Two photographers and over 200,000 photos made this 174-megapixel photo of our Moon

One of the most marvelous things about photography (and there are many) is the collaboration with other artists. You get to meet new people, you inspire each other, and together you make something extraordinary.

So, when two incredible astrophotographers get together, what can you expect? An equally incredible image. Andrew McCarthy and Connor Matherne got together and combined over 200,000 shots to create a single moon photo. The result: a super-detailed 174-megapixel image that lets you zoom all the way in and see all the details you wish.

As it often happens in the internet era, Andrew and Connor met and connected online, through Reddit and Instagram. They first collaborated two years ago, creating their first moon photo together. But now they’ve decided to push the boundaries and make it even better. After all, two years is a lot of time during which you gain a lot more skill and experience.

Each photographer had his own contribution to the shot. Andrew specializes in super-detailed photos, while Connor is the master of color. So, they teamed up, each on his side of the country. Believe it or not, they did the shooting over the course of a single evening. Andrew took over 200,000 photos to compose a detailed shot of the moon from Arizona. On the same evening, Connor shot another 500 from Louisiana to capture color data. The resulting image is a stack of their photos, showing the moon in both incredible detail and remarkable color.

In a Reddit post, Andrew explains that the color in this image is real. However, they did increase saturation so it is easily visible to our eyes. “The reddish tones demonstrate areas rich in iron and feldspar,” Andrew explains, “while the bluish areas are spots where the regolith is rich in titanium.” He adds that oxidization from the influence of Earth’s atmosphere makes the colors appear as they do.

Take a look at the photo below, and head over here to zoom in and explore all the details. And of course, don’t forget to give these great guys a follow on social media and check out their websites!

Andrew: website | Instagram | Twitter

Connor: Instagram