With privileged natural conditions for astronomical observation, Chile has become a global destination for astrophotography, however, light pollution has become a threat to this discipline that unites science, tourism, and art.
Alongside the growth of the astrotourism industry in Chile, the interest of professional and amateur photographers in capturing the purity of the country’s night skies has also increased. Active on their Instagram pages and other platforms, Chilean astrophotographers are gaining international prominence and have become one of the main promoters of Chile’s skies.
Chile, a global destination for astrophotography
Northern Chile has top-level geographical conditions for astronomy and astronomical photography. The presence of the Andes Mountains, which block humid air masses, and the Humboldt current, which reduces the percentage of humidity in the air due to its cold waters, provide climatic stability that facilitates the observation of night skies, attracting more and more photographers.
Cari Letelier (@cariletelier) is a civil industrial engineer, but at the end of 2017, when she took her first capture of the night skies in Cajón del Maipo, she became interested in astrophotography. She began to study this discipline and turned her interest into a full-time career. Today, she organizes astrophotography expeditions in Chile and Iceland. Additionally, her work has been published by NASA and this year she joined the list of “The 50 Most Creative Chileans” by Forbes.
Despite her experience capturing night skies in different places around the world, Cari Letelier highlights that each of the places she has visited in Chile has caught her attention for its particular beauty. “If I had to choose, especially for the quality of the night sky, I would choose the sky of the Puna de Atacama, I think it’s the first time I managed to see my shadow one night without a moon!” she details.
Alexis Trigo (@alexistrigot) is an astrophotographer and conducts astrophotography expeditions and workshops in northern localities, for professional and amateur photographers. In 2022, he was one of the 25 finalists of The Milky Way Photographer Of The Year. Based on his experience, his favorite place for astrophotography expeditions is the Rainbow Valley, in San Pedro.
The impact of light pollution on the work of astrophotographers
According to a study published in the journal Science, the brightness of the night sky on the planet increased by about 9% each year over the last decade. In Chile, this increase in light pollution has been noticed by those who observe and capture the night sky.
Victor Auvelez (@_victor_auvelez_), has been a professional photographer for more than a decade, but six years ago he ventured into astrophotography. His work mainly focuses on capturing the dark skies of the center and south of the country, so he has witnessed the advance of light pollution in the national territory.
“In the Metropolitan Region, it is almost impossible to do astrophotography because the light pollution is very high. We have to move away and go towards the mountains, look for more desolate places where light pollution is at a minimum level, to be able to see the stars in the sky,” he explained.
It is in the mountains where he has been able to achieve his best captures. “One of the places I like the most is Cajón del Maipo, because we have waterfalls and places where we can escape towards the mountains,” he noted. He adds that he also likes to visit Los Andes, for the border crossing and where the Peñón Waterfalls are, and Farellones.
Despite its unparalleled natural conditions, the skies of northern Chile are also being threatened by the growth of artificial light. “In the town of San Pedro de Atacama, we don’t have problems with light pollution, but we do have a significant focus in the Salar de Atacama area. When I have gone to take photos at the Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache, around the Salar, every time I go, the pollution is stronger,” commented Alexis Trigo.
Cari Letelier has also noticed an impact of light pollution on her work and assures that in the time she has been dedicated to astrophotography, she “has had to return after a few years to places that had good or regular conditions, and that have worsened significantly.” However, she remains optimistic and suggests that the growing awareness of light pollution is beginning to make a difference. “More and more new campaigns are appearing, informing and educating people about the problems that come with this massive and accelerated increase in such powerful artificial light sources,” she pointed out.
Likewise, Letelier maintains that in her expeditions, where she mixes art and science, there is also a space to inform the population more about this problem. Alexis Trigo agrees that astrophotographers play a crucial role in the care of Chile’s skies. “We have become, unintentionally, a kind of ambassadors of the night sky. We have been the main tool for dissemination in the face of the impacts of light pollution,” emphasized the astrophotographer.
How to achieve good astrophotography
For Cari Letelier, planning is essential to achieve a successful shot, for example, it is necessary to consider the weather conditions of the place and its connectivity. When evaluating a destination, the astrophotographer recommends considering the conditions of the terrain and access, whether there will be electricity or phone signal, what the temperature will be, among others. “Then have a Plan B in case something in the planning fails. It could be if the following nights will have the same conditions to extend the stay, see nearby dates to return if it’s not too far, or have another sector of the sky of interest to capture,” she added.
Victor Auvelez agrees on the importance of planning: “We have to look for the level of light quantity of the place where we are going to take the photos, we need to have our camera in manual mode to adjust certain values and we also need to know the lunar calendar. In addition to checking the weather of the place,” he pointed out.
To achieve good photographs, manual adjustments must also be made to the cameras. The astrophotographer Alexis Trigo, highlights the importance of the long exposure technique, which is when the camera keeps the shutter open for an extended period, thus capturing more light. For this, he confesses, it is key to have patience for long hours of the night.
“At night, as we are in complete darkness and only have the light of the stars, the camera needs to be set to capture the photo with more time and thus be able to record this light. With long exposure, the photos can last from 15 to 30 seconds, even 2 to 3 minutes,” he explained.
