Exploring the Earth and Sky of the West

Night Sky Photography: Nightscapes

  • A panorama of the California coastline showing many large light domes degrading the view of the night sky.
    Nighttime panorama from the cliffs above Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island.
  • The Summer Milky Way sets over the southern horizon
    The summer Milky Way sets over the southern horizon near Escalante, Utah.
  • Photo of the spring night sky with zodiacal light and Orion
    Three landmarks of the winter night sky, Sirius (left), Orion (center, in flashlight beam), and the Pleiades (right) make their way towards the western horizon, where the bright band of the zodiacal light juts into the sky.
  • Star trails over Notch Peak
    Autumn star trails over Notch Peak, House Range, Utah. The mountains are lit by the light of a first quarter moon.
  • Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah
  • tar trails above Thor’s Hammer, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
  • The constellation Orion hovers over the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
  • Ful moonlight over Wheller Peak and Stella Lake
    Light from the rising full moon illuminates Wheeler Peak and Stella Lake, Great Basin National Park, Nevada
  • Full Moon sky over Wheeler Peak, Great Basin National Park, Nevada
  • Star Trails over Devil's Backbone Open Space
    Star Trails over Devils Backbone Open Space, Loveland, Colorado
  • Joshua Tree and Star Trails
    Star trails and high clouds from Jumbo Rocks Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, California
  • Death Valley sand dunes with stars
    A clear winter night in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park., California
  • Mudcracks and sand dunes at night, Death Valley
    Mudcracks in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
  • Star Trails from Escalante Canyon
    Star Trails from Escalante Canyon, Colorado
  • Milky Way and airglow from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park
    Milky Way, Airglow, and Seattle light pollution from Hurrican Ridge, Olympic National Park
  • Milky Way center close-up
    Close-up of the center of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Several star clusters and emission nebulae (pink), popularly known as stellar nurserys, are visible in this 1-minute exposure.
  • Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon.
    The Milky Way spans the sky from horizon to horizon as seen from near Delta, Colorado.
  • Night sky looking west across the Haro Strait from San Juan Island.
  • Summer Milky Way, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
  • A comet and its tail appears in the pre-dawn sky with a mountain range and valley fog in the foreground
    Comet NEOWISE rises over Mt. Rainier.
  • A comet and its tail appears in the pre-dawn sky with a mountain range and valley fog in the foreground
    Comet NEOWISE rises over Mt. Rainier.
  • A nearly full moon rises over a forest of trees
    A nearly full moon rises over the forests of the Cascade Mountains.
  • A large volcanic peak illuminated by moonlight with stars in the background sky.
    Mt. Rainier bathed in the light of a nearly full moon.
  • White icefields and glaciers at the summit of a peak are visible through some clouds
    Light from a full moon illuminates the glaciers and icefields on the summit of Mt. Rainier, barely visible through the clouds.
  • A dark blue twilight sky is bisected by the glow of the Milky Way, and reflected in a tranquil pond.
    The Milky Way begins to emerge in twilight.
  • The night sky including the Milky Way and the streak of a meteor is seen over a tall mountain peak.
    A meteor takes aim at Jupiter.
  • Reflection of Milky Way and volcanic cone in a tranquil lake.
    Bright Jupiter rises above the summit of Mt. Adams, with the summer Milky Way reflected in the calm surface of Takhlakh Lake.
  • The Milky Way is just barely visible in the sky over the coastline
    The Milky Way was just barely visible due to the bright moon.
  • Several rocky islands sit in a bay with stars in the sky overhead.
    The stars of Scorpius hang above sea stacks along the coast in Olympic National Park.
  • A person sits on a log along the beach watching the moon rise over the coastline.
    The night sky is illuminated by the rising, nearly full moon.
  • The Milky Way stretches from horizon to horizon with some clouds hovering near the horizon.
    The summer Milky Way from Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah.
  • A softly lit tent at the edge of a forest is seen with the night sky partially obscured by clouds overhead.
    Clouds coming over the Cascade Crest partially obscures the Milky Way. Jupiter is seen.
  • Stars and planets dot the sky over cliffs and canyons of red rock
    The night sky from the Kolob Canyon area of Zion National Park, Utah. Light pollution from Cedar City is visible on the horizon at left.
  • stars streak across a purple sky, with cliffs of red rock and lots of trees in a canyon below
    Star trails over the La Verkin Creek drainage, Zion National Park, Utah
  • Big Dipper over Mt. Adams
  • A streak of headlights illuminates a winding mountain road with stars overhead.
    Motorcycle headlights illuminate the sweeping curves of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The constellation of Canis Major sits just above the horizon.
  • The Milky Way is visible in the night sky over a smoke filled lake.
    The Milky Way from the rim of Crater Lake.
  • Crater Lake at Dusk
    The Moon and Venus setting behind Crater Lake
  • City lights are seen reflected in a lake, while the light of a campfire illuminates trees along the shore.
    Night on the shores of Lake Chelan, WA
  • Stars above an ancient bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) at Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
  • The Moon and a string of planets over an ancient bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) at Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
  • 24″ Clark Refractor, Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona