July Milkyway from the Anaa atoll

Going to this remote atoll in the south pacific I was in anticipation of a clear sky and no light pollution. The sky was not entirely clear, so I had to wait for the small clouds to pass between shots.

The amazing thing is that with no visual aid I could see the shadowbands of the Milkyway and this despite being in close proximity to the lights from the few houses on the island.
Walking on the paths in the night was not a problem. They are of white coral skeletons which reflected the light from the sky more than sufficient for me to see the twists and turns of the path or “dirt” road.

Never before have I seen such clear skies and bright stars!

This photo is higher up in the sky and overlapping the previous one from the top middle.