Milky Way photographer of the year 2024 – in pictures

The travel photography site Capture the Atlas has published the seventh edition of its Milky Way photographer of the year collection. The Milky Way season ranges from February to October in the northern hemisphere and from January to November in the southern hemisphere. The best time to see and photograph the Milky Way is usually between May and June, when hours of visibility are at their maximum on both hemispheres – away from light-polluted areas such as cities, and preferably at higher elevation

The vanity of life | Wadi Rum desert, Jordan

Photographer Mihail Minkov: ‘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’

Photograph: Mihail Minkov/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Desert Bloom | Goblin Valley state park, Utah

Photographer Marcin Zajac: ‘Wildflowers blooming in front of a group of hoodoos (a type of desert rock formation) 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 centres, yields one of the darkest skies in the country’

Photograph: Marcin Zajac/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Mungo Dreamtime | Mungo national park, NSW, Australia

Photographer John Rutter: ‘This Mars-like landscape is the shores of the ancient Lake Mungo, where some of the oldest human remains outside Africa have been discovered, making it a significant site for all humankind. Its remote location grants it a Bortle 1 sky (the darkest and clearest), allowing you to stand where the first Australians once did and gaze at the same sky they beheld. The beauty of the arid, wind-carved landscape and the untouched sky is only eclipsed by the rich history of this area’

Photograph: John Rutter/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Caradhras | Milky way arch above Vršič pass

Photographer Matej Mlakar: ‘Vršič Pass is a high mountain crossing across the Julian Alps in north-western Slovenia. It is the highest pass in Slovenia, as well as the highest in the eastern Julian Alps. One of those peaks is Prednje Robičje (1,941 metres or 6,368ft high), where this image was taken’

Photograph: Matej Mlakar/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Rainbow Valley conservation reserve, Northern Territory | Australia

Photographer Baillie Farley: ‘The central Australian Outback has 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 arches above a remarkable formation of colourful sandstone. This area exudes a unique charm, with its vibrant hues and stunning geological formations creating a mesmerising landscape’

Photograph: Baillie Farley/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Lupine Dreams | Eastern Sierra, California

Photographer Brandt Ryder: ‘Superblooms can be a once-in-a-lifetime event. An atmospheric river in the winter of 2023 caused record amounts of moisture to fall in the eastern Sierra Mountains and their foothills. The result was one of the best wildflower or superblooms on record for the state. In this image taken in the foothills near Lone Pine, California, the lupins (known as lupines in the US) were just coming into peak bloom and the skies were perfectly dark’

Photograph: Brandt Ryder/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

The Lions’ Den | Atacama Desert, Chile

Photographer Lorenzo Ranieri: ‘The plateau of the Atacama desert, a potentially dangerous area due to its designation as a mountain lion reserve. The area around this remarkable mass of rocks adorned with tufts of burnt grass was littered with the bones of small animals and footprints of a significant size, indicating the presence of lions’

Photograph: Lorenzo Ranieri/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Atmospheric fireworks | Dordogne, France

Photographer Julien Looten: ‘Last winter, I ventured to the foot of a medieval castle in France to capture the Milky Way’s winter arch. An exceptional airglow illuminated the sky, resembling multicoloured clouds. This phenomenon occurs due to a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, emitting faint light known as chemiluminescenc. You can also see, from left to right, Sirius and the constellation of Orion, Mars, the Pleiades, the California nebula, Cassiopeia, the double cluster of Perseus, and the Andromeda galaxy’

Photograph: Julien Looten/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Blue Lagoon Under the Stars | Atacama desert, Chile

Photographer Yuri Beletsky: ‘I captured this view at one of the remote sites of the Atacama Desert in Chile. The Galactic centre was already shining high in the sky, with the zodiacal light beautifully complementing it on the right. The blue colour was as real as the stars in the sky, adding a touch of magic to the scene’

Photograph: Yuri Beletsky/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Bluff Hut | Mungo River Valley, West Coast, New Zealand

Photographer Rachel Roberts: ‘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. The area is only accessible by a challenging hike or helicopter flight, and I had no intention of ending up here, as I had a different shoot planned at another hut. However, with weather closing in at my intended location and no backup plan, I trusted the chopper pilot to choose the best spot for clear skies that evening

Photograph: Rachel Roberts/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Blooming Bottle Tree | Socotra island, Yemen

Photographer Rositsa Dimitrova: ‘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 was the alien-looking foregrounds that truly took my breath away. The gorgeous bottle trees of Socotra only bloom for a few weeks in February and March, and it’s a mesmerising sight you want to experience again and again’

Photograph: Rositsa Dimitrova/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

A Clear Welcome | Laguna de los Tres, Patagonia, Argentina

Photographer Francesco Dall’Olmo: ‘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 7am, 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 Mount Fitz Roy framed by the Milky Way arch’

Photograph: Francesco Dall’Olmo/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Mother Juniper | Jebel Shams, Oman

Photographer Benjamin Barakat: ‘The wisdom of the juniper reveals itself in its aged roots, twisted and sculpted over millennia, enduring the ravages of time and countless obstacles. Amid 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’

Photograph: Benjamin Barakat/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

The Tajinaste | Mirador el Tabonal Negro, Tenerife, Spain

Photographer Maximilian Höfling: ‘The Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife, offer ideal conditions for astrophotography. In the Teide national park, situated at an altitude of about 2,000 meters, clear skies are almost guaranteed, with lower clouds shielding city lights and minimising light pollution. My primary goal in astrophotography is to unveil the hidden beauty of the night sky beyond the visible stars. I’m especially passionate about showcasing our galaxy, the Milky Way, in all its glory’

Photograph: Maximilian Höfling/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year

Lightning Lake | Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand

Photographer Tom Rae: ‘The Milky Way emerges from New Zealand’s highest mountain on a winter night – a shot I’ve longed to capture. 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, embodies the dedication, sleepless nights, and the fulfilment of completing my vision’

Photograph: Tom Rae/2024 Milky Way photographer of the year