Milky Way Arches Over Mount Lassen's Dark Skies
Monday, May 25th, 2026 at 8:36:20 AM · 2026/Mt Lassen Volcanic National Park
This long-exposure astrophotography image captures the Milky Way galaxy stretching diagonally across a deep, dark night sky above Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park. Thousands of individual stars are visible across the frame, with the dense galactic core creating a luminous, cloud-like band of diffuse light through the center of the image. Dark nebulae — dense clouds of interstellar dust — are visible as darker voids within the brighter galactic band, adding depth and texture to the composition. The lower portion of the frame transitions to a deep greenish-black, possibly subtle airglow, while the upper corners remain nearly pitch black, emphasizing the remarkable darkness of this remote national park location. Shot with a Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens, the image demonstrates the capable low-light performance of a modern full-frame mirrorless system.
Chronologically Adjacent
