This is another version of the Milky Way shots I took out in the Badlands a few months ago. A few came out really similar but a few came out really different as they had some extra light from cars passing by down the road in front of where I was set up at the Fossil Trail facing the mountain. Fortunately this one had no close cars during the open shutter. It is a vertical version which I thought was cool as the New Moon sky and no light pollution made it dark as hell and the star stream was visible from in front of me, as in the shot, to the horizon behind me. I'd seen Milky Ways before but hadn't seen it cover horizon to horizon. Everyone there commented on that fact
It was such a cool experience. This sky seemed to take on a colder blue tint.
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
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My father and oldest son are visiting in PA for a while so being that last weekend was the new moon we decided to take a road trip to the Allegheny National Forest and the check it out a bit for a few day. My father had never experienced a Dark Sky so he was up for it. My son from Pittsburgh and his wife also made the trip with us. I had been there a few other times but this time when I pulled into the parking lot it was pretty full so we ended up parking pretty far from the viewing area. Being the New Moon fell on the weekend this month and the weather was perfect and comet in the sky, a lot of people decided to take it all in. It was forecasted as high chance of clouds but it all cleared by 10:00. Which was so cool because the clearer sky the better. I had never saw so many people there and it was really cool.
We set up out chairs in the viewing area and just checked out and took it all in. My father had never experienced a Dark Sky in his 89 years and he enjoyed it as much as us. We didn't get ready to leave until 1:00 am.
This place is a designated Dark Sky area and is one of the 10 darkest areas of the U.S., and probably the darkest place east of the Mississippi. Which is so cool being in Pennsylvania, one would not imagine. Tot of star gazers and photographers from all over. Had difficulty with so many people on the road with head and tail lights but made due. We stayed in Coudersport which was about a half hour away. So cool.
I was told that the large star is really Jupiter and the one right to the left of it is Venus.
Cherry Springs State Park, PA
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This another shot I did up in Michigan. It was taken at my friend Gordy's house in his backyard. He lives on Michigan's Upper Peninsula on Drummond Island. Kinda cool, we had to take a ferry to get to the island. One way on, one way off. His house is located on Whitney Bay. In the distance those are a few small islands and the lighted areas are the mainland.
Was able get a pretty dark sky even though it was a week before the new moon as the moon didn't rise that time of year till close to midnight. Still I got a lot of noise I think because I accidentally took my camera of raw to jpg. Daahh. Oh well, better than nothing.
Whitney, Bay, Drummond Island, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Lake Huron, USA
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Was up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula staying at a friend's house on Drummond Island. We took a ride to the marina and saw the Moonrise that evening. The moonrise that evening wat at 10:54. We saw the glow on the horizon and thought maybe there was a fire in the distance until I saw it rising. Daah! It was cool as heck and so awesome to experience Lake Huron for the first time.
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A few weeks ago my buddy Jim and I took a road trip to the Allegheny National Forest to get some dark sky shots of the Milky Way as it was the New Moon of the month. Spent some time at Cherry Springs State Park as like a sorta headquarters for the events and visitors from all over the Eastern US as this is one of the darkest areas in the country and definitely in the East. We ventured to Lyman Run a little later in the evening once we saw that the Milky Way was gonna be perfectly at the end of the lake at what time as we visited the lake earlier on in the day to scope thing out and think of a few compositions. This one is by the dock and boat rental area. Kinda cool.
Met some nice people at Cherry Springs that were interested in checking out the lake also. We met up with them and they used the area for some perspectives of the stars also. Got really chilly that night, like fortys. Cold as hell but worth it to see this.
Lyman Run State Park, PA
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