Rare Lunar
analemma
Photographed over the
Egyptian Pyramids!
October 31, 2023
“The Lunar Analemma” Captured
by
Wael Omar on Canon EOS 200D
with 18-55mm lens
Egyptian astrophotographer,
Wael Omar, has captured a
Rare Lunar analemma – a
complex figure
Eight pattern traced
by a
celestial body in the Sky over
Time
This extraordinary
achievement was captured during a
Month-long project, Tracking the
Lunar cycle
over the
Pyramids in Egypt.
The otherworldly shot was taken with a
Canon
EOS Rebel SL2 / Canon EOS 200D DSLR and a
Canon
EF-S 18-55mm lens, another example
of what can be captured
with one of the
best entry-level cameras and kit
Lenses
Accurate planning
and research
were needed in order to plot the
exact path of the
Moon,
plus sleepless nights waiting for the
Right
Time to Capture the
ideal Image
Analemmas
are often associated with
The Sun
but
they can also be
Created
for other celestial entities
and are renowned
for being
difficult to photograph
What makes Omar's photograph so important,
though, is not just the
challenging nature
of making it, but the fact that it's the
first time it has been captured by an
Egyptian astrophotographer.
It is also the first to be
captured on the
Continent of Africa –
and
what a place to do it!
A close-up picture of
the Moon
showing craters and texture, which
has been
colored with some
white, blue, and grey/yellow areas
which makes it look like a planet
The analemmas
Photograph
is
particularly magical,
as it incorporates a monumental
foreground subject –
the
Pyramids of Giza,
near Cairo.
To incorporate the pyramids, Omar needed the
Most optimal Angle
which meant having to climb a 165-foot
minaret
for the
Perfect vantage point.
"I feel so proud of my achievement,
because a
lunar analemma
has never been Captured
before in Egypt,
or on
the
African continent,"
said Omar.
"I was so happy to be the first person in this
region to image it,
and it motivates me to achieve much more."
Picture of the
Milky Way galaxy
and
Stars in the sky
with
lines of Light
from the Perseids meteors
Falling
over Desert Sand at Night
Omar has been
inspiring many African astrophotographers
over recent years with
his
ability to capture the
night sky
His journey in
astrophotography
began during the COVID-19 lockdown,
when human activity all but stopped.
This gave way to clearer skies,
and it was these nights
staring at the stars that inspired him to
Turn his Lens
Upward
Along with the help of YouTube tutorials and
online guides,
Omar has been creating magnificent images that
have seen his work
published in magazines such as
Astronomy Magazine and BBC Sky at
Night Magazine
and even earned a
nomination as 'AstroBin image of the day'
on the
renowned AstroBin website, making him the
First
Egyptian to achieve
this Honor
Omar aims to continue
Capturing the beauty
of
the night sky,
as Well
as teaching others around him and in other
Arabic-speaking communities,
where information on astrophotography is scarce.
Want to take your own
Star Shots?
Take a look at the
best cameras
for astrophotography and
the best lenses
for astrophotography,
along with our astrophotography tips.