The heart of the Dolomites meets infinity

            It was a long-cherished dream to photograph the Milky Way above the majestic Three Peaks - a motif that unites my longing and fascination for the mountains and the night sky. I had already visited the World Heritage Site three times before, which for me is the most beautiful mountain range in the world, and in 2022 I even had the privilege of standing on the summit of the Three Peaks myself. Now, on the evening of October 29, 2024, everything finally seemed perfect: the weather forecast promised clear conditions, the temperatures would remain mild and the night promised to be incomparable.

In the late afternoon, I bought my ticket for the pass road to the Auronzo hut and began the hike towards the Dreizinnenhütte. It was a familiar path. The landscape looked calm and sublime in the soft light of the setting sun, almost as if it was preparing itself for the night ahead. From the Dreizinnenhütte, my path continued up to the Sextener Stein, an ideal platform for my nocturnal endeavor.

The conditions were perfect - there was almost no wind and the temperature was a comparatively mild -5 degrees. Everything around me was quiet. Standing under the starry sky, surrounded by the imposing silhouettes of the Dolomites, was indescribable. The Milky Way stretched vertically into the sky like a ribbon of light, giving the scene an almost mystical quality.

As I set up the camera and took the first exposures, I felt at one with this landscape. The silence and majesty of this place under the sparkling sky made time stand still. Every moment, every second, seemed deeper and more meaningful than words could ever express.

After some time of intensive photography, I began my descent by the light of my headlamp. The way back to the hut was accompanied by a feeling of deep happiness at what I had experienced and anticipation of developing the photos at home on my PC. This experience - the Three Peaks, the Milky Way and the endless silence of the night - will remain unforgettable for me. It was a night that showed me once again how great and fulfilling it is to capture the beauty of nature in a single image.

Taken on: October 29, 2024

Tags:

2024

Dolomiten

Zinnen

drei

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cime

lavaredo

southtyrol

italy

milkyway

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Sets appears in: • Nature Shots • Berge

Groups appears in: • Landschaft/Landscape • Alps more » • UNESCO World Heritage Sites • Dolomites • Berge • The Milky Way • Mountains, Mountains just Mountains... • Alto Adige/Südtirol/South Tyrol • Landschaften/Sonnenuntergänge/Tiere • Landscapes of the World • photos of mountain • Sony Alpha World • nature is all - all is nature • Landscape Beauty ! • Landscapes with Atmosphere • Landscape Astrophotography • CELEBRATING NATURE • The Stars at Night -- P1/C1 • Stars n' Stuff • kwerfeldein: ausblick • * Best of mountain and climbing photography • Best landscapes and nature photos of the alps • Landscapes worldwide • Astroscape • SONY A7III (ILCE-7M3) • **Special Landscapes** • **Extra Special Landscapes** (Admin Invite Only) • Rocks, cliffs, reefs and waves « less

Camera: Sony ILCE-7M3, f/2.8, 20 sec, 24mm, ISO 3200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-7M3
Lens:	FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	20
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	3200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Cloudy
Contrast:	High
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 26.0 (Macintosh)
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