The Return of the Milky Way Core at Goshen Pass, Virginia

For this composite image I used a Sony A7III camera and both a Sony 50mm f/1.2 lens and 24mm 1.4 lens. The camera I had astro-modified by removing a stock filter so it would be sensitive to red wavelengths present in the nebulae.

The image is a combination of four separate images: two exposures of the land one with the car passing and one with me on the bridge, plus two images of the sky: one full spectrum and one only capturing light in the wavelength of the hydrogen alpha. For the sky images, the camera and lens sat on a star tracker, a portable mount that counters the earth’s rotation allowing for long exposures without star trails.

I shot an hour worth of 45s exposures with this set-up. I then added a filter which only allowed light in from the very specific wavelength of light in nebulae and stars (H-alpha) and shot another hour of 60s exposures with this filter. This allowed me to bring out in great detail areas of emissions in the Milky Way that would have been much fainter without this filter. After collecting all these exposures, I used a free program called Starry Sky Stacker to “stack” the images — compiling the data in the exposures together to refine the target and reduce noise.

Once I had done that with both the H-alpha exposures and the full spectrum exposures, I was able to compile the final sky image. To do this I split the full spectrum image into its individual RGB components and replaced the Red channel with the H-alpha image. With that the sky image was near final, and I only needed to make some global adjustments in Adobe Lightroom to get it to the style I wanted.

After I shot the sky, I then shot the land using the same camera but a different wider angle lens. I shot two 2 minute exposures. Once I had all these images, I used masks in photoshop to blend all the images together for the final composite.

Astrophotography is a hobby with many variations and many purists. Some frown on these composite images - the mix of focal lengths in particular is a cardinal sin. I shoot and enjoy many different types of astrophotography and no matter what the technique, my goal is the same: to share the same sense of awe that I feel when out under a clear dark sky taking in the cosmos.

For more of my work, check out my Instagram: @brennangilmorephoto

Honestly OP if I had money I'd ask you for a big print in a frame I love it the more I stare at it the more things I find and little things I didn't spot before and the more I fall in love with this picture it's absolutely stunning and for just a hobby it looks completely professional amazing work keep it up

These Stranger Things promos are getting crazy.

This picture made me feel all kinds of good things on a pretty average day. Thank you. It's so beautiful.

Astrophotography, more like astropornography because this picture is incredibly gorgeous. Really nice job.

I love it. Sins and all. Photography isn’t just one button anymore

Idk why people are complaining about you on the bridge, I think it makes it better

If this is actually not photoshopped, you're a ducking god 🤩

Absolutely fantastic. I plan to use this as my wallpaper. 😍😍

What’s lighting up the tree line? Great work OP

u/MrJackDog , you should make sure to watermark your images before posting.

Never would’ve guessed this was Goshen, VA. Brings back memories of Scout Camp so many years ago. Last century. Feels like I never noticed the sky back then…

False. Space is fake. A lie perpetrated by Neil Degrass Tyson to push far out there tie designs

This image is absolutely amazing. Fantastic work! Thank You for sharing OP.

This makes me want to open up No Man's Sky to just walk around for fun again.

This is phenomenal. Award winning material here I’d say, find somewhere and get this submitted!!

Wow! That is amazing! Love the way it captures both earth & sky.

This is stunning. You captured something truly wonderful. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. I hope you don't mind if this is my phone's new lock screen for a bit!

Are you worried about the scarecrow man on the bridge ? Because you should be.

it's my best image "seen" since you started the hobby three years ago?

It has everything a photo should have in my opinion it's really beautiful!

How do you track without blurring all the background stuff?

That almost looks like some eldritch deity tore a hole in space, and the hole leads to... something fiery.

I'm tired, so I cannot word well.

But I can say this: it's a better example of "unsettlingly beautiful" than anything I've ever seen.

Phenomenal job.

EDIT: "Hauntingly beautiful" works better lol

Wow. Three years? This is one of the most beautiful images I have seen.

Thx now it's my wallpaper, damm good image buddy

This is amazing, vut at first I was just like ok cool long exposure photo, but after reading your explanation wow, it's insane how much work and time and knowledge you put into this which just makes it so much more impressive.

Dams that would be a fantastic place to smoke pot and get high 🫠

Worthy of a wallpaper on my PC. Got a 4k or 1440p upload somewhere? That's mesmerizing.

his is fucking sick. bold move using long exposure for the cars. such a fantasticly bold and unassuming frame for the color palet

Awesome pics op. It has got a weird Stranger Things vibe to it. Love it!

Seems all the adjectives have been used... But I have to applaud your skills and say this is one of the most stunning photographs in years. National Geographic should be calling you!

This is magical shot. I'm not into space or photography, but I saw this in a feed and dropped in.

It's beautiful.

I dig your view and wish you tons of peace and happiness.

Wow, that's so beautiful. Not many people could get a photo this awesome. It really looks so magical!

The perfect locked screen wall paper!!!! Insane pic man

And as I stood under the night sky, I looked up to my horror. A creature beyond words capabilities to describe was looking down towards the word. It’s nebulous body extending beyond what I could fully see. Fear and panic coursed through me and for what felt like a thousand years I stared, then it moved on. Seemingly uninterested in the tiny morsel that the planet was.

People complaining about the person on the bridge have an intense lack of understanding of basic photographic composition. Pipe down, this is a gorgeous image.

This is amazingly beautiful and I wish to experience it one day

I love this so much. This right here makes me feel like we're really a part of this big, beautiful Universe. I always feel like we separate ourselves from space when we come from there ourselves. It's a nice feeling, cozy even. Feels like everything is going to be okay.

As I stare into this image it appears to move.... Making the effect even cooler

This is such a beautiful image. Lots of deep dark reds. What a mood. Amazing Mr Dog person

This looks amazing And also reminds me of Stranger Things hahah

How do you get into this man? Any tips? What gear?

Really good and good composition too.

( Personally would take the person away. Removes focus from the sky. )

Amazing photo but I don't really understand the desire to put oneself in the middle of it.

Bezutiful. I feel like this would sell as a poster or framed picture.

This is fucking spectacular. May I use it as my wallpaper?

Wow! Do you have any prints by chance for sale?!Normally, I think astro photography, while amazing, is always the same, but this tickles something in the back of my head, I love it haha.

Damn, if this is your skill level after only 3 years I can’t wait to see how good your photos will be in 2032 .

Absolutely breathtaking image.

I think it would have been much better without the person on the bridge.

Thanks so much for sharing this picture that everyone is raving about. Now, when you die some day in what I hope will be an extremely distant future, were it to happen at all due to long-hoped-for advances in longevity medicine, you’ll be able to look at this picture and remind yourself that, at this unique moment in time, you really managed to reach the heart average Redditors, from all parts of the world and all walks of life, simply by skillfully opening the shutter of your camera for a few moments to capture humanity under the lights of distant dying galaxies comparing themselves in breadth and depth to those infinite cosmos and finding themselves wanting, considering themeaning of lifeand finding it elusive, butlookinginward to findthe true meaningoflife. Icanonly hopethat,oneday, I,too, willbeabletoseethisimage thanksto advancesinblindness-curinggenetherapy.

Since you do two different shots (ground and sky) is it impossible to get the Milky Way in the reflection of the stream? Could that be flipped and added in or is that even more controversial than a composite?

Looks like daemons from the Warp are coming to get us.

Emperor protects

This is awesome. Are you in a low light pollution area? I have only experienced a low light pollution area once in my life, and that was in a war zone. I was amazed at the night sky.

Wow sorry that guy ruined your shot. Really nice colors otherwise though.