LONG after sunset, sweltering 40oC heat still hung over the vast, remote Gobi Desert as hot winds swept across the wilderness.

Suddenly and fleetingly, a blazing fireball streaked across the star-studded sky, leaving a long, glowing trail and drawing loud whoops of amazement from stargazers.

Astrophotographers stationed behind their tripods leaned forward to eagerly check their camera screens, hoping to have captured the fleeting moment. As the Perseid meteor shower peaked on Aug 12 and 13, observers and astrophotographers across China flocked to the Pterosaur-Yardang Dahaidao Scenic Area in Hami, Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, to witness the celestial event.

“Stargazers are absolutely drawn to this place, and for good reason. Beyond minimal light pollution, the air here is extremely dry with little dust, creating exceptional atmospheric transparency,” said veteran astrophotographer Liu Bing from Beijing.

“As a result, stars retain their sharpness in camera shots, and less starlight is scattered away, making it possible to capture stunning pictures,” Liu added. Astrophotographers can pair the varied, wind-eroded Yardang landforms with celestial subjects to create one-of-a-kind images. Liu and other astrophotographers recently attended the annual Sweet Whispers to the Galaxy Festival in Hami and captured images of the Perseid meteor shower.

The event aimed to reinforce the area’s reputation as a premier destination for stargazing. Many of them are from the China StarVision Alliance, a domestic platform for nearly 1,000 Chinese astrophotographers.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2026