An Awe-Inspiring View of the Splendor That’s Under Siege by Light Pollution

Thanks to Timefocus Films, we had already discovered how amazingly suitable the Czech Jeseníky Mountains are for breathtaking winter time-lapses during daytime. But there are also, unsurprisingly, some wonderful nightscapes to be found in the area. To prove that to the world, Jiri Bajak and  Daniel Scerba traveled more than 5,000 kilometers during a total period of 6 months, sleeping under Jeseníky’s open night skies and collecting no less than 90,000 photos – one of them earning an award in August from the Czech Astronomical Society.

The Jeseníky are mountains in which there are many natural treasures and rarities. But they are also one of the very few places with skies not yet significantly affected by light pollution.

After more than 250 hours of rendering and post processing, 11,000 shots eventually became the first 4K Czech project on astrophotography. Timefocus Films named it “Road Through The Night Sky,” and it’s a must-watch.

Click on images to enlarge

There are three main reasons why we made this film. The first is of course our love for nature. Second, we enjoy the challenge of trying to create something new. And last but not least, we try to contribute to the efforts that try to protect Jeseníky’s dark skies from emerging light pollution.

To be able to capture things like the Milky Way, Bajak says they had to go as deep as possible into the mountains, which often meant trodding up steep hills with a 10-15kg backpack. On average, they walked up about an hour after sunset, although occasionally they were early birds too. But because of high humidity and frequent storms, they regularly had no other option than to return home empty handed.

You can find the work from Timefocus Films on Facebook or on YouTube, but they are also on Instagram and 500px. Also check out their website every once in a while. And if you feel like supporting the amazingness of truly dark night skies: go here! Because, as you may remember, most Americans can already no longer see the Milky Way.