Milky Way captured over loch in one of UK's darkest places

An amateur photographer has taken a stunning image of the Milky Way above a loch in one of the darkest places in the UK.

Peter Ribbeck, 49, took the breathtaking image at Galloway Forrest dark sky park, Dumfries and Galloway, during picture-perfect weather conditions.

Father-of-two Peter said the clear, moonless sky, helped create the starry picture – and despite being taken in the middle of the night said he has never felt more awake.

He arrived at Clatteringshaws Loch around 1.30am on Friday and waited patiently until the Galactic Centre began to appear on the horizon.

The Galactic Centre – or Milky Way’s Core – is the brightest part of the Milky Way.

Peter, who works at a yacht marina, eventually snapped the picture at 3.30am and said he felt insignificant beneath the galaxies.

Peter said: “I got to Loch Clattering and started photographing there around 1.30am before the galactic centre began to appear on the horizon at 3.30am.

“It was absolutely amazing, it was such a calm night with a moonless sky so it was really dark – it’s one of the darkest places in the UK.

“The conditions were just perfect, and it was amazing to look at.

“I turned my head torch off and it took about three minutes for my eyes to adjust to the darkness and then I started seeing all the finer details.

“It’s a selfie really, so you’re standing there, and the camera is running for around 30 seconds and you just feel phenomenal seeing it.

“There was no wind, it was about 0 degrees celsius and totally silent, and I was just looking into the galaxies and you feel really insignificant.

“I was quite tired but standing there I have never been more awake.”