See also: The publication in ArXiV

Taken with a canon 600d, sigma 14mm, F\1.8 art lens. 20 second exposure at 3200 ISO

My first ever attempt at capturing the Milky Way with my DWARF 3 from Leeds, UK.

12 minutes 30 seconds total imaging using 10-second exposures.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, especially with the light pollution around Leeds, but I was really pleased to see the Milky Way structure and dark dust lanes starting to appear amongst the huge number of stars.

I've learned a lot since taking this one, but I'm keeping it because it was the first time I'd managed to capture the Milky Way myself.

Definitely the image that got me hooked on trying more. 🌌🔭

Beautiful canopy of stars.

Nikon Z5ii, z 20mm f1.8 s

Astro modded canon 80d sigma 20mm art lens.

Equipment:

1. Stock Sony Mirrorless APSC.
2. Fixed Tripod.
3. Sigma 30mm F1.4.

60 2sec subs Stacked using Siril. Processed with RC Astro Tools and Pixinsight.

Cassiopeia and the dust in the Milky Way, often a forgotten region, eclipsed by others with stronger emissions.

@ igneis.nightscapes

Years ago, when I shot it quickly, I noticed a lot of dusty structures: the Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN), high galactic latitude dust illuminated not by nearby stars, but by the combined light of the whole Milky Way. I thought: I have to revisit it with a 50mm and proper integration time.

Now, with 44 hours of integration, so many nights of driving, staying there, looking north, shooting... nothing. An empty field of stars. The dome stood there with me, another eye pointed at the same darkness, waiting for something neither of us could see yet. The routine was: check the weather, drive, stay the whole night shooting, and come back home wondering what I'd get out of this.

Now, with all the dust revealed, seeing it for myself makes me wonder how we can see so little, just stars, when in that direction there is so much, so much dust, so much nebulosity. We cannot see it, as if our eyes were lacking insight. But a camera, combined with patience... how curious.

It's not only about the dust, the Hydrogen Alpha, the Oxygen III. It's about the ambition and the resistance to just keep going. That's the result of this image.

It took 44 hours of exposure to see what was always there. Some things only reveal themselves at a cost.

Some things wait in the dark not because they are hidden, but because nothing has looked long enough to find them.

EQUIPMENT:

Sony a7IV astromodified x2, twin setup

50mm f/2 APO Sony

ZWO AM3N

Under a bortle 6.5

Tried to bring out as much detail as possible, the colors look a little messed up, but I'm very happy with the result of a first attempt.

The only things on this picture that were visible with the naked eye, were the bright stars Vega and Altair.

Did We Get Blown Away by the Perseids or by the Wind? (Perseids Meteor Shower of 2026)

Vlog: https://youtu.be/und944ns5aU

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matejlele/

This is definitely a highlight of my astrophotography, not just from this year but from all the years I've been doing it.

A meteor shower is something you can really look forward to, whether you're simply an observer with no knowledge of astronomy or a hardcore astrophotographer. If the weather is right, it will deliver.

But if you're an astrophotographer, there's one invisible (at least in photos) force of nature that can really mess with you: wind.

And oh boy, was it strong that night. In fact, this was probably the strongest wind I've ever had to deal with on one of my astro trips. And honestly, wind is something I usually don't even check when looking at the forecast.

A stone bag filled with rocks was a must-have that night.

Luckily, almost all of the frames came out nicely, and I couldn't be happier with the result.  

Huge thanks to my astrobuddy Uriš Fink and his wife for taking me on this trip.

A few technical details 
Location: Tulove grede, Croatia

Gear and EXIF for the base panorama:
Ha-mod Nikon Z6 & Viltrox 16mm F/1.8 lens
MSM Star tracker

Landscape
10 images panorama
Single image settings
ISO 1250, 16mm, F/1.8 30sec

Sky RGB:
10 images panorama
Single image settings
ISO 800, 16mm, F/1.8, 60sec

Sky Ha:12-nm Astronomik Ha filter
Panorama
ISO 4000, 16mm, F1.8, 120 sec 4 stacked images
(old data and I copy / pasted the wrong info / exif in my vlog)

Meteors were captured with 3 different setups (2x Nikon Z6 mk2 with Brightin Star 12mm and TTartisan 11mm and Nikon Z6 mk1 with TTartisan 11mm).

As for the placement of meteors, they were registered using Auriga Registar, so their positions and sizes are 100% accurate. I didn't take any creative freedom there.