#Astro, #Winter

Frozen Silence - Winter Milky Way at Leopoldsteinersee

The image shows the frozen Leopoldsteinersee at night. It is a natural alpine lake near Eisenerz in Styria, Austria, surrounded by a dramatic mountain massif. In summer and during the day, hikes such as the Kaiser Franz Joseph Klettersteig are popular destinations, offering an even better view of the lake. When not frozen, the lake invites visitors to swim or rent a boat.

With the perfect location to photograph the winter Milky Way arc, I decided in January 2026 to try out my new H-alpha clip filter, which I bought myself for Christmas. Such a clip filter is mounted directly in front of the camera sensor and selectively passes the deep-red H-alpha wavelength while blocking most light pollution and unwanted wavelengths, making emission nebulae stand out more clearly.

So I made my way in the late afternoon from Graz to Eisenerz to explore the area around the lake. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that the trail around the lake was closed due to construction work. I considered heading back, but instead followed the remaining open trail a bit up and down, though trees kept blocking the view.

Luckily, I met Viktor, who works at the boat rental in summer. We had a nice chat and discussed a few options. In the end, he was kind enough to open a gate so I could access the boat rental area and a small jetty. From there, I had a gorgeous view of the lake, the mountains, and the sky.

Over several hours, I photographed the foreground and the night sky and tested my new clip filter to capture additional H-alpha detail, which is especially prominent in winter constellations. In the end, I am very happy with my first H-RGB image, and I am sure I will visit Viktor’s boat rental again in summer, with no ice on the lake.

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