Milky Way Over Quiver Tree

Winner in the 2023 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest, category Still images with smartphones-mobile devices: Milky Way Over Quiver Tree, by Jianfeng Dai.

This breathtaking photograph was captured on 17 June 2023, near Keetmanshoop, Namibia, with a smartphone. Dominating the night sky, the majestic arc of the Milky Way creates a celestial bridge across the heavens. The image captures a range of notable astronomical objects: the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, seen towards the bottom of the image and appearing as fuzzy clouds; Antares, seen towards the top left of the image; and the coalsack nebula (referred to by various names by Indigenous cultures around the world), seen vertically above the Large Magellanic Cloud. Silhouetted against this astral backdrop, the trees — which are actually succulent aloe plants native to southern Africa — add a touch of Earth's unique beauty. Historically, these plants were known as ‘quiver trees’ because groups of local Indigenous people would use their hollowed branches to hold darts. The serene Namibian landscape, combined with the brilliance of the southern hemisphere's stars, offers a glimpse into the majesty of our Universe.

Credit: Jianfeng Dai/IAU OAE (CC BY 4.0)