Perseids – Milky Way

Buying a new Samyang 14mm AF lens for full-frame cameras, with an f/2.8 aperture and intended specifically for photographing the Milky Way as well as offering an extremely wide angle, made the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August a perfect excuse for a thorough test.

First, an evening getting to know the equipment at Strmca

Because there was too much light pollution at this viewpoint, I had to find a better location.
Rakov Škocjan was exactly right. I got the inspiration for this shot after seeing the work of other photographers who had photographed Rakov Škocjan at night, but I had two clear goals: I wanted to capture the Milky Way in the opening and add more drama to the photograph. With an external flash, the right timing (using the Stellarium mobile app) and some moisture in the atmosphere, I think I succeeded.

The following evening, at the peak of the meteor shower, we tried our luck at Predjama Castle. We managed a photograph with the Milky Way and a few Perseids, but they were fainter and less noticeable in the photograph, so they are emphasised a little more here.

And to finish, a bombardment from space at Poček.

I raise the issue of Poček whenever I have the opportunity. Military exercises and ammunition pollute the groundwater in this classic karst terrain. All the water from this area drains into Planinske Malne, the main water source for Postojna. Measurements in caves in this area show elevated levels of metals, particularly cadmium, while more detailed research is expected to take place next year. The annual international air missions also produce an enormous amount of noise pollution, and every time residents feel as though they are in the middle of a war. They also close the already restricted airspace over an already small area. A free country...