Billy Moar, Milky Way in Aoraki National Park (LANDSCAPE 2025)

This collection displays the brilliance of one of the most beautiful places on earth. The Aoraki Dark Sky Reserve is home to some of the darkest skies in the world and the most stunning landscapes you could ever see. In the middle of winter, I spent countless hours immersed in the wilderness, I could even hear the rumbles of distant avalanches as the photos were taken. This was my second time visiting New Zealand, as the year prior I had tried to capture the Milky Way for the first time over there, but had no luck with the weather and didn't account for the Moon's brightness. This time around, I wanted to make it right and finally see the Milky Way in all its glory. When I finally did look up to a view of thousands of stars, surrounded by towering mountains, it truly was a special moment.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.