WISH UPON A STAR

Plunging into the night to capture distant galaxies, Stuart McIntyre presents some of his most magical nocturnal shots

Astrophotographer Stuart McIntyre shows us what it's like to spend a night beneath the stars

Watching the stars cast an otherworldly glow on the mountains below is a sight you can never grow tired of, writes Rosie Morton. For astrophotographer Stuart McIntyre, the soft sparkle of the night sky provides infinite inspiration, and the hills act as a peaceful, restorative playground.

‘When I first started out I was just enjoying the immense beauty of all the stars and I really wanted to capture that feeling,’ explains McIntyre. ‘I wanted to convey what it’s like to stand in the Highlands not having anybody around; just with the stars all the way around you.’

Venturing at least two hours from his home in Motherwell to escape the light pollution, McIntyre whiles away the wee small hours searching for the perfect nighttime composition. Frequently carrying hefty astronomy and camera gear to the likes of The Cobbler, Glenfinnan and Loch Awe, he wades into deep waters where fish inquisitively swarm around his waders, camps underneath the stars and scrambles up precarious slopes to capture the likes of the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way – and has frequently caught the Northern Lights during his midnight adventures.

‘There’s a line that has always stuck with me: “If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of something more interesting.” That’s astrophotography in a nutshell. It has to be really dark, you need the moon in a phase where it doesn’t cause light pollution, and then you’ve got to find something interesting. It’s a lot to juggle.’

From 360° shots to wide angle images, I’m sure you’ll agree the results are quite extraordinary.