
The dark skies of the Isle of Wight provide a stunning backdrop for these colourful images of the majestic Milky Way.

Photographer Chad Powell used a Canon 6D DSLR camera to capture images of the spectacular constellation above the familiar beach scenes of England’s largest island.

The 22-year-old, who shot the pictures over a year of stargazing on the island, often stayed up until dawn to catch the most dramatic skyscapes.

The Milky Way above Steephill Cove in Isle of Wight, England. Photographer Chad Powell used a Canon 6D DSLR camera to capture images of the spectacular constellation above the familiar beach scenes of England’s largest island

The DSLR camera enhanced the Milky Way from the white strip visible to the naked eye into an explosion of colourful lights.

Mr Powell, a graphic designer from Ventnor, Isle of Wight, used foregrounds of abandoned theme parks, harbours and lighthouses against the illuminated sky.

‘The perfect conditions to take these pictures are a clear sky on a moonless night,’ he said

'Light pollution needs to be minimal too, unfortunately for the UK there are very few areas of dark sky, especially in England.'

The 22-year-old, who shot the pictures over a year of stargazing on the island, often stayed up until dawn to catch the most dramatic skyscapes. Pictured is the Milky Way behind Castle Haven, a small harbour in Nilton

This stunning image shows the Orchard Bay steps in Isle of Wight. Mr Powell, a graphic designer from Ventnor on the island used foregrounds of abandoned theme parks, harbours and lighthouses against the illuminated sky

A combination of 120 separate photographs over the space on an hour were used to capture the stars trail on 24 June 2014 (left). On the right, the Milky Way is pictured above an abandoned roundabout from Blackgang Chine Amusement Park

A panoramic image shows the reflection of the Milky Way in the glass-like water of Flowers Brook. Minor adjustments were made to bring out the contrast and whites in this collection of images

THE MILKYWAY: KEY FACTS The Milky Way is thought to be 120,000 light years across and contains more than 200 billion stars. This makes it a ‘middleweight’ galaxy with the largest galaxy known, IC 1101, containing more than 100 trillion stars. On a clear night, when you look up into the night sky the most you can see from any one point on the Earth is about 2,500 stars. Like more than two-thirds of the known galaxies, the Milky Way has a spiral shape. At the centre of the spiral, a lot of energy and, occasionally, vivid flares are created. Based on the immense gravity that would be required explain the movement of stars and the energy expelled, astronomers believe the centre of the Milky Way has a supermassive black hole. Astronomers believe the Milky Way wasn’t always a stunning barred spiral. It formed into its current size and shape by ‘eating’ other galaxies. Advertisement

In one image the Milky Way can be seen above Steephill Cove in incredible hues of pink, orange, blue, green and purple.

A separate picture captures the stars trail on 24 June 2014 in the Isle of Wight using a combination of 120 separate photographs over the space on an hour.

Mr Powell also captured images of the moon shining bright behind St Catherine's Oratory, a 14th century lighthouse. A separate image shows a luminous moon behind Steephill Cove.

Other highlights include the galactic core of the Milky Way occupied by two small wooden boats, while a panoramic image shows the reflection of the Milky Way in the glass-like water of Flowers Brook.

The majority of Mr Powell’s photographs are single exposures taken in a Raw image format.

This captures more detail than a JPEG format which is altered in Lightroom - an editing program - by bringing out the contrast and whites in the image.

Mr Powell added: 'Today’s DSLR cameras can gather much more light and capture a lot more detail than our eyes can.

'The Milky Way is still visible to the naked eye in dark sky areas, it just appears as a faint white strip in the sky, which is still an incredible sight to see.

'Before I picked up a camera I never thought it would be possible to take pictures like this without travelling to low light areas such as New Zealand or Africa.

'It’s an incredible feeling being able to share my photographs with people, and make them more aware of what can be seen in low light polluted areas here in Britain.'

The Milky Way is thought to be 120,000 light years across and contains more than 200 billion stars.

On a clear night, when you look up into the night sky, the most you can see from any one point on the Earth is about 2,500 stars.

The Milky Way outside photographer Chad Powell's doorstep on 4 July 2014, in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. The majority of Mr Powell’s photographs are single exposures taken in a Raw image format

The night stars are pictured above the coast on the Isle of Wight. Taking these images in in a Raw image format captures more detail than a JPEG format

The moon shines bright behind St Catherine's Oratory, a 14th century lighthouse (left). On the right, a super moon illuminates the white waves on the island. The pictures were touched up in Lightroom - an editing program - by bringing out the contrast and whites in the image

The galactic core of the Milky Way occupied by two small wooden boats. Mr Powell said: 'Today’s DSLR cameras can gather much more light and capture a lot more detail than our eyes can'