MILKY WAY

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy, about 100,000 light-years across.Spiral galaxies make up about two-third of the galaxies in the universe. Several of the parks I visited on my Southwest trip were Dark Sky parks. They are land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment.
In this gallery you will see Skyline Arch and Courthouse Towers in Arches NP, Monument Valley in Utah, Oregon Coast and Sonoma County Coast.

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Milky Way Skyline Arch at Arches NP Photo 1

The photo taken at Skyline Arch in Arches NP was taken on 9/30/2019. Skyline Arch sits on the skyline and graces the top of a large fin. Taken at the campground amphitheater on the other side of Skyline Arch to frame the Milky Way. Lit using a soft-box light to arch .

Milky Way at Courthouse Towers at Arches NP Utah Photo 2

This is a stacked photo of many single exposures of Courthouse Towers in Arches National Park. Exposure of the towers if from many cars over a 16 photos.

Milky Way Photo 3 - Astro-Modified Camera

Milky Way & Perseid’s Meteor Shower 2020 Photo 4

Taken on 8/12/2020 in the night sky on Myers Grade rd. It is a stacked of three images. Each image captured a single meteor. You can see airglow of green along the line of sight through the thicker atmosphere. The bright emission is green light from oxygen atoms. Saturn and Jupiter are on the sides of the first tree.

This photo was taken in Myers Grade road on the Sonoma Coast of Northern California. You have Saturn and Jupiter on the left side of the Milky Way. It was taken during the summertime when the Milky Way is vertical in the Northern Hemisphere.

Milky Way at Courthouse Towers at Arches NP Utah Photo 6

This is a single exposure of the towers being lit by a passing car in both directions. The light is dramatic due to the headlights lighting just a portion of the towers.

Milky Way Photo 7 - Astro-Modified Camera

Milky Way & Perseid’s Meteor Shower 2021 Photo 8 - Astro-Modified Camera

Taken using an astro-modified alpha-H channel Nikon Z5 with a Z20mm 1.8 lens. Locations are a field and campground near the Cape Blanco lighthouse in Oregon. There was smoke in the sky from forest fires and it was very windy most nights.