For most of us, a glimpse of the Milky Way would be exciting enough.

Eastern Daily Press: Photographer Shaun Reynolds. PIcture: Shaun ReynoldsPhotographer Shaun Reynolds. PIcture: Shaun Reynolds (Image: Archant)

But one Norfolk photographer has travelled 23,000 miles to capture what he believes is a world first - a picture of the entire galaxy we call home.

Shaun Reynolds, from Ditchingham, has spent years capturing the night sky, with many of his photographs used in national astronomy magazines.

But he had long held a dream to photograph the entire Milky Way from the ground - an impossible task from one location.

So, instead, he photographed the northern half at Lands End in Cornwall, taking 35 separate shots, before bringing them together into one picture. And, for the southern half, he travelled the 23,000 mile round-trip to the Otago Peninsula in New Zealand in March, getting up at 4am to take the 36 separate shots.

The images were then stitched together to create the one photograph, which he believes is a world first.

'I love a challenge,' he said, 'and I'm really chuffed I managed to do it.'