15 stunning photos of the Milky Way galaxy that will make you feel small

Talia LakritzJun 25, 2020, 04:03 IST

The Milky Way galaxy photographed in Dolomites, Italy.Giulio Cobianchi/Capture the Atlas

Every year, travel and photography website Capture the Atlas shares stunning photos of the Milky Way from around the world.
Selections from the collection include images of the galaxy lighting up the sky in Antarctica, the Sahara Desert, and Utah.

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that measures 100,000 light years across. It contains over 200 billion stars, including our sun and solar system.

Photographing something so expansive can be challenging, but the results are always magnificent.

Capture the Atlas, a travel and photography website, shares the most beautiful photos of the Milky Way from around the world every year. Keep scrolling to view a selection of this year's featured images, or visit Capture the Atlas for the entire collection.

"Deadvlei" by Stefan Liebermann shows the Milky Way stretching out over Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia.

Location: Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia. Stefan Liebermann/Capture the Atlas

The glowing tents in Giulio Cobianchi's "Base Camp" make for a stunning contrast with the Milky Way above.

Location: Dolomites, Italy. Giulio Cobianchi/Capture the Atlas

Ramón Morcillo's "Enchanted Monastery" shows the Milky Way creating an arch over a monastery in Spain dating back to 1504.

Location: Ávila, Spain. Ramón Morcillo/Capture the Atlas

Mehmet Ergün called this photo "Milky Way over Parque Nacional del Teide."

Location: Tenerife, Spain. Mehmet Ergün/Capture the Atlas

Michael Goh wanted to capture the way trees appeared to be "clawing up at the sky" in his photo "Nightmare."

Location: Dumbleyung Lake, Australia. Michael Goh/Capture the Atlas

Dr. Nicholas Roemmelt titled this image "Winter Milky Way."

Location: Marmolada, Dolomites, Italy. Dr. Nicholas Roemmelt/Capture the Atlas

In "Alone & Together in the Stardust," Marco Carotenuto captured a lone silhouette in the Sahara Desert.

Location: The Sahara Desert. Marco Carotenuto/Capture the Atlas

In "Elemental" by Miles Morgan, Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano lights up the starry sky.

Location: Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Miles Morgan/Capture the Atlas

Debbie Heyer called this photograph "Alien Eggs."

Location: Badlands of New Mexico. Debbie Heyer/Capture the Atlas

Other planets are visible in Jorgelina Alvarez's photo of the Milky Way titled "Gran Firmamento."

Location: Marambio Base, Antarctica. Jorgelina Alvarez/Capture the Atlas

After years of hoping to photograph himself among waves of rock in Kanab, Utah, Julio Castro finally took "Good Night Utah."

Location: Kanab, Utah. Julio Castro/Capture the Atlas

Sam Sciluna also brought a longtime dream to fruition with "A Night at the Caves."

Location: Ta Marija Cave, Malta. Sam Sciluna/Capture the Atlas

In "Double Arch," Pablo Ruiz García showed the Milky Way mirroring an arch in Spain's La Hermida gorge.

Location: Picos de Europa, Spain. Pablo Ruiz García/Capture the Atlas

Ryan Smith was testing out new equipment when he captured this highly detailed image, which he called "Heavenly Throne," in the Southwest.

Location: Southwest US. Ryan Smith/Capture the Atlas

The Milky Way shines brightly in "Desert Nights" by Peter Zelinka.

Location: Alabama Hills, California. Peter Zelinka/Capture the Atlas

The owner of an iconic DC restaurant who donated free food to Black Lives Matter protesters did the same 57 years ago for the March on Washington

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