Snapper captures clear night sky above mountain after storm

An amateur photographer captured this stunning picture of the clear night sky on top of a mountain – after a break in the weather during a storm.

Peter Ribbeck, 49, took the image on The Cobbler, Argyll and Bute, after hiking for two hours to the top.

He arrived at summit around 6.30pm but had to wait until the wind had died down and the mist cleared up before getting the snap around 8pm.

Peter, who works at a yacht marina, knew there would be a perfect weather window to take the picture on January 29, but it meant making the trek during Storm Malik.

He set up his camera to take the selfie as the light from his head torch beamed into the clear sky.

Peter, from West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, said: “I had an idea for a nighttime shot so I decided to go up specifically to get this picture.

“I had been checking the forecast all week and noticed there was going to be a small weather window of clear skies Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

“The only problem was this window was going to be at the tail end of Storm Malik.

“It meant climbing up to the Cobbler in gale force winds, getting my shot and then making my way back down before the next storm hit.

“The reality was the climb was an uneventful one and the higher I got the more shelter I got from the high cliffs of the Cobbler itself.

“I arrived at the top around 6.30pm but it was pretty windy and misty, so it wasn’t until around 8pm it started to clear and I was able to get the pics.

“I started to see glimpses of the stars and the lights of Arrochar 2,900ft below me.

“There was just enough time to get some nice shots during the break in the weather and I am really happy with how it turned out.”