above farmland in mid-Suffolk. The Pleiades star cluster is to the lower right of the Milky Way.
The Milky Way core over a lone tree in Suffolk, UK
The Perseus region of the Milky Way over the Suffolk countryside, with Mars (bottom), the Pleiades (right) and Capella (left) standing out.
Star trails over Jubilee Barn.
A full moon over Jubilee Barn with Jupiter (left) and Saturn (right).
A nearly full moon lights up the terrace at Jubilee Barn.
A nearly full waxing gibbous moon lights the landscape at Jubilee Barn, while Jupiter (bottom left in the sky) looks on.
The summer Milky Way arcs high over Jubilee Barn.
The Milky Way over the church of St. Mary, Wetherden, Suffolk.
The Milky Way over farmland in the heart of Suffolk, UK.
The Milky Way arches over farmland in the heart of Suffolk, UK.
Beach Huts and the Milky Way, Southwold.
A spring Milky Way over my garden.
A spring Milky Way over my house, Jubilee Barn, and garden.
A beautiful lunar halo above my garden in early April.
The Milky Way over the beach at Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
A spring Milky Way arcs over Aldeburgh beach.
The Milky Way core over Aldeburgh beach, Suffolk.
The Milky Way begins to fade as dawn approaches. Aldeburgh beach, Suffolk.
A summer Milky Way rises over my garden in Suffolk.
St. Mary's, Wetherden, Suffolk, at twilight .
Oak, corn and Orion. Suffolk, UK.
The winter constellation Orion over Suffolk, UK.
A spring Milky Way rises over a field of Oilseed Rape in Suffolk, UK
The stump and the stars.
The Moon, Mars, Venus and the Pleiades star cluster line up over Wetherden, Suffolk. March 27, 2023
A winter waxing half moon.
The Moon and Jupiter.
Mount Baker, Washington, panorama at twilight. The Milky Way core is just beginning to appear in the upper left corner of the image.
The Milky Way over Mt. Baker, Washington state.
The Milky Way rises above the Columbia River gorge in central Washington state.
The Milky Way over the Wild Horses Monument in central Washington state.