Solar Time Lapse of a Large Prominence Releasing a CME
On 22th February, 2022, the Sun has featured a gigantic solar prominence over the chromosphere, throwing a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. This was my most stressful and lucky capture. As soon as I realised that the prominence was growing so fast and drastically, I had to quickly decide what to do. So I decided to interrupt the first sequence and rotate the camera framing again for the new composition, to be able to keep capturing this growing giant ejection. It’s the highest “flame” I saw and record until now. So tall comparing the Sun’s disc that we could fit probably dozens of planet Earths inside. Seeing was good, not perfect, but nice enough for a time lapse. So I made a huge effort of gathering as much images as possible. The sequence was captured between UT11h58 and UT14h16. The final result is a 4K high resolution solar movie comprising around 2hours and 15 minutes, captured from the Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal. Here is the animations from NASA SDO and LASCO-c2 (Cactus CME detection) from this same day, showing the same giant as seen from the probe in Space.
PT: Em 22 de fevereiro de 2022, o Sol apresentou uma proeminência gigantesca visível sobre a cromosfera, lançando uma ejeção de massa coronal (CME) no espaço. Assim que me apercebi que a proeminência estava a crescer de forma tão rápida e drástica, tive que decidir rapidamente o que fazer. Então decidi interromper a primeira sequência e girar a câmara para redefinir o novo enquaramento, e poder assim continuar a captar o crescimento dessa ejeção gigante. Esta foi a “chama” mais alta que vi e gravei até agora. Tão alta que caberiam provavelmente dezenas de planetas Terra na sua extensão. A estabilidade da atmosfera não estava perfeita, mas suficiente para permitir registar um time lapse. Então fiz um esforço para reunir o máximo de imagens possível. A sequência foi captada entre UT11h58 e UT14h16. O resultado final é um filme solar 4K de alta resolução com cerca de 2 horas e 15 minutos, captado na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal. Aqui poderá ver uma animação da NASA SDO e LASCO-c2 (detecção de Cactus CME) deste mesmo dia, mostrando a mesma proeminência e CME vista da sonda que se encontra no espaço.
Above are some still shots presented in color and monochromatic version, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Acima estão algumas fotos apresentadas em uma versão a cores e monocromática, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem.
Above is possible to watch the video time lapse sequence compiling 335 shots processed, each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video. The final result is a 4K high resolution time lapse movie comprising around 2 hours.
PT: Acima é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 335 captações processadas, cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 2h de imagens.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Chromosphere filter| QUY5III174M |Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in average to good seeing conditions from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
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A Stargazer with Mercury, Venus, Moon and Pleiades above Alqueva Lake
On the morning of 26th June, the waning crescent Moon was in a close alignment with planet Venus and Pleiades star cluster M45, featuring a wonderful Earthshine. While Pleiades are high in the Sky and near the upper edge, Mercury has joined the show and is close to the horizon. Dificult to find ? Yes, so please, follow my arm, I´m the photographer on the ground holding the bright light and pointing to the same region of the sky you are looking for. Hope it helps you to identify the small orange light of planet Mercury. Captured in the calm waters of Alqueva lake, at Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: Na manhã de 26 de Junho, a lua minguante encontrava-se num alinhamento muito próximo com o planeta Vénus e o aglomerado das Pleiades M45, exibindo ainda um maravilhoso Earthshine lunar. Enquanto as Pleiades estão altas e no topo superior da imagem, Mercúrio também se juntou ao show e está junto ao horizonte. Difícil de encontrar? Sim, então por favor, siga o meu braço estendido, eu sou o fotógrafo visível na imagem segurando a luz brilhante e apontando para a mesma região do céu que o leitor está à procura. Espero que o ajude a identificar a pequena luz laranja que é o planeta Mercúrio na imagem. Captada nas águas calmas do lago Alqueva, no Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
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A Waning Crescent Moon in Close Conjunction with Planet Venus and Pleiades Star Cluster
On the morning of 26th June, the waning crescent Moon was in a close alignment with planet Venus and Pleiades star cluster M45, featuring a wonderful Earthshine. Mercury has joined the show later, for being so close to the Sun. The background sky in the twilight reveals a beautiful combination of colors, while in the foregound, the main two scources of bright lights are reflected in the calm water of Alqueva lake, at Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: Na manhã de 26 de Junho, a lua minguante encontrava-se num alinhamento muito próximo com o planeta Vénus e o aglomerado das Pleiades M45, exibindo ainda um maravilhoso Earthshine lunar. O planeta Mercúrio juntou-se ao show mais tarde, por estar tão perto do Sol. O céu de fundo ao crepúsculo revela uma bela combinação de cores, enquanto no primeiro plano, as duas principais fontes de luzes brilhantes, estão reflectidas nas águas calmas do lago Alqueva, no Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
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A Twilight Show Reveals the Moon and 7 Planets Aligend Along the Ecliptic Plane
On the morning of 26th June, all planets were aligned along the Ecliptic plane. The waning crescent Moon has joined the parade, being very close to Venus and Pleiades star cluster. Mercury was not visible, for being below the horizon at 4h42 AM. The panoramic twilight scene of single images, also features the faint path of Milky Way, for being mixed with the morning bluish colors. In the upper left part and not faraway from Cassiopeia constellation, is visible Andromeda galaxy. The annotated version below, features the precise position and identification of each os the 7 planets. Pluto, although, is so faint (+14 mag.) that is not possible to resolve with a small lens, so the circle is marking the star TYC 6892-0124-1, which is the star more close to real position of Pluto, and the maximum magnitude I could register (+10 mag.) with my camera. The annotated version has a magnifying circle showing the area in full resolution to help identify the faintest planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Captured in Alqueva lake, at Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: Na manhã de 26 de junho, todos os planetas estavam alinhados ao longo do plano da Eclíptica. A Lua minguante juntou-se ao desfile, estando muito perto de Vénus e do aglomerado das Pleiades. Mercúrio não era visível, por estar abaixo do horizonte às 4h42 AM. O cenário crepuscular panorâmico de disparos únicas, também revela o tênue caminho da Via Láctea, por se misturar com as cores azuladas do amanhecer. Na parte superior esquerda e não muito longe da constelação de Cassiopeia, é visível a galáxia de Andrómeda. A versão anotada visível em baixo, apresenta a posição precisa e a identificação de cada um dos 7 planetas. Plutão, no entanto, é tão fraco (+14 mag.) que não é possível resolver com uma lente pequena, por isso o círculo assinala a estrela TYC 6892-0124-1, que é a estrela mais próxima da posição real de Plutão, e a magnitude máxima que consegui registrar (+10 mag.) com minha câmara. A versão anotada tem um círculo de ampliação mostrando a área em resolução total para ajudar a identificar os planetas mais fracos, Urano, Netuno e Plutão. Captada junto ao lago de Alqueva, no Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
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An Over Extended Spring Shows Colorful Light Paths above Green Fields and White Flowers
Paths of colorful lights full-fill the unfocused background sky, remembering us that each star shines at different temperatures. The bluish stars are the warmest, while the coldest are shinning in orange-reddish hues. Violet paths belongs to emission nebulae, as the core of a dragged Milky Way is still visible in upper right corner. In the foreground, white flowers are still blooming in green fields spread all over the driest regions in Alentejo, due to a late Spring over extended, thanks to an unexpected raining time, which we hope will be a wet welcome, to the Summer season. Captured in Mértola region, at Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: Caminhos de luz coloridos preenchem um céu de fundo desfocado, lembrando-nos que cada estrela brilha a diferentes temperaturas. As estrelas azuladas são as mais quentes, enquanto as mais frias brilham em tons de laranja-avermelhado. Os caminhos violetas pertencem às nebulosas de emissão, pois o núcleo de uma Via Láctea arrastada ainda é visível no canto superior direito. Em primeiro plano, flores brancas continuam a desabrochar por entre campos verdes que se espalham por todas as regiões mais secas do Alentejo, graças a um final de primavera prolongado, devido a um período de chuva inesperado. Esperemos que seja apenas uma “recepção molhada” à chegada deste Verão. Captada recentemente durante o meu workshop de astrofotografia nos ceús de Mértola, no Dark Sky® Alqueva.
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Our Greatness Rises When We Recognise The beauty Immersed in Each Corner of the Universe
Sometimes all you need is just…being under the stars to understand how big, we humans, can be. Big, by the simple fact that we can have a conscience of our limits when trying to “understand” a small fraction of what we are looking at. But our greatness rises, when we are able to recognise all the beauty immersed in each piece of Nature, in each corner of the Universe! Captured on my recent astro astro workshop at Dark Sky® Alqueva. My thanks to participants Daniela and Ana, which posed for me in this single shot.
PT: Por vezes tudo que precisamos é apenas…relaxar, e estar sob a grandeza de um céu estrelado pristino, para entender o quão grandes, nós humanos, podemos ser. Grandes pelo simples facto de termos a consciência dos nossos limites ao tentar “entender” uma pequena fracção do que se avista diante os nossos olhos. Mas a nossa grandeza aumenta, quando somos capazes de reconhecer toda a Beleza presente em cada pedaço da Natureza, em cada canto do Universo! Captada recentemente durante o meu workshop de astrofotografia no Dark Sky® Alqueva. Os meus agradecimentos às participantes Daniela e Ana, que posaram para mim nesta foto de um disparo único.
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A Meteor and a Eclipsed Moon in the Twilight
A wide angle image is the result of a team work between me and my dear Apolónia. Captured few minutes before the morning starts, it shows the reddish glow of an eclipsed moon for being under the Earth shadow cone, mixed with the colors of the twilight in the background. luckily at the precise moment that Apolónia Rodrigues was pressing the camera button – by hand, we didn’t had more cables available as I was running 4 other cameras, a bright shooting star was crossing the field below the Milky Way, visible in the lower left edge. In the foreground, an old mine structure from Mina de São Domingos, in Mértola, at Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, is visible in the shadow.
PT: Esta visão grande angular é o resultado de um trabalho de equipa entre mim e a Apolónia. Captado poucos minutos antes do início do crepúsculo matinal, mostra o brilho avermelhado de uma lua eclipsada por estar sob a influência do cone de sombra da Terra, misturado com as cores do crepúsculo em pano de fundo. Felizmente no preciso momento em que Apolónia Rodrigues estava a premir o botão da câmara – à mão, não tínhamos mais cabos disponíveis pois eu estava a trabalhar com outras 4 câmaras, uma estrela cadente brilhante atravessava o campo abaixo da Via Láctea, visível na parte inferior da extremidade esquerda. Em primeiro plano, é visível na sombra a silhueta de uma antiga estrutura mineira do complexo da Mina de São Domingos, em Mértola, na Reserva Dark Sky® Alqueva.
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Total Lunar Eclipse and Milky Way Shining in a VR 360º Starry Scene
Captured on the wonderful century old mine of São Domingos, in Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky® Alqueva – Mértola, an all sky and 360º Virtual Reality scene features the arch of Milky Way shining high in the Sky. Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish Vega near the top. Left lower center – in the beginning of the Milky Way faintest path – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the lower center and between the two strcutures are shining planets Jupiter and Mars, being Saturn visible as well, but more to the center right. On the right edge, shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full of emission nebulae and close to Rho Ophiuchi clouds complex, an unusual bright orange glow belongs to an eclipsed super moon for being under the Earth shadow cone. Below is available two Virtual Realities 360º of this scene. You can experience a full 7K resolution using your desktop, or smartphone with gyroscope. A great “in loco” experience can be achieved if you wear a VR glasses.
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Arch of Summer Milky Way Shining Bright During a Total Lunar Eclipse

The image reveals a panoramic scene of single shots where the arch of Summer Milky Way shines high and bright above the wonderful century old mine of São Domingos, in Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky® Alqueva – Mértola, Portugal. In the background, Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish star Vega near the top. Left lower center – in the beginning of the Milky Way faintest path – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the lower center and between the two strcutures are shining planets Jupiter and Mars, being Saturn visible as well, but more to the center right. On the right edge, shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full of emission nebulae and close to Rho Ophiuchi clouds complex, an unusual bright orange glow belongs to an eclipsed super moon for being under the Earth shadow cone.
PT: A imagem revela um cenário panorâmico de disparos únicos onde o arco da Via Láctea de Verão se ergue alto e brilhante acima da maravilhosa mina centenária de São Domingos, na Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky® Alqueva – Mértola. Ao fundo, o Triângulo de Verão destaca o centro da imagem, com a estrela azulada Vega perto do topo. No centro inferior esquerdo – no início do caminho ténue da Via Láctea – um ponto elíptico, brilhante e difuso pertence à Galáxia de Andrómeda. No centro inferior e entre as duas estruturas estão os planetas Júpiter e Marte. Mais acima à direita, encontra-se o planeta Saturno. No extremo direito, brilha o núcleo empoeirado da Via Láctea cheio de nebulosas de emissão e próximo ao complexo de nuvens Rho Ophiuchi, uma luz incomum de tonalidade laranja brilhante, pertence a uma superlua eclipsada por estar sob o efeito do cone de sombra da Terra.
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How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Milky Way with Scorpius and a Red Eclipsed Super Moon
A panoramic scene of 4 singles images captured with a 70mm lens and a Vixen Polarie U tracking mount, shows the moment of totality, when a Super Full Moon decreases its lights and starts to shine in reddish hues for being under the Earth shadow cone. When this happens, a dark starry sky like Alqueva, can show the magnificent presence of Milky Way galaxy at the same time we can enjoy an eclipsed moon. But another yellow-orange bright scource of light is visible in the scene, this light belongs to Antares, a super giant red star located in the heart of Scorpius constellation, which fullfils the entire background scene. The image was captured at 5h AM, when the moon was at about 12º above the horizon of Mina de São Domingos, in Mértola, Dark Sky© Alqueva Reserve, Portugal. For this shot I’ve used a Canon 6D at ISO1250, aperture of f/2.8 and 25 seconds exposure.
PT: Um cenário panorâmico de 4 imagens (single) captadas com uma focal de 70mm e uma montagem Vixen Polarie U, revela o momento da totalidade, quando uma Super Lua Cheia diminui a sua intensidade luminosa e começou a brilhar em tons de vermelho por se encontrar sob a influência do cone de sombra da Terra. Quando isso acontece, um céu estrelado e escuro como o do Alqueva, pode mostrar a magnífica presença da Via Láctea ao mesmo tempo que podemos desfrutar de uma lua eclipsada. Mas outra fonte de luz brilhante de um amarelo-alaranjado é visível nesta cena nocturna, esta luz pertence a Antares, uma estrela supergigante vermelha localizada no coração da constelação do Escorpião, que preenche assim toda a imagem em pano de fundo. A imagem foi captada às 5h da manhã, quando a lua se situava a cerca de 12º acima do horizonte da Mina de São Domingos, em Mértola, Reserva Dark Sky© Alqueva, Portugal. Para esta foto foi usada uma Canon 6D com ISO1250, abertura de f/2.8 e uma exposição única de 25 segundos.
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How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Total Lunar Eclipse with a Super Red Moon Immersed in a Colorful Starfield
The image shows a close-up view of a red dark Moon immersed in a colorful field of stars, taken with a telephoto lens during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022, on 16th May, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Blood Moon”. Below is also possible to enjoy, a starless version, less distractive.
PT: A imagem mostra um close-up de uma lua cheia vermelha e escurecida, imersa num campo de estrelas colorido, captado com uma teleobjetiva durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 16 de Maio de 2022, a partir do complexo mineiro de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de “Super Blood Moon”. Em baixo, está também disponível uma versão sem estrelas, menos distractiva.
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You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Solar Flare X1 from AR2994 in Motion – Still Photos and Time Lapse
Captured on 30th April, 2022, from Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal, a high-resolution image and time lapse sequence, features the chromosphere activity on this day. I was testing my new camera from Player One Apollo-M Max and photographing another region of the sun, when I was notified by spaceweatherlive app that an eruption was on going at 13h47 UT with the release of an extraordinary Solar Flare X1-class. So I had to immediately change my initial plans and pointed as quickly as possible the telescope to the limb where the Flare departed, from sunspot AR2994 – hidden already behind the edge of the sun. According to Spcaceweather, “the explosion still produced enough radiation for a strong shortwave radio blackout over the mid-Atlantic Ocean and Europe”. Conditions were a bit unstable, but I’ve manage to make a short time lapse of about 27 minutes. The final result is a 4K high resolution solar movie comprising around 1,5 hours of images from both sequences, including the one I was capturing before the Flare happened.
PT: Captada a 30 de Abril de 2022, na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, a imagem de alta resolução e sequência time lapse revelam a actividade da cromosfera neste dia. Eu estava a fazer uma sessão de testes da minha nova câmara solar Player One Apollo-M Max e fotografando outra região do sol, quando fui notificado pelo aplicativo spaceweatherlive de que uma erupção estava a acontecer às 13h47 UT com o lançamento de um extraordinário Flare Solar de classe-X1. Assim, tive que mudar imediatamente os meus planos iniciais e apontar o telescópio o mais rapidamente possível para a extremidade do disco solar onde o Flare teria ocorrido, partindo da reigão activa AR2994 – já escondida atrás do limbo solar. De acordo com Spcaceweather, “a explosão ainda produziu radiação suficiente para um forte apagão de rádio de ondas curtas, na região do Oceano Atlântico e parte da Europa”. As condições estavam um pouco instáveis, mas consegui fazer uma sequência time lapse de cerca de 27 minutos. O resultado final é um filme solar 4K de alta resolução com cerca de 1,5 horas de imagens de ambas as sequências, incluindo a que eu estava a captar antes do Flare acontecer.
Below are two still shots presented in a portrait version, taken with 40 minutes apart bewteen UT14h21 and UT14h40, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image. Region from AR2994 which produced the Flare X1
PT: Abaixo estão duas fotos apresentadas em uma versão retrato, captadas com uma diferença de 40 minutos entre UT14h21 and UT14h40, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem. Região da mancha AR2994 que produziu o Flare X1.
Below is possible to watch the video time lapse sequence compiling 235 shots processed (first and second sequence), each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video. The final result is a 4K high resolution time lapse movie comprising around 1,5 hours.
PT: Em baixo é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 235 captações processadas (primeira e segunda sequência), cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 1,5h de imagens.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Chromosphere filter| Player One Apollo-M Max |Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in average seeing conditions from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
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You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Crescent Moon, Mercury and Pleiades in a Twilight Meeting
On May 2, 2022, the slightly crescent moon was visible in the western sky, featuring a wonderful Earthshine. But our natural satellite has invited some old sky friends to join the twilight party. Just 45 minutes after the sunset, and we could see the rare view of planet Mercury shining in reddish hues, apparently at the same distance and in conjunction with Pleiades star cluster M45 and the Moon. The single shot was captured during nautical twilight from a field in Cumeada village, at Dark Sky® Alqueva reserve.
PT: No passado dia 2 de Maio, 2022, a lua em fase timidamente crescente era visível no céu poente enquanto exibia um maravilhoso Earthshine. Mas o nosso satélite natural convidou alguns velhos amigos celestes para se juntarem à festa crepuscular. Apenas 45 minutos após o pôr do sol, já se podía apreciar a rara aparição do planeta Mercúrio brilhando em tons de vermelho, localizado “aproximadamente” à mesma distância e em conjunção com o aglomerado de estrelas Pleiades M45 e a Lua. A imagem resultante de um disparo único foi captada durante o crepúsculo náutico, a partir do campo na região da Cumeada, no Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
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You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Eruptive Solar Prominence Few Minutes Before Release an M1.9 Flare
Captured on 20th April, 2022, from Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal, a high-resolution image features the chromosphere activity on this day. After a while without being able to photograph our Sun – several weeks with clouds – I tried my lucky. Despite the fact that winds were around 25km/h, with low clouds passing by all the time, and very unstable seeing, I could capture a nice eruptive prominence just 10 minutes before it release an M1.9 solar flare. In only 4 minutes apart we can see how the eruption has evolved so quickly. Due to the bad conditions I already mentioned, I was not able to do timelapse this time.
PT: Captada a 20 de Abril de 2022, na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, a imagem de alta resolução revela a actividade da cromosfera neste dia. Depois de algum tempo sem conseguir fotografar o nosso Sol – várias semanas com nuvens – tentei a minha sorte neste dia. Apesar de os ventos rondarem os 25km/h, com nuvens baixas a passarem constantemente à frente do Sol, e um seeing muito instável, consegui captar uma boa proeminência eruptiva apenas 10 minutos antes desta libertar um solar Flare de classe M1.9. Com apenas 4 minutos de intervalo, podemos ver como a erupção evoluiu tão rapidamente. Devido às más condições que já mencionei, não foi possível fazer timelapse desta vez.
Below are two still shots presented in a portrait version, taken with 4 minutes apart bewteen UT12h13 and UT12h17, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Abaixo estão duas fotos apresentadas em uma versão retrato, captadas com uma diferença de 4 minutos entre UT12h13 and UT12h17, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Prominence filter| QUY5III174M | 0,67x Reducer |Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in average seeing conditions from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
A Deep Wide Field Shows Alkaid Star and Blue Snail M51 Immersed in the Faint Dust of IFN

A deep wide field view captured with a telephoto prime lens of 300mm, shows the blueish variable star Alkaid, from Ursa Major, shining close to a tiny blue snail lying at a distance of 31 million light-years away, near the boundaries of constellation Canes Venatici. This small snail named M51, is actually the Whirlpool Galaxy. It’s an interacting spiral galaxy, with 60 thousand light-years in diameter which has a smaller companion with an intriguing shape, named NGC 5195. The main galaxy of this duet, seems to interact with its small companion galaxy (at left on the portrait view, or up, in the landscape version) creating a faint tidal of debris that seems to spread while vanishing in space. This deep wide field scene comprise 10,5 hours of accumulated sub-exposures to help reveal some of the faintest diffuse clouds from IFN, where this duet Alkaid- M51 seems to be immersed in. The gas and dust from Integrated flux nebulas (IFN) lies beyond the main body of our Milky Way Galaxy and it’s almost invisible in exposures with less than 5h in clear dark skies. The image was captured from Cumeada Observatory, official headquarter of Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Portugal.
PT: Uma visão ampla e profunda captada com uma lente prime de 300mm mostra a estrela variável e azulada Alkaid, da Ursa Maior, brilhando perto de um “minúsculo caracol azul” localizado a uma distância de 31 milhões de anos-luz de distância, perto dos limites da constelação de Canes Venatici. Este pequeno caracol chamado M51, é na verdade a Galáxia Whirlpool. É uma galáxia espiral interagente, com 60 mil anos-luz de diâmetro, que possui uma companheira menor e com uma forma intrigante e peculiar, chamada NGC 5195. A galáxia principal deste dueto, parece interagir com a companheira de viagem mais pequena (à esquerda na versão da imagem vertical, ou acima, na versão da imagem horizontal), criando uma leve maré de detritos que parecem espalhar-se enquanto desaparecem suavemente no espaço profundo. Esta visão de campo amplo e profundo compreende 10,5 horas de subexposições acumuladas para ajudar a revelar algumas das nuvens difusas e ténues da IFN, onde este dueto Alkaid-M51 parece estar imerso. O gás e a poeira da Nebulosa de Fluxo Integrado (IFN) fica além do corpo principal da nossa Via Láctea e é quase invisível em exposições com menos de 5h em céus límpidos e livres do poluição luminosa. A imagem foi captada no Observatório da Cumeada, Sede Oficial da Reserva Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
Canon fixed prime lens 300mm f/3.5 + Canon 6D modified | ISO2500 – Sub Exp. of 70 seconds each. Mount EQ6 Pro – Auto-guiding off |Total integration of 631 minutes (10,5h). Processing on PixInsight 1.8.9 and Photoshop CC 2022. Cumeada Observatory from Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Reguengos de Monsaraz.
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
April Full Moon Rising Like an Easter Egg above Monsaraz Castle
The last Full moon was literally an Easter moon. Why, because it was rising like an egg. Even looking round at a first sight, take a look below on the left portrait, which shows exactly this same picture but rotated to a vertical position. It’s like an optical illusion. In fact Dr. Les Cowley from Atmospheric Optics, explains why a spherical object appears flattened near the horizon: “Rays from the setting sun are refracted by the atmosphere and make it appear higher in the sky. The lower limb is lifted more than the top limb, making its image oval.” The same could happen with the moon when its light is crossing different layers at different pressures and temperatures. The light is bent and distorts the image forming the Easter Egg shape. The single image captured with a 600mm at a distance of 8,2 km, shows the moon rising above Monsaraz Castle in Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Portugal. The image on the right, was captured a few minutes later at a focal of 400mm (200mm + 2x extender) when the moon was a little bit higher.
PT: A última lua cheia de Abril foi literalmente uma lua de Páscoa. Porquê ? Porque nasceu com a forma de um ovo. Mesmo parecendo redonda à primeira vista, a imagem em modo retrato que é possível ver em baixo à esquerda, mostra exatamente esta mesma fotografia, mas na posição vertical. Parece uma incrível ilusão óptica. Na verdade, Dr. Les Cowley, especialista do Atmospheric Optics, explica por que um objecto esférico parece achatado perto do horizonte: “Os raios do sol poente são refractados pela atmosfera e fazem com que este pareça mais alto no céu. O limbo inferior é eleva-se mais do que o limbo superior, tornando a sua imagem oval.” O mesmo pode acontecer com a lua quando a sua luz atravessa diferentes camadas da atmosfera, a diferentes pressões e temperaturas. A luz é “dobrada” e distorce a imagem apresentando o formato de “ovo de Páscoa”. A imagem é resultado de um disparo único captado com uma teleobjectiva de 600mm à distância de 8,2 km, e revela o nascimento da Lua Cheia sobre o Castelo de Monsaraz na Reserva Dark Sky® Alqueva, em Portugal. A imagem da direita, captada alguns minutos mais tarde com outra objectiva de 200mm + duplicador (2x), revela um enquadramento similar com a Lua mais elevada no céu.
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You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Colorful Deep Cosmic Portrait of Orion Molecular Cloud Complex

A deep wide field view captured with a telephoto prime lens of 300mm, shows the wonderful Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. Horsehead Nebula is visible in the upper left corner of this cosmic portrait, and Orion Nebula in the lower center. Both are immersed in the reddish emission from the light of hydrogen gas excited by energetic newly-formed hot and young stars. Blue-violet coloration, comes from the reflected radiation from the massive O-class stars. This complex contains dark nebulae, emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, and H II regions. The wide view also includes, Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, the 3 main bluish bright stars of Orion’s Belt, in the constellation of Orion. Both M42 (Orion Nebula) and Barnard 33 (Horsehead) are located at a distance between 1350 and 1500 light years respectively and are the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. Small white and brown clouds are visible near Alnilam and Mintaka revealing a busy and colorful field with portions of dense gas which seems to be illuminated by the surrounding starlight. The image was captured from Cumeada Observatory, official headquarter of Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Portugal.
PT: Uma visão ampla e profunda captada com uma lente prime de 300mm mostra o maravilhoso complexo molecular de Orion. A Nebulosa Cabeça de Cavalo é visível no canto superior esquerdo deste retrato cósmico, e a Nebulosa de Orion no centro inferior. Ambos estão imersos numa tonalidade avermelhada, resultado de uma emissão brilhante a partir do gás de hidrogénio excitado por estrelas quentes e energéticas, recém-formadas. A coloração azul-violeta visível na fotografia, provém da radiação refletida das estrelas da classe-O. Este complexo contém nebulosas escuras, nebulosas de emissão, nebulosas de reflexão e regiões H II. Esta visão ampla também inclui, Alnitak, Alnilam e Mintaka, as 3 principais estrelas brilhantes e azuladas que compõem o Cinturão de Orion, na constelação de Orion. Tanto a M42 (Nebulosa de Orion) quanto o Barnard 33 (Cabeça de Cavalo) estão localizadas a uma distância entre 1350 e 1500 anos-luz, respectivamente, sendo a região de formação estelar massiva mais próxima da Terra. Pequenas nuvens brancas e castanhas são visíveis perto de Alnilam e Mintaka, revelando um campo diversificado e colorido com porções de gás denso que parece ser iluminado pela luz das estrelas ao redor. A imagem foi captada no Observatório da Cumeada, Sede Oficial da Reserva Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
Canon fixed prime lens 300mm f/3.5 + Canon 6D modified | ISO2500 – Sub Exp. of 70 seconds each. Mount EQ6 Pro – Auto-guiding off |Total integration of 300 minutes (5h). Processing on PixInsight 1.8.9 and Photoshop CC 2022. Cumeada Observatory from Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Reguengos de Monsaraz.
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A Deep Nightscape Portratit Reveals Orion Colors Shining above the Trees from Dark Sky® Vale do Tua

A deep nightscape portrait taken from Dark Sky® Vale do Tua territory, shows a line of trees below the Colourful and bright stars from winter constellations Orion. Reddish pink hues from Hydrogen-alpha emission nebulae, are painting the dark background sky easily revealing deepsky objects like Barnards loop, Orion Nebula and Horsehead region, with Rosette Nebula shinning bright in the top left corner. This is a tracked/stacked image of 30 sec. single shots combining a total exposure of 9.5 minutes.
PT: Um retrato de paisagem nocturna profunda captado no território do Dark Sky® Vale do Tua, revela uma linha de árvores abaixo das estrelas coloridas e brilhantes da constelações de Orion. Tons de rosa avermelhado pertencem às nebulosas de emissão de hidrogénio-alfa, que pintam assim o céu escuro de fundo revelando facilmente objetos do céu profundo como o loop de Barnard, a nebulosa de Orion ou a região da Cabeça do Cavalo. No canto superior esquerdo é ainda possível ver a nebulosa da Roseta brilhante em tons de vermelho. A imagem final é o resultado de um stack de disparos únicos de 30 segundos, com seguimento, que combinam uma exposição total de 9,5 minutos.
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A Girl Stargazing Perseids With a Bright Meteor Spotted

The brightest meteor I’ve ever captured in many years and probably the most prominent from Perseids meteor shower of 2021. Caught in a single frame crossing high in the sky between Deneb and Altair star from Summer Triangle. It was a fast and bright meteor featuring a very long tail of about 36º (measured from star Rho Cygni up to Alpha Sagittae), with a half-green and half-pink violet hue due to an elevated concentration of chemical elements like magnesium (green) and calcium (pink-violet), typical in meteors from Perseids. The tail ends up with a little explosion visible as a white bluish bright flash. As soon as we saw the meteor firing, I took another two shots up to the horizon- since my camera was pointing to the zenith – this time with my girlfriend framed on it while pointing high in the same region of the sky where the meteor has crossed. The final image is a vertical panorama of single shots taken at approximately the same time.
PT: O meteoro mais brilhante que já capturei em muitos anos e provavelmente o mais proeminente da chuva de meteoros Perseidas de 2021. Captado em um único disparo enquanto brilhava alto no céu entre a estrela Deneb e a estrela Altair do Triângulo de Verão. Foi um meteoro rápido e brilhante com uma cauda muito longa de cerca de 36º (medida da estrela Rho Cygni até Alpha Sagittae), com uma tonalidade violeta meio verde e meio rosa devido a uma concentração elevada de elementos químicos como o magnésio (verde ) e cálcio (rosa-violeta), típico em meteoros de Perseidas. A cauda termina com uma pequena explosão visível como um flash branco azulado brilhante. Assim que vimos o meteoro rompendo o céu com um flash brilhante, fiz mais duas fotos até ao horizonte – já que a minha câmara apontava para o zénite – desta vez com a silhueta da minha cara metade presente na imagem, enquanto apontava para o alto na mesma região do céu onde o meteoro caiu. A imagem final é um panorama vertical de fotos captadas aproximadamente ao mesmo tempo.
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Sirius Occultation by a Tree Silhouette Against the Faint Path of Winter Milky Way

A night scene from Dark Sky® Vale do Tua territory, shows the dark silhouette of a tree against the faint path of winter Milky Way few minutes before making an occultation of bluish star Sirius while crossing behind the dark branches. Colourful and bright stars from well known winter constellations like Orion, Gemini, or Canis Major, are spread in the starry background. Reddish pink hues from Hydrogen-alpha emission nebulae, are painting the dark sky easily revealing deepsky objects like Rosette Nebula or Barnards loop.
PT: Um cenário nocturno captado no território do Dark Sky® Vale do Tua, mostra a silhueta escura de uma árvore contra o ténue caminho da Via Láctea de Inverno, alguns minutos antes desta fazer uma ocultação da estrela azulada Sirius, enquanto esta transitava por detrás dos seus ramos. Estrelas coloridas e brilhantes de constelações de Inverno bem conhecidas como Orion, Gémeos ou o Cão Maior, espalham-se num pano de fundo estrelado. Tons de rosa avermelhado pertencem às nebulosas de emissão de hidrogénio-alfa, que pintam assim o céu escuro revelando facilmente objetos do céu profundo como a Nebulosa da Roseta ou o loop de Barnard.
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Arch of Summer Milky Way shines Bright above the Mountains and Lake in the Center of Portugal

The image reveals a quite panoramic scene of single shots where the arch of Summer Milky Way shines high and bright against a starry night sky, above the mountains and lake of Dark Sky® Aldeias do Xisto – a certified Starlight Tourist Destination in the center of Portugal. In the background, Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish star Vega near the top. Left center – in the beginning of the Milky Way faintest path – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the opposite direction – lower horizon – shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full emission nebulae featuring a reddish pink hues. On the center right, the two brightest stars above the moutain belongs to the giant Jupiter and Saturn.
PT: A imagem panorâmica de disparos únicos revela um cenário tranquilo onde o arco da Via Láctea de Verão se destaca alto e brilhante contra um céu noturno estrelado, que se ergue acima das montanhas e lago no Dark Sky® Aldeias do Xisto – um Destino Turístico Starlight certificado no centro de Portugal. Em pano de fundo, destaca-se o Triângulo do Verão ao centro da imagem, com a estrela azulada Vega a brilhar alto no céu. No centro esquerdo – no início da Via Láctea – um ponto elíptico brilhante e difuso, pertence à luz da Galáxia vizinha de Andrómeda. Na direção oposta, perto do horizonte inferior, brilha o núcleo empoeirado da nossa galáxia Via Láctea, salpicado por uma imensidão de nebulosas de emissão que brilham em tons de rosa avermelhado. No centro direito, as duas estrelas mais brilhantes acima da montanha pertencem aos gigantes gasosos Júpiter e Saturno.
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Summer Milky Way Shining Bright above Castro de Palheiros

The image reveals a panoramic scene of a Summer Milky Way shining high in the night sky, above Castro de Palheiros, or Fragada of Castro, territory of Dark Sky® Vale do Tua – a new certified Starlight Tourist Destination. Located in the heart of Natural Park of Tua Valley, in the northern part of Portugal, “is an imposing quartzite ridge that was being carved and built by the people of Murça region, between the beginning of the third millennium BC up to the present”, according to the Interpretative Center of this region. In the background, Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish star Vega near the top. Left center – in the beginning of the Milky Way – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the opposite direction – lower horizon – shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full emission nebulae featuring a reddish pink hues.
PT: A imagem revela um panorama onde é visível o arco da Via Láctea de Verão brilhando alto no céu, acima do Castro de Palheiros, ou Fragada de Castro, território do Dark Sky® Vale do Tua – um novo Destino Turístico Starlight certificado. Situado no coração do Parque Natural do Vale do Tua, no norte de Portugal, o Castro “é uma imponente crista quartzítica que foi sendo esculpida e construída pelas populações da região de Murça, entre o início do terceiro milénio antes de Cristo até ao presente, segundo o Centro Interpretativo da região. Em pano de fundo, destaca-se o Triângulo do Verão ao centro da imagem, com a estrela azulada Vega a brilhar alto no céu. No centro esquerdo – no início da Via Láctea – um ponto elíptico brilhante e difuso, pertence à luz da Galáxia vizinha de Andrómeda. Na direção oposta, perto do horizonte inferior, brilha o núcleo empoeirado da nossa galáxia Via Láctea, salpicado por uma imensidão de nebulosas de emissão que brilham em tons de rosa avermelhado.
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Infinity Zoom – Fly Through my Deep Space Images Into the Heart of Rho Ophiuchi & Blue Horsehead
Infinity Zoom, is a serie of short 4K videos where we will fly through my deep space images, starting with a wide view somewhere in one of the darkest landscape places I’ve had opportunity to visit and photograph through my journey in the world with astrophotography, up to a close intimate view where we dive deep into the core of some wonderful deep sky objects captured with a telescopic view from my observatory located in Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal. To watch with sound on.
In this second episode of Infinity Zoom, we departure from Atacama Desert, and dive deep into the core of Blue Horsehead Nebula. During the short voyage of about 400 light-years to reach the Blue Horsehead we will fly close to Rho Ophiuchi colorful cloud complex, lying almost at the same distant, both are located in same naked-eye region of the sky, towards the constellation of the Ophiuchus. The Cloud Complex, is one of the most colourful nebulas in space and the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. These interstellar clouds of gas and dust contain both red emission nebulas and blue reflection nebulas. The dark brown regions are caused by dust grains, born in young stellar atmospheres, which effectively block light emitted behind them. Our final deep dive reveals the wonderful nebula IC4592, better known by it’s well distinguished shape of a Blue Horse Head. The blue reflection nebula is made up of very fine interstellar dust particles that reflects the visible light of energetic nearby stars, as Nu Scorpii, the bright blueish star which marks the eye of the Horse. Immersed in the brownish dust, is visible a second reflection nebula named IC 4601 surrounding two stars. The animation has been created using my real images, a total of 4 photographs captured at different focal distances from a wide angle landscape lens up to a telescopic view, for the final approach.
PT: Infinity Zoom, é uma série de pequenos videos em 4K onde vamos voar pelas minhas imagens do espaço profundo, começando com uma visão ampla a partir de uma das paisagens escuras que tive a oportunidade de visitar e fotografar ao longo das minhas viagens pelo mundo com a astrofotografia, até uma visão mais íntima onde mergulharemos profundamente no coração de alguns objectos de céu profundo fascinantes, captados com um telescópio a partir do meu observatório localizado na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal. Para ver com o som ligado.
Neste segundo episódio do Infinity Zoom, partimos do Deserto do Atacama e mergulhamos profundamente no núcleo da Nebulosa Cabeça do Cavalo Azul. Durante a curta viagem de 400 anos-luz para chegar à Cabeça do Cavalo Azul, voaremos perto do complexo de nuvens coloridas Rho Ophiuchi, quase à mesma distância, ambos estão localizados na mesma região do céu a olho nu, em direção à constelação do Ophiuchus. Este é talvez o complexo nebuloso mais coloridos do espaço e uma das regiões de formações de estrelas mais próximas ao sistema solar. Estas nuvens inter-estelares de gás e poeiras contêm nebulosas de emissão (vermelhas) e nebulosas de reflexão (azul). As regiões a castanho escuro são causadas por grãos de poeira, nascidos em atmosferas estelares jovens, que efetivamente bloqueiam a luz emitida por detrás delas. O nosso mergulho profundo final revela a incrível nebulosa IC4592, mais conhecida pela sua forma distinta de uma Cabeça de Cavalo Azul. A nebulosa de reflexão azul é composta por partículas de poeira interestelar muito finas que refletem a luz visível de estrelas energéticas próximas, como Nu Scorpii, a estrela azul brilhante que marca o olho do Cavalo. Imerso na poeira acastanhada, é visível uma segunda nebulosa de reflexão chamada IC 4601 em torno de duas estrelas. A animação foi criada usando imagens reais da minha autoria, num total de 4 fotografias captadas com diferentes distâncias focais desde uma lente grande angular de paisagem até uma visão telescópica, para a aproximação final.
List of individual images used in the animation | Lista das imagens individuais usadas na animação:
The Greatness of Solitude with a Mesmerising View of the Milky Way above Atacama Desert | Rho Ophiuchi – A Colourful Cloud in Space | Blue Horsehead Nebula and Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex in a Colorful Deepsky Scene | A Blue Horse Head is Shining in Space Surrounded by Faint Dust
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Colorful Stellar Paths Against the Silhouette of a Dark Tree
A night scene from Dark Sky® Vale do Tua territory, highlights the dark silhouette of a tree against the colourful stellar paths left behind during 20 minutes of movement from the celestial sphere. The light traces from winter constellations like Orion, or Canis Major are painting the background sky with different hues remind us from their different surface temperatures.
PT: Um cenário nocturno a partir dos céus do Dark Sky® Vale do Tua, destaca a silhueta escura de uma árvore contra os coloridos caminhos estelares deixados para trás durante 20 minutos de movimento da esfera celeste. São traços de luz de constelações de Inverno como Orion ou o Cão Maior, que pintam este céu mágico em pano de fundo, lembrando-nos que estas tonalidades estão associadas às diferentes temperaturas de cor de cada estrela. As mais quentes, “queimam” em azul, as mais frias em tons entre o laranja escuro e o vermelho.
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How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Milky Way All Sky and VR 360º Night Experience above Castro de Palheiros in Dark Sky® Vale do Tua

A full dome and 360º Virtual Reality scene features the path of Milky Way shining high in the night sky, above Castro de Palheiros, or Fragada of Castro, territory of Dark Sky® Vale do Tua – a new certified Starlight Tourist Destination. Located in the heart of Natural Park of Tua Valley, in the northern part of Portugal, “is an imposing quartzite ridge that was being carved and built by the people of Murça region, between the beginning of the third millennium BC up to the present”, according to the Interpretative Center of this region. In the background, Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish star Vega near the top. At the upper left corner – in the beginning of the Milky Way – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the opposite direction – lower horizon – shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full emission nebulae featuring a reddish pink hues. On the left side of the all sky scene – lies also planets Jupiter, visible with its bright light near the quartzite rock. Below is available a Virtual Realities 360º of this scene. You can experience a full 7K resolution using your desktop, or smartphone with gyroscope. A great “in loco” experience can be achieved if you wear a VR glasses.
PT: Um cenário All Sky e de Realidade Virtual 360º, apresenta o caminho da Via Láctea brilhando alto no céu noturno, acima do Castro de Palheiros, ou Fragada de Castro, território do Dark Sky® Vale do Tua – um novo Destino Turístico Starlight certificado. Situado no coração do Parque Natural do Vale do Tua, no norte de Portugal, o Castro “é uma imponente crista quartzítica que foi sendo esculpida e construída pelas populações da região de Murça, entre o início do terceiro milénio antes de Cristo até ao presente, segundo o Centro Interpretativo da região. Em pano de fundo, destaca-se o Triângulo do Verão ao centro da imagem, com a estrela azulada Vega a brilhar próximo do centro. No canto superior esquerdo – no início da Via Láctea – um ponto elíptico brilhante e difuso, pertence à luz da Galáxia vizinha de Andrómeda. Na direção oposta, perto do horizonte inferior, brilha o núcleo empoeirado da nossa galáxia Via Láctea, salpicado por uma imensidão de nebulosas de emissão que brilham em tons de rosa avermelhado. No lado esquerdo desta imagem circular de grande campo, encontram-se os planeta Júpiter, bem visível com a sua luz brilhante. Abaixo estão disponíveis duas Realidades Virtuais 360º desta imagem. O leitor pode assim experienciar esta Realidade Virtual em alta-resolução 7K usando o seu desktop ou smartphone com giroscópio. Uma ótima experiência “in loco” pode ser alcançada se usar óculos de realidade virtual.
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Infinity Zoom – Fly Through my Deep Space Images Into the Heart of Lagoon
Infinity Zoom, is a serie of short 4K videos where we will fly through my deep space images, starting with a wide view somewhere in one of the darkest landscape places I’ve had opportunity to visit and photograph through my journey in the world with astrophotography, up to a close intimate view where we dive deep into the core of some wonderful deep sky objects captured with a telescopic view from my observatory located in Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal. To watch with sound on.
In this first episode of Infinity Zoom, we departure from a Lake on Earth, and dive deep into the core of a Lagoon in space. During the short voyage of 5,200 light-years to reach Lagoon Nebula, we will fly close to Trifid Nebula and NGC 6559, lying almost at the same distant, both are located in same naked-eye region of the sky, towards the constellation of the Archer, Sagittarius. Inside the nebula, the energetic processes of star formation creates a huge chaos and a beautiful combination of colors. The red-glowing gas is resulting from high-energy starlight striking interstellar hydrogen. Hot young stars are forming in this stellar nursery. The dark dust filaments inside the nebula, were created in the atmospheres of cool giant stars and in the debris from supernovae explosions. Small dark knots, and globules that are condensing protostellar clouds are a sign that the process of star formation is still happening. The animation has been created using my real images, a total of 5 photographs captured at different focal distances from a wide angle landscape lens up to a telescopic view, for the final approach.
PT: Infinity Zoom, é uma série de pequenos videos em 4K onde vamos voar pelas minhas imagens do espaço profundo, começando com uma visão ampla a partir de uma das paisagens escuras que tive a oportunidade de visitar e fotografar ao longo das minhas viagens pelo mundo com a astrofotografia, até uma visão mais íntima onde mergulharemos profundamente no coração de alguns objectos de céu profundo fascinantes, captados com um telescópio a partir do meu observatório localizado na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal. Para ver com o som ligado.
Neste primeiro episódio do Infinity Zoom, partimos de um lago na Terra e mergulharemos profundamente no núcleo de uma lagoa no espaço. Durante a curta viagem de 5.200 anos-luz para chegar à Nebulosa da Lagoa, voaremos perto da Nebulosa Trífida e da NGC 6559, situadas quase à mesma distância, ambas localizadas na mesma região do céu, em direção à constelação da Arqueiro, Sagitário. Dentro da nebulosa, os processos energéticos de formação de estrelas criam um enorme caos e uma combinação de cores ímpar. O gás vermelho-brilhante é resultante da luz estelar de alta energia que atinge o hidrogénio inter-estelar. Estrelas jovens e quentes formam-se assim neste berço estelar. Os filamentos de poeira escura dentro da nebulosa, foram criados nas atmosferas de estrelas gigantes e na sequência de explosões de supernovas. Os pequenos nódulos escuros que se espalham pela nebulosa estão condensando as nuvens proto-estelares, sendo um sinal de que o processo de formação estelar continua a ocorrer. A animação foi criada usando imagens reais da minha autoria, num total de 5 fotografias captadas com diferentes distâncias focais desde uma lente grande angular de paisagem até uma visão telescópica, para a aproximação final.
List of individual images used in the animation | Lista das imagens individuais usadas na animação:
Wonders of Deep Sky Around the Galactic Center Shining above Alqueva Lake | The Starry Dusty Field from the Core of Our Milky Way Galaxy |The Crowded Starfield Around Lagoon, Trifid and NGC 6559 | The Wonderful Lagoon of Deep Space | The Colorful Region of NGC 6559 in Sagittarius.
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Giants of the Solar System – Solar Prominence with Planetary Scale
How big is big ? On 6th and 7th February, 2022, the Sun has featured a gigantic solar prominence over the limbs chromosphere. This Giant was visible for two days and then erupted, throwing a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. According to my measurements in pixels, the size of this prominence – special in the second day – was about 10x the size our planet Earth, in height, but stretching around the sun’s limb for thousands of kilometres. As comparison, a width beyond the largest system rings of Saturn. So I used my planetary images of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars to give a scale in the movie as well as in the final poster with the still images. Both Solar and planetary photos were captured in the Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal.
All the images captured in this sesssion are available in my gallery here. As this kind of images are involving a tremendous amount of work (several hours, days) and data to process. Here are some curiosities: I have captured 692 Raw videos of 900 frames each. A total of 622,800 frames with 3TB of space. Around 22% were used, with 138,400 still images being processed. Below is possible to watch the 4K high resolution video time lapse sequence compiling 692 shots processed (wide and Close-up), each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video.
PT: Em baixo é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 692 captações processadas (wide e close-up), cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 5h de imagens.
PT: Quão grande é grande? Nos dias 6 e 7 de fevereiro de 2022, o Sol apresentou uma proeminência solar gigantesca visível ao redor a cromosfera. Este gigante, ficou visível por dois dias e depois entrou em erupção, lançando uma ejeção de massa coronal (CME) no espaço. De acordo com minhas medições em pixels, o tamanho dessa proeminência – especialmente no segundo dia – era em altura cerca de 10x o diâmetro do nosso planeta Terra, mas a sua extensão ao redor do limbo solar atingia milhares de quilómetros. Como comparação, a sua largura poderia ir para além do maior sistema de anéis de Saturno. Nesse sentido, usei imagens planetárias obtidas por mim, de Júpiter, Saturno e Marte para dar uma escala no filme, bem como no poster final com as imagens estáticas. As imagens solares e planetárias foram captuadas na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
Todas as imagens captadas nesta sessão estão disponíveis na minha galeria aqui. Como este tipo de imagens envolve uma quantidade enorme de trabalho (várias horas e dias) e muitos GBs para processar. Aqui estão algumas curiosidades: Captei 692 vídeos Raw de 900 frames cada. Um total de 622.800 frames ocupando um total de 3 TB de espaço. Cerca de 22% foram utilizados, totalizando 138.400 imagens estáticas processadas.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Giants of the Solar System – Two Days in a Row Shows a Large Prominence Evolving – Photos and Time Lapse
How big is big ? On 6th and 7th February, 2022, the Sun has featured a gigantic solar prominence over the limbs chromosphere. This Giant was visible for two days and then erupted, throwing a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. So I made a huge effort of gathering as much images as possible during these two days in a row. With it, I could show the shape evolution of the prominence before it vanished. Most of the images were made between UT11h51 and UT14h39. On the first day, the weather conditions were not perfect, with moments of average seeing. The second day was much better in terms of stability. So I made 4 time lapse sequences that reveals this formation in motion, comprising a wider and close-up views for both days (with 2x barlow). The final result is a 4K high resolution solar movie comprising around 2,5 hours for each day, with a total of 5 hours of images. According to my measurements in pixels, the size of this prominence – special in the second day – was about 10x the size our planet Earth, in height, but stretching around the sun’s limb for thousands of kilometres. As comparison, a width beyond the largest system rings of Saturn. So I used my planetary images of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars to give a scale in the movie as well as in the final poster with the still images of both days. Both Solar and planetary photos were captured in the Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal.
As this kind of images are involving a tremendous amount of work (several hours, days) and data to process. Here are some curiosities: I have captured 692 Raw videos of 900 frames each. A total of 622,800 frames with 3TB of space. Around 22% were used, with 138,400 still images being processed. Below is possible to watch the 4K high resolution video time lapse sequence compiling 692 shots processed (wide and Close-up), each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video.
PT: Em baixo é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 692 captações processadas (wide e close-up), cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 5h de imagens.
PT: Quão grande é grande? Nos dias 6 e 7 de fevereiro de 2022, o Sol apresentou uma proeminência solar gigantesca visível ao redor a cromosfera. Este gigante, ficou visível por dois dias e depois entrou em erupção, lançando uma ejeção de massa coronal (CME) no espaço. Assim, fiz um esforço enorme para reunir o máximo de imagens possível durante esses dois dias seguidos. Com ele, pude mostrar a evolução da forma da proeminência antes que ela desaparecesse. A maioria das imagens foi feita entre UT11h51 e UT14h39. No primeiro dia, as condições meteorológicas não eram perfeitas, com momentos de estabilidade mediana a boa. O segundo dia foi muito melhor em termos de estabilidade. O resultado foram 4 sequências time lapse que revelam essa formação em movimento, compreendendo vistas mais amplas e em close-up (com barlow 2x) captadas em ambos os dias. O resultado final é um filme solar 4K de alta resolução com cerca de 2,5 horas por cada dia, num total de 5 horas de imagens. De acordo com minhas medições em pixels, o tamanho dessa proeminência – especialmente no segundo dia – era em altura cerca de 10x o diâmetro do nosso planeta Terra, mas a sua extensão ao redor do limbo solar atingia milhares de quilómetros. Como comparação, a sua largura poderia ir para além do maior sistema de anéis de Saturno. Nesse sentido, usei imagens planetárias obtidas por mim, de Júpiter, Saturno e Marte para dar uma escala no filme, bem como no poster final com as imagens estáticas dos dois dias. As imagens solares e planetárias foram captuadas na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
Como este tipo de imagens envolve uma quantidade enorme de trabalho (várias horas e dias) e muitos GBs para processar. Aqui estão algumas curiosidades: Captei 692 vídeos Raw de 900 frames cada. Um total de 622.800 frames ocupando um total de 3 TB de espaço. Cerca de 22% foram utilizados, totalizando 138.400 imagens estáticas processadas.
Above is the image captured on 6th Feb. in comparison with image captured on 7th Feb. (at right) both using a barlow lens. Below are some still shots presented in a portrait, landscape, or monochromatic version, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Acima está a imagem captada no dia 6 de Fev. em compração com a imagem captada no dia 7 de Fev. Em baixo estão algumas fotos apresentadas em uma versão retrato e paisagem, bem como em uma versão monocromática, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Prominence filter| QUY5III174M | TV Powermate 2x used only in close-up shots |Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in average and good seeing conditions (1,30″ arcs) from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Large Solar Mammoth Shape Prominence in Motion – Photos and Time Lapse
Captured on 25th January, 2022, from Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal, a high-resolution image features the chromosphere activity on this day, showing a massive solar prominence around the Solar limb. During the sequence of images, the prominence changed in appearance until it presented an incredible shape that resembled the silhouette of a Mammoth, a large mammal extinct for over 5,000 years and belonging to the genus Mammuthus (see image with caption). As the weather conditions were not perfect, but stable enough, I made a time lapse sequence that reveals this formation in motion, comprising a wider and close-up view (with 2x barlow). The final result is a 4K high resolution solar movie comprising around 2,5 hours of images.
PT: Captada a 25 de Janeiro de 2022, na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, a imagem de alta resolução revela a actividade da cromosfera neste dia, mostrando uma proeminência solar maciça ao redor do limbo Solar. Durante a sequência de imagens a proeminência foi mudando de aparência até apresentar uma forma incrível e que muita se asemelhava à silhueta de um Mamute, um mamífero de grande porte extinto há mais de 5 mil anos e pertencente ao gênero Mammuthus (ver a imagem com legenda). Como as condições climatéricas não eram perfeitas, mas suficientemente estáveis, fiz uma sequência time lapse e que permite ver esta formação em movimento, compreendendo fotos de visão mais ampla e close-up (com barlow 2x). O resultado final é um filme solar de alta resolução 4K com cerca de 2,5 horas de imagens.
Above is the original image vs the labeled image to help identify the Mammoth shape. Below are some still shots presented in a portrait, landscape, or monochromatic version, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Acima está a imagem original versus a imagem legendada para ajudar a identificar a forma do Mamute. Em baixo estão algumas fotos apresentadas em uma versão retrato e paisagem, bem como em uma versão monocromática, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem.
Below is possible to watch the video time lapse sequence compiling 345 shots processed (wide and Close-up), each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video. The final result is a 4K high resolution time lapse movie comprising around 2,5 hours.
PT: Em baixo é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 345 captações processadas (wide e close-up), cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 2,5h de imagens.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Prominence filter| QUY5III174M | TV Powermate 2x used only in close-up shots |Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in good seeing conditions (average of 1,60″ arcs) from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Milky Way Above the Medieval Castle of Juromenha
The image show a vertical panorama of the Milky Way as seen at the end of summer from inside the medieval castle of Juromenha in Dark Sky® Alqueva certified territory, in Portugal. The occupation of its site dates back to the Gallo-Celts and the Romans. Later occupied during the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, at the time of the Christian Reconquest of the peninsula it remained for two centuries as a defence outpost of the important city of Badajoz, since the 10th century in the hands of the Caliphate of Cordoba. The village and medieval castle, were then conquered in 1167 by the troops of Portuguese King Afonso Henriques (1112-1185).
PT: A imagem mostra um panorama vertical da Via Láctea visível no final do Verão e a partir do castelo medieval de Juromenha, no território certificado do Dark Sky® Alqueva, em Portugal. A ocupação do seu sítio remonta aos galo-celtas e aos romanos. Mais tarde ocupado durante a invasão muçulmana da Península Ibérica, na época da Reconquista Cristã da península, permaneceu durante dois séculos como posto avançado de defesa da importante cidade de Badajoz, desde o século X nas mãos do Califado de Córdoba. A vila e o castelo medieval, foram então conquistados em 1167 pelas tropas do rei português Afonso Henriques (1112-1185).
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Jupiter Shining above a line of Trees and Against a Starry Sky
Captured from Madeirã, Oleiros, in Dark Sky® Adeias do Xisto, the image shows a natural landscape scene with a nice line of tree in the foreground while a quiet starry sky is light up by the brightest planet of the solar system, the giant Jupiter.
PT: Captada a partir da Madeirã, Oleiros, nos céus do Dark Sky® Adeias do Xisto, a imagem revela uma paisagem natural em ambiente nocturno com uma fotogénica linha de árvores que se alinham em primeiro plano enquanto um tranquilo céu estrelado é iluminado pelo planeta mais brilhante do sistema solar, o gigante gasoso Júpiter.
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Polaris Immersed in the Faint Dust Clouds from Integrated Flux Nebula – IFN

A deep wide field view shows the star Polaris immersed in the faintest diffuse clouds from IFN, the gas and dust from Integrated flux nebulas (IFN) which lies beyond the main body of our Milky Way Galaxy. According to its discoverer Steven Mandel (2005), they are “high galactic latitude nebulae that are illuminated not by a single star (as most nebula in the plane of the Galaxy are) but by the energy from the integrated flux of all the stars in the Milky Way. These nebulae clouds – an important component of the interstellar medium – are composed of dust particles, hydrogen and carbon monoxide and other elements”. Not visible though in a single long exposure, to show a result like these, I had to left my camera exposing for several nights in order to accumulate a total amount of 13 hours, to be able to reveal the faintest light of IFN also immersed in a colorful starfield which surrounds Polaris, well known, as the Northern Star.
PT: Uma visão ampla e profunda mostra a estrela Polar imersa nas nuvens difusas e ténues de gás e poeira da Nebulosa de Fluxo Integrado (IFN) e que ficam para além do corpo principal da nossa galáxia. De acordo com seu descobridor Steven Mandel (2005), estas são “nebulosas de alta latitude galáctica que são iluminadas não por uma única estrela (como a maioria das nebulosas no plano da Galáxia), mas pela energia do fluxo integrado de todas as estrelas da Via Láctea. Essa nebulosas – um importante componente do meio interestelar – são compostas essencialmente por partículas de poeira, hidrogénio e monóxido de carbono, entre outros elementos”. Não sendo contudo visíveis em uma única longa exposição, para mostrar um resultado como este, foi necessário fazer longas exposições por várias noites até acumular um total de 13 horas, para assim poder revelar a fraca nebulosidade da IFN, imersa em um campo estelar colorido que circunda a estrela Polaris, também conhecida por Estrela do Norte.
Above – A cropped portrait and starless version shows interesting details and intricate structures on the IFN clouds. These different perspectives above and below, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Acima, uma versão crop e sem estrelas revela detalhes interessantes nas estruturas intrincadas das nuvens IFN. Estas diferentes perspectivas visíveis acima e abaixo, permitem ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais distintas e interessantes da imagem.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
Canon fixed prime lens 300mm at f/3,2 + Canon 6D not modified | ISO1600 – Exp. of 100 seconds. Mount EQ6 Pro – Auto-guiding off |Total integration of 783 minutes (13 hours). Processing on PixInsight 1.8.8-12 and Photoshop CC 2022. Cumeada Observatory from Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, Reguengos de Monsaraz.
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Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Burning Like the Wing of an Angel – Solar Timelapse and Photos
Captured on 13th January, 2022, from Dark Sky® Alqueva region, Portugal, a high-resolution image featured as a coronagraph, shows a large but very very faint solar prominence dancing around the sun’s limb. It was barely visible with the chromosphere filter, but I realised that it was vertical, enormous and beautiful, a burning shape resembling the wing of an angel. So, I decide to switch to the Quark filter dedicated to Prominences and get the most of it, with an overexposed disc to help reveal all the details on its structure. By my calculations and in comparison with the pixel measurements on the image, it must be around 96.000 km in height, which means around 7,5x the size of our planet Earth. As the weather conditions were stable enough, I did a time lapse sequence compiling 223 shots processed, each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video. The final result is a 4K high resolution time lapse movie comprising around 2 hours.
PT: Captada a 13 de Janeiro de 2022, na região do Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, a imagem de alta resolução apresentada como “coronógrafo”, mostra uma proeminência solar grande, mas muito fraca, dançando ao redor do limbo solar. Era praticamente imperceptível com o filtro de cromosfera, mas conseguia-se vislumbrar a sua grandeza, imponência e verticalidade, com a forma ardente de uma asa de anjo em chamas. Assim, decidi mudar para o filtro Quark dedicado às Proeminências no sentido de tirar o máximo proveito dele, com um disco sobre-exposto para ajudar a revelar todos os detalhes da sua estrutura. Pelos meus cálculos e em comparação com as medições dos pixeis na imagem, a proeminência deverá ter cerca de 96.000 km de altura, o que significa cerca de 7,5x o tamanho do nosso planeta Terra, com 12.742 km de diâmetro. Como as condições climáticas estavam estáveis o suficiente, fiz uma sequência time lapse compilando 223 fotos processadas, cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme de alta resolução em 4K que compilar cerca de 2 horas.
Below and above are some still shots presented in a portrait, landscape, or monochromatic version, intended to help conduct the reader attention to the most interesting parts of the image.
PT: Em baixo e acima estão algumas fotos apresentadas em uma versão retrato e paisagem, bem como em uma versão monocromática, com o objetivo intencional de ajudar a conduzir a atenção do leitor para as partes mais interessantes da imagem.
Below is possible to watch the video time lapse sequence compiling 223 shots processed, each one as result of a stack of the best 200 frames from each raw video. The final result is a 4K high resolution time lapse movie comprising around 2 hours.
PT: Em baixo é possível ver o vídeo time lapse compilando 223 captações processadas, cada uma como resultado de um stack dos melhores 200 frames de cada vídeo raw. O resultado final é um filme time lapse de alta resolução de 4K que condensa cerca de 2h de imagens.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
SW Esprit 120ED Professional | EQ-6 Pro mount | Daystar Quark Prominence filter| QUY5III174M | Focuser Sesto Senso 2 | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in good seeing conditions (average of 1,60″ arcs) from Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.