Indian astronomer photographs Jupiter and Andromeda rising over Ladakh’s night sky

Above a Frozen Himalayan Lake, Jupiter and Andromeda Shine in a Rare Ladakh Night Sky (Image: Instagram/@dorje_nyrchung)

A team of explorers travelled to the frozen high-altitude lake of Chilling Tso in Ladakh to photograph Jupiter at opposition, glowing alongside rare zodiacal light. Battling extreme cold, shifting ice, and fierce winds, they captured a detailed 360-degree panorama from the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve. The image highlights both the rewards and risks of astrophotography in remote terrain and underscores the growing rarity of truly dark skies in India.

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A winter expedition in eastern Ladakh has produced rare images of Jupiter shining at its brightest above a frozen Himalayan lake, captured under some of India’s darkest skies.

Deep within the high-altitude Changthang region, Chilling Tso sits nearly 5,000 metres above sea level. During winter, the lake freezes solid, turning the surrounding terrain harsh and unforgiving. On 10 January, three explorers reached the site to photograph Jupiter during its annual opposition. This alignment occurs when Earth lies directly between Jupiter and the Sun. At opposition, Jupiter appears larger, brighter, and more detailed to observers.

Jupiter opposition under Ladakh’s darkest skies

The expedition timed its journey to coincide precisely with Jupiter’s opposition. The gas giant dominated the night sky above Chilling Tso. Its glow stood out strongly against the zodiacal light. Zodiacal light is a faint cone-shaped glow near horizons. It forms when sunlight reflects off dust particles. These particles float within the inner Solar System. Observing both phenomena together remains extremely rare from India. The sight required exceptionally dark, unpolluted skies and precise timing.

Reaching the lake involved navigating rough tracks branching from the Hanle-Chumur road. Temperatures fell well below freezing throughout the night. Persistent winds intensified cold exposure and physical exhaustion. Simple movements demanded effort at such altitude. Each decision required caution due to shifting ice surfaces.

Photographing a frozen frontier

The image was captured by astrophotographer Dorje Angchuk. It was created as a detailed 360-degree panorama. The sky was photographed in nearly twenty tracked panels. Each exposure lasted about one minute. This prevented star trails during Earth’s rotation. The foreground ice was photographed separately for clarity. Tracking used an iOptron SkyGuider Pro mount. The tripod stood on unstable ice under strong winds.

Gusts repeatedly shook equipment during long exposure sequences. Bare hands numbed quickly while adjusting delicate controls. Aligning the tracker with the pole star proved difficult. Even small errors could compromise hours of effort. Despite these challenges, the final composite preserved exceptional detail.

Why such skies matter

The photograph highlights the quality of skies above Hanle Dark Sky Reserve. Light pollution remains minimal but slowly increasing. Faint glows from distant settlements are now detectable. Such images document what increasingly few locations can offer. They also reflect planning, patience, and collective determination.

The frozen lake and glowing planet together present a rare view. It shows how extreme environments still reward careful exploration. Even in winter’s harshest conditions, the night sky remains powerful. Chilling Tso now joins select locations capturing such celestial moments.