Astronomers hike up Mount Blanc for the view
A team of astronomy-loving mountaineers, led by Cyril Dupuy, founder of the French smart telescope company Vaonis, recently hiked the icy slopes of Mount Blanc. There, they captured the highest photograph of the sun ever taken in Europe.
From April 29 to May 1 of this year, the team ascended Western Europe's tallest peak, carrying with them their Vespera Pro smart telescope. Despite being blocked from the true peak of Mount Blanc by a hazardous snow bridge, the team succeeded in their scientific expedition, setting up their telescope to get unprecedented views of the sky.
This photo was taken on Mount Blanc at 14,100 feet (4,300 meters) above sea level, a bit below the 15,780-foot (4,810 m) summit.
From their position close to the summit of Mount Blanc, the team was able to capture high-altitude images of the sun with the Vespera Pro telescope. They were even able to observe Malin-1, the largest known spiral galaxy, which lies more than a billion light years from Earth.
"Inspired by the Janssen Observatory built atop Mont Blanc in the late 19th century, I decided to follow in trailblazer Jules Janssen's footsteps and capture from the Alpine skies a unique image of the sun as well as the largest known spiral galaxy, a nod to Janssen's research — though this time armed with 21st-century technology," explained Dupuy in a recent statement.
The trip was one of many that astrophotographers like Dupuy take to remote locations with less light pollution to photograph crisp, clear night skies. By combining long-exposure techniques and camera and telescope technology, astrophotographers can see details far beyond what the naked eye can see: star clusters, the Milky Way, and even the faint glow of other galaxies.
You can read more about astrophotography, the best telescopes to get started, and more about capturing our night skies.
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