10 Awe-Inspiring Pictures Of The Milky Way Photographed In Dorset

1. Dorset is a county with no cities and no motorways, so the night skies are perfect for stargazers.

2. Durdle Door, near Weymouth, is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast that makes the ideal setting for a shot of the Milky Way.

3. Lulworth Cove is Nearby. Stephen used a ‘full-frame’ digital SLR camera to get these stunning shots.

4. Knowlton Church is said to be one of the most haunted places in Dorset. Stephen heard spooky voices when taking this photo, but they turned out to be more photographers on the other side of the ruin.

5. This is Portland Bill, on the tip of the Isle of Portland, during a torrential downpour. A break in the clouds reveals Orion’s Belt.

6. Stephen captures a meteor streak across the sky, next to the cliffs of West Bay – the setting for the TV drama Broadchurch.

7. Shooting pictures over a couple of hours allows Stephen to capture star trails, like this one above Hardy’s Monument near Dorchester.

8. The Milky Way is visible in night skies from mid-Spring to mid-Autumn, with the best chances of seeing it in the height of summer.

9. Slight changes in weather make a dramatic difference. In this photo you can see mist causing the lights of a ship in the distance to create an eerie glow behind Durdle Door.

10. Stephen’s advice for photographers is to “go out as often as possible, stay up late and don’t be afraid to push your camera to its limits (and often beyond!).”

Follow more of Stephen’s work on his website, Facebook page or Twitter profile: @DorsetScouser