Gold in Nature/Astrophotography / 2026 / Nature / Astrophotography

• Prize
  Gold in Nature/Astrophotography
• Photographer
  Daniel Mickleson, New Zealand
• Date of Photograph
  12/05/2026

Beneath the vast expanse of New Zealand’s southern skies, the Church of the Good Shepherd stands quietly under the brilliance of the Milky Way. Towering overhead, the galactic core rises like a river of ancient light, illuminating the stillness of the Mackenzie Basin with a sense of awe and timeless reverence. Captured in the heart of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, this image reflects the profound connection between earth, sky, and silence — a fleeting moment where the night feels almost sacred.