ASTROPHOTOGRAPHER TRAVELS ALL THE WAY TO ALASKA TO CAPTURE INCREDIBLE RARE IMAGE

Astrophotographers frequently go above and beyond to capture a unique image. This required Dan Zafra of Capture the Atlas to journey to the Alaskan wilderness to photograph a recent total moon eclipse. His risk paid off, as he received an exceptional photograph of the eclipse encircled by the Northern Lights.

Since the last complete lunar eclipse took place in November 2022, photographers eagerly awaited the one on March 14. Making the trip from his home in Nevada to Alaska was unusual enough for Zafra, especially once he found out that there could be a chance to see the aurora that same evening.

"This trip to Alaska was initially scheduled around the spring equinox, which is frequently linked to increased solar activity," Zafra told PetaPixel. I usually plan my travels around a New Moon to get the best black skies, but this time I made an exception. It was too good to miss the unique chance to see both the aurora and a total lunar eclipse.

Zafra's risk paid off, as the moon's reddish color during totality contrasted with the sky's bright green. The photographer was able to capture the action from multiple perspectives because of his astute planning. Close-ups of the Moon were captured with one camera, a timelapse was captured with another, and a wide-angle view captured the Moon and the surrounding landscape. Zafra stacked bracketed exposures to get the final photos, which provided a clear, sharp perspective of the Northern Lights and eclipse.

The photographer describes this magical occasion as a "once-in-a-lifetime moment," one that Zafra will not soon forget. To view all of the pictures and Zafra's timelapse of the occasion, scroll down.