Milky Way Arcs Over Lassen Volcanic Wilderness
Monday, May 25th, 2026 at 8:54:50 AM · 2026/Mt Lassen Volcanic National Park
This long-exposure astrophotography image captures the Milky Way galaxy's central band sweeping diagonally across a deeply dark night sky above Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Thousands of individual stars are visible as pinpoints of white and blue-white light scattered across the frame, with the denser galactic core region creating a luminous, cloudy band of diffuse light across the center-right of the image. Dark nebulae — regions of interstellar dust — are visible as darker voids within the galactic band, adding depth and texture to the composition. A hint of tree silhouette is barely visible in the upper-right corner, grounding the scene in the terrestrial landscape. The overall mood is one of profound cosmic awe and solitude, enhanced by the exceptional dark-sky conditions found in this remote national park.
Chronologically Adjacent
