46.7

My buddy, Marc and I had been shooting in separate areas of the lake when we met up in this spot and thought it might do for a nice shot of the Milky Way. This is two shots, one for the starry sky and one for the foreground which Marc lit up with a bright flashlight. with the Sierra range in silhouette for both shots, it was quite easy to blend.

Seeing these on my computer, I really noticed the glow near the bottom. As dark as it was out at Mono, only a day after the new moon, I could still see outlines of the mountains. I deliberately punched up the color here to demonstrate just how much light spills over the Sierra from the San Joaquin Valley. Dust particles in the air accentuate the glow, tapering off as it rises in the atmosphere.

I wonder if there isn't a truly dark place on the planet where we can see the night sky as it should be...dark!

Thanks as always for stopping by for a look!

This image is © Jean Day and can not be used in any way without my permission!
For prints and licensing please contact me directly here:
jeandayphotography@att.net