Beneath the Milky Way, I am a dreamer.

"Under the Milky Way, we are merely dreamers..." - photographers reveal they are willing to stay up all night, pouring in time and money to capture stunning, fairytale-like images that evoke the feeling of "our lives are truly humble under the stars."

This photo shows a star trail in Vietnam, captured using a concentric circle long exposure technique. Photo: Anh Tú

From the "cloud-hunting paradise" of Ta Xua (Son La province) to Ke Ga Cape (Lam Dong province), from Tri An Lake (Dong Nai city) to Con Dao ( Ho Chi Minh City)... all are ideal locations for astronomical photographers in Vietnam to capture perfect images of the Milky Way thanks to their vast spaces and minimal light pollution.

Spending the night photographing the Milky Way.

“The Milky Way has always fascinated me,” said Anh Tú, 41, who runs the “Where to Go in Con Dao” page. Tú says Con Dao is a fantastic destination for viewing the Milky Way or the Rho Ophiuchi cloud formation (next to the constellations Scorpio and Ophiuchus), prompting him to frequently take photos there. “But to capture a sharp image of the Milky Way, you need to go on moonless nights or when the sky is dark enough, aiming towards the southeast, between February and October each year. Depending on the month, you should wait between 10 PM and 4 AM to take pictures. Specifically, around the end of May, I often take my camera to beaches in Con Dao such as Lo Voi Beach, Bai Nhat Beach, and Mui Chan Chim from 10:30 PM onwards to take photos. Even so, every photographer has to accept the element of luck – cloudy or rainy weather is a risk.”

Mr. Anh Tú revealed his experience in photographing the Milky Way using two methods: a single shot with a long exposure of 15-30 seconds, depending on the lens focal length and the actual situation regarding light pollution and the impact of artificial light sources (e.g., lights on fishing boats, town lights, beach spotlights...).

Secondly, take multiple shots and then use post-processing software like PixInsight to stack the people, foreground, and Milky Way to highlight details, create a rich image with striking depth and dimensionality. You can also use color filters attached directly to the camera to create the effect. A satisfactory Milky Way photo can require 2-4 hours of post-processing, so "even a hobby requires a lot of effort!"