I’ve had a few experiences with astrophotography, and if it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it can become very humbling. The idea that I’m pointing my camera towards something that’s millions of kilometers away sheds new light on what I think about humanity, that our big problems are merely squabbles when compared to the vastness of the universe.
I think everybody should get the chance to experience a dark sky, just like I did last September in Greece, or during my honeymoon in Thailand (Ko Lanta), where I took the photo you see above. Just experience it, no need to bring out any gear.
But for those that want to capture the night sky, things are getting more complicated. In just 8 years, we’ve added 16% more light pollution. This means one of two things. The first is we’ll have to drive farther to enjoy a truly dark sky. More time, higher costs, and thinking twice before doing it again. The second is landscape astrophotographers might start relying more on light pollution filters, astro-modified cameras, and trackers, just to skip driving for hours to a dark site.
That’s sad. The beauty of landscape astrophotography, at least for beginners or enthusiasts like myself, is that you don’t need that much to capture the Milky Way. Grab a decent camera, a bright ultra-wide lens, a tripod, and you’re good to go. With more light pollution in our skies, this might become a thing of the past.
Luckily, there’s still some places that’ll remain relatively light pollution-free (national parks, some coastlines). Depending on where you live, you’ll want to check this map to see if you live near them. If you do and you haven’t experienced the night sky in a dark place, do yourself a favor and plan for a trip this summer.
