This Milky Way photo looks out of this world – a perfect night sky over a surreal salt flat landscape

Panoramic view of the Milky Way arcing over a salt flat with turquoise pools and distant mountains at twilight.

Capture the Atlas has revealed its 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year collection, showcasing 25 of the most striking astrophotography images from around the world.

One standout image by Daniel Viñé Garcia was captured in one of Argentina's most remote regions. Titled My Perfect Night, it shows a vast salt flat stretching beneath a brilliant Milky Way.

"Turquoise waters, in absolute silence, reflecting a sky so pure and clear that it was hard to believe it was real," Garcia recalls. Let's take a look at the story behind the still and Garcia's choice of gear. See the full 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year collection on Capture the Atlas' website.

The extraordinary Milky Way photo

The image was captured in Catamarca, deep within the Argentine Puna – a high-altitude plateau between 3,500 and 4,000 meters above sea level.

Reaching the location required traveling across rough dirt tracks far from any light pollution. Its isolation and altitude create near-perfect conditions for astrophotography.

Photographing the Milky Way in the southern hemisphere, Garcia explains, "What made this place particularly compelling was its rarity. I had never seen photographs of this salt flat before, and its untouched character and minimalist landscape immediately stood out."

Garcia adds, "In this moment, the galactic center sits to the left side of the arch, while the Gum Nebula appears on the right, creating a natural visual balance across the sky."

The gear behind the shot

Garcia used the Sony A7 III – astro-modified to capture the night sky in extraordinary detail (Image credit: Sony)

Shot info
Gear: Sony A7 III Astro-modified, Samyang 8mm f/2.8m fisheye (for foreground), Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 *(for sky)
Accesories: MSM Nomad star-tracker, Sunwayfoto T3240CK tripod
Exposure: Sky: 8 x (10 x 30sec), f/1.8, ISO 1250, 16mm, foreground: 4 x 60sec, f/2.8, ISO 1250, 8mm

A lightweight, easy-to-use kit has accompanied Garcia every night.

He explains, "To capture this breathtaking sky, I used the Nomad tracker from Move Shoot Move throughout, along with its wedge, laser and phone mount, which allowed me to align it precisely beneath the southern sky."

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