I spent an evening under the stars on Inchydoney beach. It's the only time I've ever seen the full arc of the Milky Way in Ireland. West Cork is often mentioned as having incredible dark skies, perfect for stargazing.

It was great...but what struck me was the light pollution emanating from two nearby hotels. Although neither are enormous developments, the glare from them had a hugely detrimental effect on the clarity of the stars overhead. I guess, their lights was made all the more striking by the pure darkness that surrounded them.

I went off to the shadows, hiding from their effects, and watched the heavens spin by. What a sight. It never ceases to amaze me.

I'm an utter novice when it comes to capturing the stars with photography...it's something I'm going to work hard on to better.