Milky Way Rises Over Mount Lassen's Ancient Forest
Monday, May 25th, 2026 at 9:20:50 AM · 2026/Mt Lassen Volcanic National Park
This long-exposure astrophotography image captures the Milky Way galaxy arching across a star-filled night sky above Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. The galactic core is visible as a soft, luminous band of diffuse light cutting diagonally through the upper-right portion of the frame, surrounded by thousands of individual stars scattered across the deep black sky. Silhouetted tree branches intrude from the upper-right corner, adding a natural foreground element that grounds the cosmic scene and provides scale. The image has a dark, contemplative mood with subtle gradients of deep charcoal and gray contrasting against the pinpoint star field. Shot with a Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens, the photo demonstrates the challenge of balancing noise, exposure time, and sharpness in nighttime conditions.
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