Saturday, January 4, 2014

Sky, Clouds, Sunsets and Sunrises from Airplane – Travel Moments of an Astrophotographer

Many of my astrophotography projects take place around the world. Traveling to dark sky locations often requires long flights across continents and oceans. During these flights I frequently photograph the sky, clouds, and sunrise or sunset from the airplane window.

These moments are interesting for an astrophotographer because they reveal the atmosphere from above: layers of clouds, the horizon of Earth, and intense twilight colors created by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere. In a sense, the journey to a dark sky location begins long before the telescope is set up — sometimes already at 35,000 feet above the Earth.

Sky and clouds photographed from airplane window above the atmosphere

Sky and Clouds from Airplane

Sunset seen from airplane over New York and the Atlantic coast

Sunset from airplane over New York – atmospheric sky photography

Sunset over the East Coast of the United States photographed from airplane

Sunset - East Coast of the United States from airplane, Astrophotography


Photos from Airplane - Europe sunrise

Cloud formations photographed from airplane at high altitude

Clouds from airplane

Earth sunrise and horizon photographed from airplane window

View from airplane – Earth sunrise above the horizon

Many of the destinations for these flights later became locations for my night sky photography. After landing and reaching dark sky areas, the same Sun that creates these colorful sunsets eventually disappears below the horizon, revealing the stars, constellations, and the Milky Way that are the main subjects of astrophotography.

Photography from an airplane offers a unique perspective on Earth's atmosphere and the interaction between sunlight, clouds, and the horizon. For an astrophotographer, these flights are not only part of the journey, but also part of the sky experience itself.

Related Astrophotography & Sky Phenomena Posts

Astrophotography Around the World

These flights have taken me to some of the best dark sky locations on Earth including the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Galápagos Islands, Yellowstone National Park, Cherry Springs State Park, and Tanzania in East Africa.

Many of my astrophotography projects take place in different parts of the world. Flights like the ones shown above are often the beginning of a journey to dark sky locations where the Milky Way, constellations, and other night sky phenomena can be photographed.