Egyptian astrophotographer Osama Fathi succeeded in capturing a rare celestial scene that combines the beauty of the earth and sky in one stunning shot.
On the night of December 20, 2025, under the light-pollution-free black skies of the Egyptian desert, Fathy captured a composite image showing the Summer Triangle – one of the most famous star clusters in the northern sky – shining brightly above the glowing milky band of the Milky Way.
The image, which he recently posted on his personal social media accounts, shows the three main stars that make up this celestial triangle: Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, Vega in the constellation Lyra, and Altair in the constellation Aquila.
This triangle stands out with rare clarity thanks to the ideal conditions provided by the Egyptian desert, with its clear skies, crisp air, and pitch-black darkness undisturbed by moonlight or human light pollution.
Fathi commented on the image, saying, "The exceptional conditions in the Black Desert allow for a high contrast between the bright regions of the Milky Way's core and the surrounding stellar background." He added that the image was captured using a six-minute exposure with a modified Nikon Z6 camera and a 14-24mm lens, emphasizing that "the foreground features were recorded under natural starlight only, without any artificial lighting."
The Summer Triangle is a prominent feature of the Northern Hemisphere's summer sky, rising high during the short summer nights and appearing low on the horizon during the winter months. The beauty of this image lies in its ability to capture this star cluster at an unusual time of year, with a glowing galactic backdrop that enhances the scene's beauty.
This image is a new addition to the record of astrophotography in the Arab region, and shows how the pure desert sky can provide cosmic artistic paintings that rival the best that are captured in other parts of the world.
The image has garnered widespread attention in astronomical circles, as it is considered a model of what can be achieved when ideal weather conditions are combined with the right equipment and outstanding technical expertise.
