When planning our family holiday this year, southern England had been on the list from quite early on.
Always in the back of my mind: Stonehenge with the Milky Way.
The holiday destination eventually became a reality, and my desire to photograph Stonehenge grew stronger.
Our first stop in England on the way to Devon and Cornwall was accommodation near Salisbury called “The Dog and Gun” – an inn in Netheravon, very close to Stonehenge.
On our first evening there, the weather conditions were almost perfect.
So, shortly after darkness fell, we spontaneously drove to Stonehenge.
A gravel track takes you very close to Stonehenge, which is guarded throughout the night.
Nighttime Approach
The official visitor center is much too far from Stonehenge to walk there at night with equipment. During the day, buses run there, and the path is also closed at night.
For astrophotography, coming from the main road, turn off at number 1 onto the gravel track.
Various motorhomes/campervans are parked along this track.
In the area of number 2, you can park without any problem at night and are only about 100 meters from Stonehenge.
The entire red area next to number 2 is closed off and guarded at night. Just a few meters away, a public path runs along a small fence about 1 meter high. At around position number 3, you can photograph toward the south without any problem. The guards are also happy to have a chat.
The Imaging Session
I was able to begin my photo session right from the approximately waist-high fence that serves as a barrier.
There was a photographer from Rome on site, along with my wife and me. From time to time, we had a few conversations with the guards, who keep an eye on the monument throughout the entire year.
The best spot along the fence is roughly to the north-northwest of Stonehenge, which is actually ideal for photographing the Milky Way in the south-southeast.
The only slight drawback is Salisbury, which lies in that direction. However, the city actually creates the beautiful glow above the stones in the image.
Early July is certainly not the ideal time of year to photograph the Milky Way in England, but that was simply when my holiday took place. I am absolutely delighted and very happy with the result.
Hochauflösend auf Astrobin:
The following day, we visited Stonehenge during the daytime.
It is an incredibly crowded place, with thousands(!) of tourists being guided through the site during the season. Absolutely impressive.
My little secret: I liked it better at night, and it was the absolute highlight of my holiday — right on the very first evening. Not exactly the best-planned storyline, perhaps, but what an experience!
Session Details:
| Lens | IRIX Firefly |
| Focal Length | 15mm |
| Camera | Canon EOS R |
| Mount | Omegon MiniTrack LX3 |
| Photography Date | 07/09/2026 |
| Exposure-Time | 15x60s |
| Sensitivity | ISO 1600 |
| Processing Date | 07/23/2026 |
| Software Stack | PixInsight, Affinity Photo |
| Capture Place | Stonehenge, England |
