A dazzling view of the Milky Way from South Africa – Ars Technica

Good morning. It’s November 1st, and today’s photo takes inspiration from southern Namibia. Perhaps the most famous tree in the southern region of Africa is the quiver tree – so named because its tubular branches can be shaped into arrow holders.

Kurt Belser took this photo of the Milky Way rising above a quiver tree in May as part of a photography tour in Namibia. The moon had already set, enhancing the darkness of the sky locally. This remote region of Africa already boasts some of the darkest skies in the world.

The tour group explored this site during the afternoon and returned after sunset to install the equipment. This included moving carefully in the dark, avoiding sharp rocks and other hazards. Belser took several 15-second exposures before starting a 30-minute exposure to highlight the star trails.

“I finally had 30 minutes or so to enjoy the amazing view,” he told Ars. “It was much better than the dark sky where I photographed the Milky Way in Arches National Park. You can appreciate how people in ancient times built their myths around what they saw in the dark night sky.”

You can visit his website below to see a photo of the star trails, as well as the location during daylight hours.

source: Kurt Belser.

Want to send a photo to the Daily Telescope? Contact us and say hello.