Miguel Claro is an expert photographer, creator and science communicator primarily based in Lisbon, Portugal, who creates spectacular photographs of the night time sky. As a European Southern Observatory Photo Ambassador and member of The World At Night and the official astrophotographer of the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, he focuses on astronomical “Skyscapes” that join each Earth and the night time sky.
This deep view of the Orion Constellation glows in reddish hues because of a filtered view of hydrogen alpha emission, a kind of sunshine emitted by hydrogen atoms.
The big, intricate semi-circle across the three stars that make up Orion’s belt is named Barnard’s Loop (Sh2-276), a nebula about 1,600 light-years away that itself spans some 300 light-years throughout. Barnard’s Loop is a part of the even larger Orion molecular cloud advanced, made up of mud, hydrogen and helium, and is the birthplace of stars.
I at all times wished to make a picture like this one which exhibits all the attractive reddish hydrogen that surrounds one of the crucial spectacular and colourful areas of your complete night time sky as seen from Earth. This cloud incorporates identified wonders like M42, Horse Head, LDN 1622, the big Lambda Orionis Ring and the bluish (OIII) Witch Head Nebula, near Rigel star.
I had my arrange for this shot (Samyang 35mm f1.8 with Poseidon C Professional) out there and ready for 2 months earlier than Orion cooperated. This picture was a bit difficult to seize, as a consequence of uncooperative climate and the truth that the Orion constellation was starting to set early alongside the western horizon.
I solely had 40 minutes out there for every clear night time between February and March 2025 as seen from the Darkish Sky Alqueva Reserve in Portugal, so accumulating the seven hours of knowledge in whole for this picture took many nights. Had I taken it at first of winter, I might have taken it in a single night time. I hope you benefit from the end result.
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