On the last weekend of October 2019, in wonderful autumn weather, there was the opportunity for a short stay in the Dolomites.
Some of the attractions in the tranquil Villnöss valley (Val di Funes), which we knew from our childhood, have meanwhile become photographic hotspots. The little church of St. Johannes Nepomuk in Ranui, for example, is so popular with international Instagram photographers that a "photo point" has been set up to control the crowds and the grounds have been fenced in over a large area.
The Dolomite mountain group of the Odle peaks (Gruppo delle Odle) with the 3025m high Sass Rigais as the main peak characterize the views in the valley, where the extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner was born.
Some mountain pastures had already closed during the time of our visit.
During a cloudless and moonless night, the so-called Heart and Soul Nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia together with the nearby double star cluster h + chi in Perseus could be captured right next to a rushing mountain creek with a total exposure time of almost four hours.
In the neighbouring Val Gardena valley (Val Gardena) visits of the Sella Pass (Passo Sella) and the Sassolungo Pass (Passo di Gardena) were scheduled, which are located at the foot and in the perspective of the Sassolungo group (Sassolungo). The second highest peak of this group is the 3,114m high Grohmann peak, named after Paul Grohmann, co-founder of the Austrian Alpine Club. So we too can sunbathe a little in the glory of our namesake :-)
Unfortunately clouds came up in the evening and interfered with the planned night shots of the Sassolungo group with the Milky Way.
