{"id":691898,"date":"2026-05-25T03:59:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T03:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/691898\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T03:59:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T03:59:14","slug":"at-first-it-was-hard-to-believe-photographer-captures-a-rare-combination-of-night-sky-phenomena-in-one-image","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/691898\/","title":{"rendered":"“At first, it was hard to believe” \u2013Photographer captures a rare combination of night sky phenomena in one image"},"content":{"rendered":"

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While reviewing the image, a rare combination of night sky phenomena came to light. | Credit: Andrea Curzi<\/p>\n

“Sometimes, the most memorable images emerge when conditions seem to fail, only to align in ways you could never have planned,” says photographer Andrea Curzi, reflecting on a stunning 200\u00b0 panorama night sky image captured during a two-week camper trip along the coasts of Normandy and Brittany in France.<\/p>\n

Despite constant battles with wind and cloud cover, one night completely changed Curzi<\/a>‘s trip. The conditions finally aligned, revealing an unexpected combination of rare night sky phenomena.<\/p>\n

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Armed with his Canon cameras<\/a>, Curzi captured an astrophotography image that revealed details he hadn’t anticipated \u2013 a hard-to-believe moment unfolding in the sky.<\/p>\n

The image Where Earth Meets the Cosmos, has now been selected for Capture the Atlas’ 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year collection<\/a>, which highlights 25 of the world’s most striking astrophotography images.<\/p>\n

How ‘Where Earth Meets the Cosmos’ was captured\"Canon<\/p>\n

The Canon EOS R is a full-frame mirrorless camera, boasting crisp 30.3MP imaging | Credit: James Artaius \/ Digital Camera World<\/p>\n

Gear: Canon EOS R<\/a> (for foreground), Canon EOS 6D astro-modified (for sky), Tamron 17-35mm f\/2.8-4
Accessories: Sirui AM324 tripod, Minitrack LX2 star-tracker, Astronomik 12nm Max FR filter
Exposure: Sky: 7 shots at 180sec, f\/4, ISO 800, 17mm for RGB + 20 shots at 180sec, f\/4, ISO 3200 with H-alpha filter for red nebula, foreground: 12 shots at 180sec, f\/4, ISO 800, 17mm with focus stacking<\/p>\n

Curzi says, “I was positioned on the Pen Hir peninsula, scouting for a wide panoramic composition of the Milky Way. As darkness fell, I began capturing a 200\u00b0 panorama using focus stacking.<\/p>\n

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“While reviewing one of the final frames, I noticed an unexpected red glow in the sky: aurora. At first, it was hard to believe.<\/p>\n

“After completing the planned sequence and confirming the phenomenon, I shifted my attention fully to the sky. As the night unfolded, zodiacal light also became visible, adding yet another rare element to the scene.<\/p>\n

“Within a single composition, the sky revealed an exceptional combination of phenomena: airglow, the winter arc of the Milky Way, Orion with Barnard\u2019s Loop, the Pleiades, the Rosette and California nebulae, Andromeda, Jupiter, zodiacal light, and aurora borealis.<\/p>\n

“This image captures what astrophotography often represents at its core: careful preparation meeting complete unpredictability.<\/p>\n

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The final result is a blend of 12 focus-stacked exposures for the foreground and seven tracked exposures for the sky, captured using an Omegon Minitrack LX2 star tracker mount<\/a>, an astro-modified camera, and an H-alpha filter.”<\/p>\n

You might like…<\/p>\n

Capturing stunning images of the night sky and space starts with having the right gear. Check out our guides to the best cameras for astrophotography<\/a> and the best lenses for astrophotography<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from May to December.<\/a><\/p>\n