“Rare sky“: Kazakh photographer captures stunning Milky Way shots

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakh photographer Dmitry Dotsenko has shared a series of Milky Way photos that have captivated audiences across social media, highlighting the beauty of Kazakhstan’s night skies.

Dotsenko posted the images on his Instagram account, noting the perfect alignment of celestial and earthly elements.

“At that moment, everything aligned — the Milky Way appeared right above Kelinshektau,” he wrote.

The first photo was taken in the Kelinshektau mountains in Turkestan Region, while the second captures a starkly different mood in the Betpak-Dala desert, showing traces of life long gone: “jackals gnawed the bones of a horse,” Dotsenko explained.

Social media users quickly responded with admiration: “Incredible shots! It’s amazing that people like you share such beauty,” and “So beautiful! We rarely see skies like this.”

The photographer told Tengrinews.kz that the photos were captured last week during an expedition in southern Kazakhstan. Clear skies and a new moon provided ideal conditions, allowing the Milky Way to shine brightly without moonlight interference. Dotsenko used professional cameras with different fast lenses depending on the scene, although he noted that modern smartphones can also capture impressive starry skies.

Capturing the perfect perspective was the most challenging part, he said:

“I had to scout locations during the day to find the exact point where the Milky Way would pass over the peaks of Kelinshektau at night. Timing was crucial — I had to wait until the Milky Way rose above the horizon.”

Dotsenko emphasized that the Milky Way is generally visible in southern Kazakhstan from May to October, making this period ideal for night sky photography.