GALLERY

This shot of the Milky Way rising over North Fork Mountain in Pendleton County took a bit of planning and more than a little bit of luck. I needed a night where the Milky Way would be angled in the sky but end at the apex of the North Fork Mountain ridgeline. In addition, the moon needed to be to the west and bright enough to illuminate the cliffs and hillside but set early enough to allow a dark sky for the Milky Way. There are only a few days a year where this comes together, and the appointed day was cloudy and rainy. But with the help of a friend who monitored radar while I had no data service, I decided to climb the North Fork Mountain Trail in anticipation of clearing skies. This is a panorama of two exposures, one of the foreground while the moon was up, and one of the Milky Way after the moon set. Photo and caption by David S. Johnston. Check out more of his work: https://pbase.com/dsjtecserv/dolly_sods