Starry Popocatépetl

Honorable mention in the 2023 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest, category Still images with smartphones-mobile devices: Starry Popocatépetl, by David Olivos Sánchez.

Under the silver glow of the Milky Way, the dormant figure of Popocatépetl stands tall, its silhouette softly illuminated against the night sky. This photograph taken in May 2023, in Paso de Cortez, Mexico, beautifully portrays the Earth’s geological wonders, and receives an honourable mention in the category of Still images taken exclusively with smartphones/mobile devices. The volcano Popocatépetl is a mountainous vent in the Earth’s crust through which molten rock, ash, and gases escape from below the surface. Additionally, the photo showcases the visibility of the core of our galaxy, enhancing the captivating view of the night sky and a dramatic and vivid natural phenomenon.

Credit: David Olivos Sánchez/IAU OAE (CC BY 4.0)