In early March 2022, I had a chance to visit the beautiful Maldivian islands Thoddoo and Madivaru of Alif Alif Atoll, from where the beautiful night skies were visible as well. Enjoy some of the images I took over this Earth’s paradise.
An Island in the Universe
It can be a metaphor for nowadays. It can be a symbol to realize our own fragility. It can also keep the bottomless romance. When life first ascended from the sea to land, our entire planet became a small island in the giant emptiness of space, from which we look to the distant worlds that are still emerging or have not even been given a chance. We got this chance, hopefully, we won’t waste it. The picture shows a small island of Madivaru, the south-located sandy island from Finolhu (on the Maldivian atoll Alif Alif). If lucky, you have a breathtaking view of the jewels of the southern sky: the dominant Southern Cross, accompanied to the right by the star-forming (and possibly life-forming) Carina Nebula. To the left, it is followed by the stars Alpha and Beta Centauri, under which, with the help of a map, we can find the faint orange-star star Proxima – closest to our Sun and also orbiting the nearest Earth-like world. A world that can be another island in the giant emptiness of space. Used Canon Ra, Sigma 50mm, f2.2, ISO 2500, panorama of 17 single exposures from Vixen Polarie U, Optolong Clear Sky filter.
What a wonderful sandbank world
That night, however, wasn’t just about the Southern Cross. While waiting until dawn, the majestic Milky Way slowly moved up almost over my head while a beautiful conjunction of Venus and Mars appeared low over the eastern horizon. Sitting on the sandbank, surrounded by only sand and the lagoon, I truly felt the pure beauty of our planet in the Universe. The image above shows that immersive moment. Used Canon Ra, Sigma 35mm, f2.2, ISO 3200, a panorama of 26 single 30s exposures from Vixen Polarie U, Optolong Clear Sky filter.
The Maldives, the night paradise
Many travelers consider the Maldives as one of the most beautiful places in the world. White sandy beaches, such warm sunlight, azure lagoons, amazing underwater life, local fruit, and, of course, coconut. But if you visit some of the islands which don’t use too much artificial light in the nighttime, you can be even more surprised–by the dark sky beauty. Here is photographic proof from Thoddoo Island, over which the majestic Zodiacal Light crosses the Milky Way with some of the emission nebulae around the Orion constellation (unfortunately, for them our eyes are not sensitive enough, but can easily be captured on a camera). If places like these will keep the light pollution at a low level, they truly remain a paradise in all possible ways!
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