Stunning picture of the Milky Way the result of patience and good luck

A photographer has captured striking images of the Milky Way’s core appearing horizontal in the night skies.

Owen Humphreys, who works for the PA news agency, captured the stunning sight in the early hours of yesterday morning.

He said: “I’ve been after the Milky Way core lying horizontal for a long time but weather is weather and unless it all comes together it’s not possible.”

The core was not due to be visible until after 3am but Mr Humphreys arrived at around midnight to scout the location and do some test shots.

He said conditions at Bamburgh lighthouse in Northumberland were “perfect” to get the photograph he was after.

“This is the best time of the year to capture the Milky Way horizontal but it is a small window of opportunity due to the sunrise times, and as we move forward into May the sky will be too bright.

“Luckily, a cold night with a clear sky was perfect, which we don’t get to often.”

The Milky Way contains hundreds of billions of stars, including our own sun. It is shaped like a spiral, with arms stretching out from its core, but from Earth appears only as a band of cloudy light to the naked eye.

LIGHT SHOW: The breathtaking shot was captured in the early hours of yesterday morning at Bamburgh lighthouse.