This year’s Milky Way season produced some images I really love. I have been working on more complicated techniques and incorporating the use of hydrogen-alpha filters. My Z6ii was modified to be more sensitive to hydrogen-alpha light, a red wavelength that our eyes don’t pick up in the night sky. I now have a clip-in filter from Astronomik as well as the new Maven Filters Hydrogen Alpha Magnetic Lens filter. I’ll put together a blog post about these eventually. These filters block all light except the red at 656nm. Neither of these should be used for solar viewing.

I’ve found that I rarely shoot single-exposure Milky Way images anymore. At the very least, I’ll stack multiple frames to improve signal and reduce noise. I use my tracker whenever I can, though I still take untracked shots, too – none of those made it into this year’s list, though. They’re strong images, but my favourites this year definitely lean toward the more complex ones that reveal the most data and colour.

Here’s the 2025 list of favourite Milky Way images. I’ve included some notes on settings and techniques used in night photography.

Balanced

The Milky Way over Balance Rock in Haida Gwaii

The Milky Way at Balance Rock in Haida Gwaii during an Escape to Nature workshop with Viktoria Haack. We had a 40% moon setting behind us that lightened the sky, but the galactic core still stood out beautifully. Only half the group chose to do a night shoot when we had a clear opportunity (night photography is not for everyone, especially when going out at 2am).

Technical:

Sky: ISO1600 f2.8 14mm 60s
Foreground: ISO3200 f2.8 14mm 60s
Nikon z6ii astromod + Nikkor z 14-24mm f2.8
Tracked + Stacked

Night Comes Down

Milky Way over the town of Waterton at night

I’ve wanted to return to catch the Milky Way over Waterton with my astromodified camera for years. An opportunity to take advantage of clear skies came up this spring, but of course the winds were strong. I was able to use the tracker for some images, but I did have some throw aways where gusts vibrated the system. There was strong green airglow to the right of the Milky Way core.

Technical:

Sky: ISO1600 f2.8 15mm 60s x9
Foreground: ISO1600 f2.8 15mm 30s, 15s, 8s, 4s, 2s, 1s,
Nikon z6ii astromod + Nikkor z 14-24mm f2.8
Tracked +  Stacked + Exposure Blend

Connected

Milky Way and mountains reflecting at Herbert Lake near Lake Louise Alberta

The Milky Way core aligns perfectly in the dip between the mountains, with the Dark Horse fully visible, right around the time when there’s no true night. The darkest period is astronomical twilight. The Milky Way still stands out beautifully, but the sky remains slightly bright overall.

Technical:

Sky: ISO400 f2.8 21mm 180s
Foreground: ISO3200 f2.8 21mm 60s x5
Water: ISO3200 f2.8 21mm 15s x5
Nikon z6ii astromod + Nikkor z 14-24mm f2.8
Tracked + Stacked + Blended

Dynamics

A silhouette of a woman standing on a hoodoo formation in Writing on Stone with the Milky Way shining in the night sky

A self portrait with the Milky Way that required many components to put together. I took the foreground and self portrait during nautical twilight and then left a tripod in place. I had to wait until much later in the night for the Milky Way to become visible and move into the correct position. I had two other tripods so I took some different images before returning to complete this one.

Technical:

Sky RGB: ISO800 f1.8 16mm 60s x5
Sky Ha: ISO3200 f1.8 16mm 60s x9
Foreground: ISO800 f4 16mm 5s
Nikon z6ii astromod + Viltrox 16mm f1.8 + Astronomik Clip-in Ha Filter
Tracked + Stack + Blend + Panorama

When Darkness Calls

Milky Way panorama from south to north horizon over the Athabasca Glacier Alberta

This is the most complicated Milky Way panorama that I have put together. It’s a South to North view of the entire arc in the sky. I’m currently still just using Photoshop to put all of this together, but I will need to look into some other programs that will hopefully make the processing a bit easier.
While I photographing from this ridge I could see bright flashes of lightning to the Southeast – it was very far away, but it definitely added some pressure to getting the data I needed.

Technical:

Sky RGB: ISO1600 f2.2 20mm 60s 5 Panels x 5 (30s for panels with aurora)
Sky Ha: ISO3200 f1.8 20mm 60s 5 Panels x 5
Foreground: ISO1600 f2.2 20mm 60s 2 Panels x 5
Nikon z6ii astromodified + Nikkor z 20mm f1.8
Tracked + Stacked + Blended + Panorama

Favourite Non Milky Way Shot

Orion and various Nebulae over the goat range in Kananaskis taken using a hydrogen alpha filter

Technically this is a Milky Way image too since the northern arm can be seen here, but it is really about Orion and the various Nebulae in this section of the sky. I’m excited to work on more images like this with the hydrogen alpha filters and find some unique compositions this winter.

Technical:

Sky RGB: ISO1600 f2.8 16mm 90s x 9
Sky Ha: ISO3200 f2.8 16mm 120s x9
Foreground: ISO3200 f2.8 16mm 60s x9
Nikon z6ii astromod + Nikkor z 14-24mm f2.8
Tracked + Stacked + Blended

If you’d like some tips on how to plan your own Milky Way images throughout the year, check out my 12 Month of Milky Way article.

If you’re interested in learning more about night photography, I offer virtual mentorships and private lessons on topics like Milky Way shooting, editing, and planning your sessions under the stars.