The Milky Way from 12,200 feet up...

[Uilleann]

Looking down - looking up. I spent the weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park. At 12,200 feet up in the tundra, you can easily look down on a number of Rocky Mountain peaks below you, along with numerous glaciers, valleys, and lakes. When there aren't white-out snow squalls blowing through (as I got to experience for about half an hour earlier in the night. Quite a surreal feeling when your parked on a desolate road, alone, with a 3,000 foot sheer drop about 4 feet to the left of the car!

The sky cleared soon after however, and the moon set in the west leaving the stars to their regular nightly journey across the sky. That high up the thin air makes for incredible views of the night sky as well. Intense green and magenta airglow were seen just to the right of the Milky Way core.

[Uilleann]

The previously mentioned airglow:

[Steve Machol]

Great shots!

[drk]

You are nuts, you know that. You may as well have been in orbit.

[NAICITPO]

You sell these right??

[Uilleann]

Great shots!

Thanks Steve - it was my first time to that park. Really enjoyed the visit!

You are nuts, you know that. You may as well have been in orbit.

Heh - I've been called worse Sir! LOL It was definitely cool to be up that high. The stars looked amazing, even with the otherwise massive skyglow light pollution from Este's Park / Boulder / Denver just off to the left. Definitely recommend a visit if you've never been, and be sure to stay after dark and look up!

You sell these right??

I do - after a fashion. I've got an online gallery, but not super in love with their print quality 100% of the time. Best thing is to either drop me a DM here, or on instagram. That's where I've got all my stuff that's worth posting (or printing). The gallery doesn't have everything up there just yet, but there is a link on the insta profile too.

instagram,com/bri.dobson

[Fezz]

Outstanding Mate!

[Uilleann]

Outstanding Mate!

Thanks Buddy! Hope all is well w yinz!

[Ellie.D]

These look amazing. You're making me jealous now - I want to go

[Uilleann]

These look amazing. You're making me jealous now - I want to go

The west is a really great spot for those gorgeous night skies! Come on out for a visit - but if you go to Rocky Mountain NP, bring some oxygen. 12,000 feet up is no joke!

[Steve Machol]

The west is a really great spot for those gorgeous night skies! Come on out for a visit - but if you go to Rocky Mountain NP, bring some oxygen. 12,000 feet up is no joke!

Have you shot at Bryce Canyon yet? I remember the Milky Way was bright enough to actually cast a shadow.

[Uilleann]

Have you shot at Bryce Canyon yet? I remember the Milky Way was bright enough to actually cast a shadow.

Bryce is a bit too crowded anymore for my tastes, so I usually avoid it unless it's off season. But it is a good spot for astro when there are no people, and no wildfire smoke. Kodachrome Basin just to the east of Bryce is a state park that's much less crowded, but with the same awesome dark skies. You might remember the star trails image I got there over Ballerina Spire a few years back:

[Steve Machol]

That's gorgeous!

[Uilleann]

That's gorgeous!

Thanks Buddy! I was just a hair off with my alignment of polar north and the spire, but close enough to still be pretty cool. ;) But you're right, that whole area is AWESOME for astro work. Hiking by starlight is a real thing!