This photograph, Galaxy on the Rise, was captured in Tenerife, the Canary Islands, where the photographer spent nearly four hours searching for a hidden cave that proved remarkably difficult to find.
"I'm always drawn to locations that feel unique and relatively undiscovered, and this cave was a perfect example," says astrophotographer Anastasia Gulova, reflecting on the image that has now been selected for Capture the Atlas 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year collection.
