Niesamowite zdjęcie Polki ukazujące zaćmienie Słońca na Islandii zdobywa uznanie NASA

Astronomy Picture of the Day, known as APOD, is a service run by NASA where one astronomical or astro-landscape image is featured every day. A Polish photographer was honored with the title of APOD on March 30th this year. The image captures a solar eclipse from March 29th in Iceland, where the eclipse reached a maximum of 70 percent coverage. To capture this image, the photographer had to carefully select a location that offered an optimal view of the event. The chosen spot was the dormant volcano Grabrok, standing at 170 meters tall. Despite the challenging conditions of strong, frigid winds at the summit, the photographer, along with her colleague Ilona Chrzanowska seen in the photo, managed to capture this stunning image.

The photographer, Wioleta Gorecka, mentioned that her interest in photography started when she first observed the northern lights 16 years ago after moving to Iceland. She has always been inspired by the cosmos since childhood, and as her skills developed, she began incorporating stars in her photographs. Her work started gaining recognition through wins in competitions, awards, and publications.

This is the second time she has been honored with NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, the first time being on August 15, 2023. In that image, she captured the aurora, emissions from the Fagradalsfjall volcano, and emissions from the Svartsengi geothermal power plant. Her work has also been regularly featured on NASA’s spaceweather.com website. She also proudly shared that she was the first Polish photographer whose image was featured in the prestigious American magazine Sky & Telescope, focused on astronomical topics.

Currently, she is pursuing photography professionally and, for the past two years, has been organizing astro-trips to various parts of the world with Michał Kałużny, one of the leading Polish astrophotographers, aiming to explore the darkest corners of the world.

She highlighted the importance of experiencing the night sky, mentioning that 75 percent of the world’s population has never seen the Milky Way. Light pollution is a growing concern, and she expressed her dismay at the lack of action taken to address this issue, despite technological advancements in eco-friendly solutions. She emphasized the need for governments to prioritize reducing light pollution for energy conservation and ecological benefits.

Despite these challenges, she finds joy in the growing interest in astrophotography among people of all ages, from teenagers to retirees. She is impressed by the technological advancements that make capturing these celestial wonders more accessible. She believes that the field of astrophotography has sparked a sense of discovery akin to that of Nicolaus Copernicus, and she takes pride in the passion that drives individuals to reach for the stars.

In recent months, several Polish photographers have been recognized with the Astronomy Picture of the Day title, showcasing the talent and dedication of the country’s astrophotography community. Each image offers a unique perspective on the wonders of the universe, inspiring awe and wonder in all who view them.

The featured image by Wioleta Gorecka can be viewed at the following link: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250330.html.
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