Angel Fux Captures Rare Triple Galaxy Arch from Dent d'Hérens Summit

Photographer Angel Fux endured a night at Dent d'Hérens, a peak soaring 14,000 feet on the Italy-Switzerland border, facing temperatures plummeting to -28°C to capture a unique triple galaxy arch. This stunning photograph showcases both the winter and summer arms of the Milky Way, along with Gegenschein, a subtle luminescence caused by interplanetary dust. Residing in the Alps, Fux coordinated the trip with mountain guide Richard Lehner and his son Arnaud, utilizing a helicopter to reach the summit. Equipped with specialized tools such as an astro-modified Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8, and a Benro Polaris star tracker, she also carried survival gear rated for -30°C. The final image, processed over 40 hours from 260 exposures totaling 300 gigabytes, revealed the triple arch unexpectedly, even in raw files. Fux had previously discovered the double arch phenomenon two to three years ago and captured it last year from Gornergrat. Initially anxious, her parents later requested the first large print of the final image.